Label: Frontiers Music Srl.
Release date: 14. 5. 2021
Production: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Album length: 44.39 min
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 8.5/10
Robin McAuley, the esteemed Scottish hard rock vocalist who recently turned heads again with his work in Michael Schenker Fest and Black Swan, and who’s best known for cutting some cracking albums with Schenker under the McAuley Schenker Group banner, has “stepped up to the edge” after 22 years and dropped his second solo studio album, »Standing On The Edge«.
McAuley’s musical adventures run wider than the opening paragraph of this review essay suggests (let’s hope it stays as short as possible). So it’s no surprise there are a few pleasant surprises on the new album, like the contribution from McAuley’s old Grand Prix buddy and keyboardist Phil Lanzon, who has been playing with rock icons Uriah Heep for 35 years now. Lanzon co-wrote Like A Ghost. You can’t miss that Hammond touch, and you can’t ignore it either. Lanzon isn’t credited as a guest musician, and it’s hard to believe Del Vecchio could bury him so well in the Hammond lines, though it’s not out of the question. So, even though none of this would have happened without Frontiers Music Srl. in-house producer Alessandro Del Vecchio once again, there are a few more interesting tidbits about how this album came together. Supposed To Do Now was co-written by guitarist Howard Leese (Bad Company, Heart), who also played the guitar solo on the track. Swedish music legionnaire Tommy Denander lent his songwriting services to Do You Remember and Chosen Few. But the lion’s share went to Del Vecchio and his “squad” of Italian musicians. Del Vecchio took care of all the essentials, headed up by production, arrangements and performance, so that this McAuley album could see the light of day at all.
And there’s no need to stress again that Del Vecchio is well-oiled and incredibly adaptable whenever the Neapolitan label hands him an order for something to recreate. He’s an incredible imitator, really. Especially considering that he constantly has a pile of (simultaneous) projects on his shoulders that he produces, arranges and composes for, while also working with Hardline. It’s more than obvious that Frontiers Music Srl. would fold in a heartbeat without Del Vecchio on board. It’s also amazing that he keeps up such unbelievable form, which is what the quality of almost everything coming out of his hands stands on. And that goes for this McAuley album too. Even though this time there’s no McAuley partner-in-crime from the debut, Frankie Sullivan, who later even invited McAuley to join Survivor (though they never managed to record another album), Del Vecchio is incredible. Incredible in that »Standing On The Edge« doesn’t lag behind McAuley’s debut »Bussiness As Usual« (1999) in quality at all, and that’s the one where the aforementioned Sullivan played a major role. Except that the two were made in completely different times. At moments Del Vecchio manages to breathe a convincing whiff of eighties AOR west coast vibes into the songs (the sunny, optimistic Wanna Take A Ride). Some phrases are even comparable to McAuley’s MSG days. Supposed To Do Now is one of those, with Howard Leese “stirring up” the songwriting threads.
For a “lad” of a not-so-modest 68 candles, McAuley’s vocal form stays sharp and on high alert. The singer keeps all of his trademark charisma and punch, the kind he had when he was much, much younger. McAuley hasn’t lost a speck of his old drive and shine. Last year’s Black Swan debut certainly proves it, as do his two contributions to the recently recorded and released albums put out under the Michael Schenker Fest banner. The tracks definitely reach a tremendous flexibility and color. There are just ten of them, and they speak sensibly. No wasted space, no wasted time. The album gives you a very pleasant three quarters of an hour of music. Whether it’s the calm, balladic moments (Run Away, Late December) or the wound-up and (even extremely) sharpened ones (Running Out Of Time), there’s no shortage of superb playing. Del Vecchio and the other Italian legionnaires pulled this album out for McAuley with great craftsmanship and bright ideas.
A superb hard rock album where McAuley’s vocal charisma sparkles and runs wild in a glowing blaze, keeping up the performing power that this singer has always spoiled and delighted us with. »Standing on the Edge« is a damn good hard rock album that never stops impressing. Every single moment. There are simply no misfires, and McAuley can be enormously proud of it.
Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Tracklist:
1. Thy Will Be Done
2. Standing On The Edge
3. Late December
4. Do You Remember
5. Say Goodbye
6. Chosen Few
7. Run Away
8. Supposed To Do Now
9. Wanna Take A Ride
10. Like A Ghost
11. Running Out Of Time
Lineup:
Robin McAuley – vocals
Andrea Seveso – guitar
Alessandro Del Vecchio – bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
Nicholas Papapicco – drums
Howard Leese – guitar on track no. 8
