Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Hughes, Glenn
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2016
Runtime: 56:17
Rating: 3.5/5
Cult vocalist and bassist Glenn Hughes, also known as ‘The Voice of Rock’ and most widely loved for his work with Trapeze, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, has returned as a solo artist after a lengthy absence with his fourteenth studio album, »Resonate«. After his previous solo outing, »First Underground Nuclear Kitchen (FUNK)« (2008), Glenn threw himself entirely into ‘supergroup-ish’ projects like Black Country Communion, California Breed and Kings of Chaos. That was a bit of a surprise, since he chose ‘collective’ creativity just as his solo career was blossoming commercially and winning him lots of fans who had never heard of him before. After the inglorious end of California Breed, the vocal master had no choice but to revive his solo career.
The opening stretch of the album, led by the opener »Heavy« and the equally energetic »My Town«, hits hard and packs that winning blend of hard rock and funk with a dash of soul, which Glenn has polished to perfection over his long and rich career. Guitarist Soren Andersen doesn’t skimp on razor-sharp riffs, while Pontus Enborg nicely ramps up his daredevil drumming. Longtime collaborator Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) shows up on only two tracks this time, which will surely disappoint some, as will the fact that there are no big-name guests alongside Glenn on the album. Clearly, Mr. Hughes wanted to prove with those two opening tracks that he can still ‘go all out’, and to make happy mostly those who value his Deep Purple legacy the most. Glenn’s voice is also still unbelievably well preserved, so climbing into the higher registers gives him no trouble whatsoever. And the guy doesn’t run short of youthful passion and verve when he sings anytime soon, which is really what has always been the best thing about his music.
»Flow« has a somewhat dirtier guitar sound and a slower tempo, while keyboardist Lachy Doley, probably the most respected Australian hammond organ player at the moment, gets a bit more room for snappy hammond organ passages. The slightly nostalgic »Let It Shine«, with its passionate, soul-leaning chorus, is one of the better moments on »Resonate«. »Steady« has a similar vibe, with rich keyboard arrangements coming to the fore for the first time on the album, while backing vocal harmonies add even more depth to Glenn’s passionate vocal acrobatics. Mr. Hughes was never known for the intellectual depth of his lyrics. On the somewhat punchier »God of Money«, packed with angry vocal outbursts and furious drum fills, he takes a bitter social jab at modern, deeply divided society. It’s a slightly unconvincing move from someone who never lacked material comforts, even if, after years of addiction, he declares himself a ‘born-again’ man, or an enlightened one.
The second half of »Resonate« is generally a bit less inspired than the first, as some of the songs sound a touch too much alike. »How Long« is an average heavy rocker that goes nowhere vibe-wise, and its ‘nagging’ chorus gets a little tiresome pretty quickly. Good thing it at least features a pretty witty organ solo from Doley. »When I Fall« is a very decent ballad with ‘refined’ hammond organ textures and Glenn’s velvety vocal approach. »Landmines« is an almost perfect funk rocker with a decent guitar solo and a slight pop flavor courtesy of the multi-voiced chorus. The closing tracks, the clichéd heavy rocker »Stumble & Go« and the somewhat more experimental »Long Time Gone«, are sadly pretty average affairs, as if Mr. Hughes was slowly running out of real songwriting inspiration toward the end of »Resonate«. The special edition of »Resonate« also includes a bonus track, »Nothing’s The Same«, which is a rather sleepy, acoustic-leaning ballad that Glenn really shouldn’t be too proud of.
»Resonate« isn’t exactly the new »Stormbringer«, but let’s be honest, not even the most devoted fans expected that from ‘The Voice of Rock’ anyway. Even though there are only a few moments on it that stick in your memory for long, which also means it will have a hard time competing with his longtime solo classics, »Resonate« is still a seriously solid record that, with its passionate mix of hard rock, funk and soul, will satisfy every longtime follower of Glenn’s solo output.
Either way, Glenn’s still-fantastic vocals do half the work on »Resonate« as always, which means there’s no way it can end up a musical disaster, even if the album, especially in the second half, suffers a bit from a lack of songwriting inspiration. It probably won’t win him new fans among the younger generations the way »Soul Mover« did, or his commercial solo peak, »Music For the Divine« (2006), especially after the rather unfortunate cancellation of an already announced tour, but at the very least it guarantees a solid continuity of his impressive musical journey and proves that, unlike many of his contemporaries, he’s not ready for the scrap heap yet.
Lineup
Glenn Hughes – vocals and bass guitar
Soren Andersen – guitar
Lachy Doley – keyboards
Pontus Enborg – drums and percussion
GUEST MUSICIAN:
Chad Smith – drums and percussion on “Heavy” and “Long Time Gone”
Production
Glenn Hughes and Soren Andersen
Tracklist
1. Heavy
2. My Town
3. Flow
4. Let It Shine
5. Steady
6. God of Money
7. How Long
8. When I Fall
9. Landmines
10. Stumble & Gon
11. Long Time Gone
