Jimi
Jamison – ‘Never Too Late’ album review
Released
on: Frontiers Records. Release date: Available now.
Yes,
folks, another album that’s released already and has been out for about
a month now.
Too much
new stuff hitting me up and being a one man show – People have offered to help
with reviews, but sadly not come through when they realize how much it takes,
but at least some have with gig reviews. Thank you those folks. – it’s tough to stay on top of all
this.
Anyway,
here we go with another great new release from an extremely huge talent, who
has simply proved himself time and time again. This really is a GREAT album, I
truly love it! Should I leave it there ….? OK, review done!
Ha ha! Ah,
but I can’t, I really have to tell you more!
Jimi
Jamison seriously, what a talent! Even when you listen back to his
pre-Survivor days, with both Cobra and Target, the material was always good
strong stuff with the man’s vocals shining through again and again.
When
Survivor released the first album to feature Jimi Jamison, 84’s ‘Vital Signs’
the chemistry was simply undeniable!
For me,
the follow up ‘When Seconds Count,’ although a little more thought out
musically, I felt it was easily just as good and then they put out the rockin’
‘Too Hot To Sleep’ in 1988 which was the last studio release for some time.
The band
toured from time to time, although they seemed to be under the radar for the
most part with little or no promotional push from anywhere, finally ‘Reach’ was
released in 2006 but Jamison departed almost immediately after this.
Jimi got
into his stride with his solo career, although during the on / off Survivor
years, he did put out under the title of Jimi Jamison’s Survivor, the classy
‘Empires’ in 1999.
Jimi’s
solo work to date has included ‘When Love Comes Down,’ in 1991, in 2008 the
much praised ‘Crossroads Moment,’ then the low key ‘Extra Moments’ alongside
fellow former Survivor talent Jim Peterik (Ides of March, Pride of Lions) in 2010.
He then
teamed up with former Toto vocalist Bobby Kimball for the appropriately titled
‘Kimball / Jamison’ in 2011, which was a strong release.
Review link here:
So, here
we are at the end of 2012 and although Jimi is now back with Survivor, I guess
he wanted to still make his mark with his solo career – And who can blame him,
with Survivor’s lack of studio output! – and put out ‘Never Too Late!’
Here’s the
thing though, not only is Jimi singing great, but he’s teamed up with a class
act in Erik Martensson (Eclipse, W.E.T.), who is another greatly talented
all-rounder, who’s co-written and produced so much magic right here.
Great band
behind these guys too, this is a seriously class album, I’d go so far as to say
it’s the best Survivor album they NEVER released! Yes, I think it’s that
strong!
‘Everybody’s
Got A Broken Heart’ starts with an almost typical true Survivor style gentle keyboard
intro and then rocks out and gets into a great groove!
Great
rocking guitar, sweet keys, killer harmonies and melodies in the best Survivor
style ever!
Would love
to see Jimi live again, shame his solo shows are usually limited to Europe ony.
‘The Great
Unknown’ keeps it going with a more gritty vocal from Jimi from the start and
then the song just grows and grows and the Hammond organ sound is great too,
but there’s just so much more to this. The chug along guitar through the verses
and then the pre-chorus into the then killer chorus is simply wonderful!
Great lead
work from Erik too, just all round AOR bliss!
The title
track ‘Never Too Late’ is next which has that gentle keyboard intro
accompanying Jimi’s vocal and again, this is one of those great tracks that
just builds and builds and yes, the chorus will just floor you. Love it!
‘I Can’t
Turn Back’ starts atmospherically and then starts to build just about a minute
in and it’s another huge track that layers up and down, in classic 80’s style
so if you miss that classic, nay, CLASSIC Survivor sound, then this album is
for you!
Oh boy,
next track ‘Street Survivor’ brings to mind ‘American Heartbeat’ from the intro
and then wham!
It’s a
great AOR rocker of the finest calibre, people BUY THIS ALBUM!
The track
just oozes greatness, it really does.
It’s power
ballad time in ‘The Air That I Breathe’ and huge kudos for everyone’s input to
this and the whole album.
It’s just one gem after another, it really is
and I can’t say that enough.
‘Not
Tonight’ is a great pop rocker that starts with an intro like something
Starship might use and then it gets into an almost Bryan Adams like groove,
before the pre-chorus sounds a little like Def Leppard! Erik Martensson becomes
Mutt Lange! Ha ha!
Nice
track!
With ‘Calling
The Game,’ I’m very much reminded once again of classic era Survivor,
brilliant!
Nice up tempo
smooth AOR rocker, classy yet again!
Erik Martensson
really has done his Survivor homework on song structures, ‘Bullet In The Gun’
starts with gentle piano arpeggios and then in kick the power chords and the
whole band is onboard!
This
really is a magical trip down memory lane, in terms of song styling, but there’s
without doubt modernisms in terms of keeping the overall sound up with the
likes of Eclipse, Work Of Art, etc type material. Love it!
Hammond
organ gently drives ‘Heaven Call Your Name’ behind a very emotive vocal from
Jimi. I get goose bumps hearing this each time, it’s like right there with say
Giant’s ‘I’ll See You In My Dream’s’ in places. So nicely done …
The album
is closed by the excellent rocker ‘Walk On (Wildest Dreams),’ which is simply
melodic hard rock of the finest calibre.
I mean it,
I love this album, no complaints and it’s an album I keep going back to listen
to again and again, to be honest just as I used to do with ‘Vital Signs’ and ‘When
Seconds Count,’ but you know what this is just so right up to date, it’s
magical it really is.
It
surpasses ‘When Seconds Count’ to me is very close to call on ‘Vital Signs.’
An
absolute winner by me!
Now Jimi,
what chance of a Detroit date, eh?!
Buy it!
Rating: 5
out of 5
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