Another day and another album with Jeff Scott Soto on vocals. This is Talisman’s fourth album released back in ’95 and this, my friends, is a banger. There is so much groove on this album your groove muscle will be doing overtime just to take it all in.
The opening track is a doozy. Marcel Jacob’s bass playing is insane and the interplay with Fredrick Akesson is just a joy to hear. Add Jeff’s golden voice over the top and it’s one beast of a song. The cover of Seal’s Crazy is wonderful. The band giving it a harder edge and extra groove is genius. Body is such a busy tune, the bass and guitar are laying it down hard with some great added funk to that heavy groove. Love the vocal and harmonies. What a great heavy wah wah opening to Temptation, that bass sound is huge, and we have another massive hook and chorus.
Loveblind is Talisman writing a chart tune. It’s a very commercial sounding song, with some excellent playing from Fredrick. Soul To Soul has an old school R’n’B vibe but with added funk, and that bass is epic it just drives the song along. Killer guitar opening and groove to All That Really Matters. This whole record has such a dirty funky under groove it’s just so cool and works so well on this tune. The hook and chorus are just so freakin’ awesome here, and that solo!
A Life starts as though we are in ballad territory with Jeff delivering a killer vocal, then that heavy funky beast of a groove kicks in for that epic ballad vocal to return for a big power ballad. If only Carlsberg did ballads. Temptation is up next and the busiest of riffs just blows you away with bass and guitar just groovin’ hard. Loveblind closes out the album and that bass…man what a player Marcel was. Favourite track… well, take you pick. I’m going for the opener Tears In The Sky. That song is just Talisman in a nutshell!
Killer band and killer album.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
