JOHN WETTON - review added 15th July 2011
Album Review: Raised In Captivity (2011)
For fans of: Rock
Amazingly, alongside all his work with Asia, various bands and projects, UK bassist/singer John Wetton has found time to create five other solo albums. "Raised In Captivity", his sixth, was written and recorded with American producer and multi-instrumentist Billy Sherwood (Yes, Yoso). The album features guest slots from plenty of John's career-cohorts including Mick Box (Uriah Heep), Steve Hackett (Genesis), Steve Morse (Deep Purple) and more.
If you're expecting RIC to be an Asia clone you'll be pleasantly surprised. I say pleasantly, but I must confess I couldn't stand the album on it's first run through. It's a real grower though with a lot of intelligent songcraft, subtle but beautiful musicianship and fine performances. Not all tracks are on the money, but there's a lot more that's good than bad...by a long way.
Is it progressive? Is it hard rock? Is it folksy? The questions role on, and the answer to most of them is yes. There's a wide range of styles on show. They all tie together with remarkable panache, but there's no way you could accuse the players of finding a sound and sticking to it. The way a classic vibe is interwoven with contemporary charm is excellent, and there's a definite thread weaving its way from start to finish.
Favourite tracks include the off the wall 'Lost For Words', the simply superb (and for some reason merely a bonus track) 'We Stay Together', the chilled 'The Devil and the Opera House', and the almost-epic 'Mighty Rivers' with Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering, Within Temptation).
In Summation:
It takes time to get into, and though not all of it is absolute brilliance...quite a lot of it is. John Wetton should be immensely proud of this album.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Track List:
01. Lost for Words (featuring Steve Morse)
02. Raised in Captivity (featuring Robert Fripp)
03. Goodbye Elsinore (featuring Steve Hackett)
04. The Last Night of my Life (featuring Alex Machacek)
05. We Stay Together (bonus track)
06. The Human Condition (featuring Tony Kaye)
07. Steffi's Ring (featuring Geoff Downes)
08. The Devil and the Opera House (featuring Eddie Jobson)
09. New Star Rising (featuring Mick Box)
10. Don't Misunderstand Me (featuring Tony Kaye)
11. Mighty Rivers (featuring Anneke Van Giersbergen).
Band/Performers:
John Wetton: vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards
Billy Sherwood: all instruments, except as noted above and in the tracklisting
Other Info:
Produced and Mixed by Billy Sherwood
Label: Frontiers Records
Artist's website(s): John Wetton | MySpace | Facebook
