TARA'S SECRET - review added 20th January 2010
Album Review: Vertigo (2009)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and ladies sat on suitcases
UK rockers Tara's Secret - Johnny 'Sven' Trowbridge on vocals, Richie 'Helty Pelty' Beardsley on lead guitar, Craig 'Bjorn' Chapman on guitar and keys, Dave 'Erik' Deaville on bass, and John 'JT' Thomas on drums - came together in 2003 over a shared love of stadium rock bands like Van Halen, Journey, Styx, Whitesnake and more. The line-up has changed a bit since back then, but the outlook is still the same.
Vertigo follows the 2006 debut studio album, Tomorrow the World, and before that the demo Spectrum Wheel. I haven't knowingly heard anything off either release, but they were both well received when they appeared.
Tara's Secret are big fans of the live stage, and that definitely shines through on Vertigo. This is a nicely produced album, but it's still raw and majors on the character of imperfection. There are numerous segments of studio banter interspersed in the songs, and you really get the impression the guys had a ball making this record.
For me, the songs are not necessarily that brilliant in the general scheme of things, but they kind of work on this record. Approach it for what it is - a lighthearted rampage through the bowels of rock 'n' roll with a soupçon of emotive ballads thrown in - and you won't be disappointed. Approach the album expecting impeccably constructed standalone anthems with monster choruses and massive hooks...and it doesn't look so good.
There's no doubt this music will work well on the stage, and there are moments in every song that catch the attention - the lyrics of opening track 'Rock N Roll Beauty Queen', the guitar sound and overall structure of 'She's My Baby', the serene rocking beauty of the duet 'The Last 2 Know' (with Sue Willetts), and so the list goes on - but it's not enough to make Vertigo as good as I hoped it would be.
If you like your music raw, back to basics and full of energy you'll like this Tara's Secret release. It has a basic vibe somewhere between an early 1980's rocker and a modern live album. The harmonies and musicianship are great, and there's an aura of fun surrounding the whole thing. However, it doesn't quite click for me. I wanted it to work, and I've listened to it about a squillion times, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be...
Check out... The energy of it all.
Track List:
01. Rock N Roll Beauty Queen
02. She's My Baby
03. Natural High (Rain of Love)
04. The Last 2 Know (with Sue Willetts)
05. Promises
06. Vertigo
07. One More Chance
08. My Reward
09. Shake What Your Mamma Gave Ya! (with Adrian Marx)
10. Homeland
Artist's website(s): Tara's Secret , MySpace
