Artist: Lynch Mob
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2009
Length: 61:01
Rating: 4.5/5
Smoke and mirrors could well be called George Lynch’s triumphant comeback, the record that finally gives the legendary Wicked sensation, the guitarist’s bold declaration of independence from Dokken, a worthy successor. Oni Logan is back on vocals, having played alongside Lynch on that early-’90s project, while Marco Mendoza took over bass duties. Marco has been at George’s side at plenty of festivals in recent years, and we got to marvel at him not long ago at Bluesiana on Lake Wörthersee too. Together with Scott Coogan on drums, the guys have built a very special, mighty sonic atmosphere, next to which the latest record from Don Dokken, which also just came out on Italy’s Frontiers records, sounds like a puny little sprite.
The record follows the direction of George’s recent solo albums, drawing on the raw rock of the sixties and seventies and on names like Jeff Beck and Grand funk railroad. So it’s a very warm, tube-amp-flavored affair, though one with no shortage of sharper rhythms, summed up in a promise George made on his website years ago, admittedly more as a joke than in earnest. On a board titled “Don’t forget/Reminders” he first wrote: “Send a box of chocolates to Don” and then “Write the world’s meanest riff”. He’d already made good on that promise way back in 1985, when he wrote the music for the hit It’s not love, but this year’s record dishes up some of that bombast too. It grabs you with its directness right from the first track, 21st century man, whose main riff you could call a gloomier, dirtier variation on the “leitmotif” of Wicked sensation. My kind of healer, Time Keepers and Let the music be your master are written in the same vein, the latter blending the best of Hendrix and Black sabbath. The result is an utterly addictive mix of hard-hitting rock and dark voodoo psychedelia, showing up mostly in the experimenting with guitar sounds and a range of vintage gear and stomp boxes. Take the legendary Univibe, for example, while some similar sonic exotica comes from Lynch’s newer, more affordable custom made Zoom multi-effects unit. But the experimenting is never an end in itself and always serves the context and spirit of the song. That gives the album the sonic breadth it needs, which sadly wasn’t a trait of all of Lynch’s past records.
Unlike the guitarist’s solo project Furious George, Smoke and mirrors has no covers, and that goes for Madly backwards too, a song whose title strongly recalls a tune by Captain Beyond, whom Lynch pays tribute to on his latest solo album. There he writes that they were one of his favorite bands growing up, mainly because they supposedly sounded like some kind of “underground Deep purple”. That label may well be the best description of the sound and feel of this album too.
Smoke and mirrors is thus graced with excellent sound and a sharp feel for elemental rock’n roll. Add the masterful guitar of one of the eighties’ most prominent virtuosos and Logan’s unmistakable voice, and you’ve got a winning combination. It’s also George’s creative and spiritual peak, as he’s finally managed to fold his technical chops into the wider frame of some of the more complex musical ideas he already hinted at on the second Lynch mob record. The only shame is that we probably won’t get to hear the album live on this side of the Atlantic, since George has been touring mostly on his home continent and in Japan for a while now. Then again, maybe the success of Smoke and mirrors will be big enough that he’ll finally decide to hop over to the old continent after all.
Lineup
George Lynch – guitar
Oni Logan – vocals
Marco Mendoza – bass
Scot Coogan – drums
Production
Lynch mob, Bob Culick & Brett Chassen
Tracklist
1. 21st century man
2. Smoke and mirrors
3. Lucky man
4. My kind of healer
5. Time keepers
6. Revolution hero
7. Let the music be your master
8. The fascist
9. Where do you sleep at night?
10. Madly backwards
11. We will remain
12. Before I close my eyes
13. Mansions in the sky
