Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Joel Hoekstra's 13
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2015
Rating: 4/5
Joel Hoekstra is the new guitarist of Whitesnake, where he replaced Doug Aldrich last year, and many of you probably also know him as the former guitarist of Night Ranger, one of the most successful American west coast AOR outfits. Joel also works with the Trans Siberian Orchestra project and is part of the show Rock of Ages. To date he has released three solo studio albums, all of them fully instrumental. But to properly put his musical vision into practice, growing artistically in the roles of composer, producer and arranger while staying in the genre that brought him international recognition and where he feels most at home, melodic hard rock, Joel launched a new project under the name »Joel Hoekstra’s 13«.
And since Mr. Hoekstra is a perfectionist and his name is highly respected in music circles, the man managed to rope in a whole battalion of music stars. There’s a squad of singers, with names like Jeff Scott Soto and Russell Allen worth singling out, plus bass wizard Tony Franklin, drum legend Vinny Appice, keyboard virtuoso Derek Sherinian and many others.
Hoekstra rules this album, no doubt about it. His solos are a chapter of their own. Intricate playing, perfect control, an outstanding mix of speed and melodic tightness. Middle sections, intros, outros. That’s Joel’s turf. A master is a master. Coverdale wouldn’t have taken him on just like that. The result is a classic hard rock album with a strong melodic streak. Solid riffs paired with melodic singing, where the vocalists let loose a bit of explosiveness, and in its heavier variations it can draw on the work of Whitesnake and Dio, while in its softer moments the album edges toward the AOR paradigm (Nighjt Ranger, Foreigner). The musical camaraderie among the participating players is exceptional. Knowledge, talent, experience. Hand in hand. This album certainly doesn’t reveal a musical revolution, but it’s tailor-made for fans of melodic rock and the classic elements of hard rock, that is, of the bands cited in this text.
The concept for the album dates back to before Hoekstra joined Whitesnake. If releasing it were to get in the way of Whitesnake’s activities, it’s an open question whether Coverdale would approve of solo moves by members of his Whitesnake.
With »Dying To Live«, Joel Hoekstra passes his exam as a composer, arranger and producer with flying colors, proving he can credibly write classic rock songs too, the kind where vocals are a must. It’s also a very good calling card for Whitesnake and for working with his new rock mentor David Coverdale. If the latter feels he’s still got some breath left in his golden years for a new Whitesnake studio album, Hoekstra’s songwriting talent, as shown on »Dying To Live«, will be a big help.
Lineup
Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake) – guitar, backing vocals
Jeff Scott Soto (Journey, Yngwie Malmsteen, Axel Rudi Pell, Talisman) – vocals, backing vocals
Russell Allen (Adrenaline Mob, Symphony X) – vocals, backing vocals
Vinny Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio) – drums
Tony Franklin (The Firm, Blue Murder) – bass
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Black Country Communion) – keyboards
Chloe Lowery (Trans Siberian Orchestra) – vocals
Toby Hitchcock (Pride of Lions) – backing vocals
Charlie Zeleny (Joe Lynn Turner) – percussion
Dave Eggar (Amy Lee, Coldplay) – cello
Production
Joel Hoekstra
Tracklist
1.Say Goodbye To The Sun
2. Anymore
3. Until I Left You
4. Long For The Days
5. Scream
6. Never Say Never
7. Changes
8. The Only Way To Go
9. Dying To Live
10. Start Again
11. What We Believe
12. Kill or Be Killed (Bonus Track digital download)
