BLACK SAND - review added 1st April 2009
Album Review: Never Forget (2009)
For fans of: rock... and pub funk
Black Sand hails from the wonderful country of Austria, deep in the belly of Europe. Vocals are from Walter Weber and Daniela Haag, with Charles Hornemann on guitars, Paul Walsham on drums and Richard Pfanzelter on bass.
They come across more as a very good pub band than a proper recording group. The actual musicianship and song construction aren't bad. There's some nice lightweight funk and acoustic shenanigans in the music and the production is bright and crisp too.
Unfortunately, the problems begin (and end) with the singing. Vocalist Walter Weber is probably a lovely bloke and, quite possibly, sounds great live. But... he really doesn't come across at all well on record.
His voice is deep and muddy, and it's often hard to understand what he's singing. The start of the first track is so awful it actually takes a while to work out what language he's singing in. In all fairness matters do improve, but they never get to a stage you could describe as 'good'. The background singing from Daniela Haag on the other hand is very decent. Just a suggestion, but perhaps they should swap roles...
There are a few better moments amongst the fog of guffaw. The disco-esque funk rock of 'Mr Groove' is annoyingly enticing. Okay, the vocals still sound like someone grumbling through a pair of corduroy pants, but the song is characterful enough for it not to matter. It's actually a song I could happily listen to again and again - something of a miracle after the first few tracks. 'Our Train' isn't too bad either. It's another song that heads down the electronic route, rather following the road of out and out rock. Whatever the reasons, it has a definite appeal.
'Your Number 12' could be a good song with better execution, but it doesn't quite work here. It is one of the better tracks on the album, but that's like saying a one legged dwarf is a good athlete when you put him up against a bunch of fat tortoises with asthma.
'Baby Love Is True' is by far and away the best song on the album. You'll never guess why... Yes, that's right. Daniela Haag is actually the lead vocalist. She has a tendency to overemphasise the lyrics, but with some high-end vocal training she could be an absolutely fantastic singer. She has more than a passing resemblance to an out of control Robin Beck or Doro. The power and tone are there. She just needs help getting it all under control.
It's hard to recommend this album unless you are feeling particularly experimental. There are a few good moments, but they are drowned in a sea of iffy vocals and barely-average songwriting. Still, I have heard considerably worse.
Check out... Daniela's vocals. The potential is there, although how deep it's buried is anyone's guess.
Track List:
01. Tell Me
02. Chained In Jealousy
03. Do Do Do
04. Never Forget
05. Mr. Groove
06. My generation
07. Now It's Enough
08. Alone In The Rain
09. Our Train
10. Your Number 12
11. Baby Love Is True
12. Chicago Rock Cafe
13. Boys, Bad Boys
14. Cuban Girls
15. Liverpool
Artist's websites: Black Sand
