Opening track on the album neatly sums this album up ‘Heavy’. Massive bass riff, hammering drums and THAT voice – child-like or monster-bellows in turn. Quintessential Glenn Hughes.
But the album feels like a genuine progression for him. There is a funk that isn’t always apparent and the band he is using are remarkably flexible – other than using Chad Smith on ‘Heavy’ and ‘Long Time Gone’ there are no other superstar mates – and in Pontus Enborg he seems to have found a drummer who has the subtlety as well as the power to show off Hughes excellent bass. Soren Andersen’s guitar playing screams along behind the rhythm – like Hughes prefers – and Lachy Doley’s keyboards give some real texture to the music.
The songs are some of the best Hughes has written, certainly the most consistently powerful, and show some touches of the man that aren’t always what you would expect.
I came to the album expecting to be pinned back in my seat but while he does all of that there are other tracks such as ‘Let It Shine; that have a softer edge to them, and darker tracks like ‘God Of Money’ where Hughes vocals get full rein to show his talent to make you understand a lyric rather than just feel it.
Glenn Hughes is an icon, a vocalist with a unique style and presence but for my money he has never quite hit the mark with his solo material – until now.
