Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Snakecharmer
Label: Frontiers Records
Released: 2017
Length: 50:50
Rating: 4/5
Hell yeah! Former Whitesnake members and a new Snakechamer record. Back in 2013 the self-titled studio debut dropped from this supergroup of British rock’n’roll stars, and it had a venomous resemblance to the musical direction of the best-known Whitesnake albums from the days when Micky Moody held down first guitar in Whitesnake. Well, one of the key pillars who kicked Snakecharmer into life decided to leave the band before the new album »Second Skin«. It’s a band with yet another former Whitesnake man, bassist Neil Murray, and former Heartland singer Chris Ousey on vocals. On guitar there’s the excellent Laurie Wisefield (Tina Turner, Wishbone Ash), plus keyboardist Adam Wakeman, one of the sons of the legendary Rick Waeman (Yes), Thunder and Magnum drummer Harry James and, last but not least, the superb new guitarist Simon McBride, whom we had the honor of seeing a while back as part of keyboardist Don Airey’s backing band for Deep Purple.
On their second album Snakechamrer stick to the tried-and-tested recipe of the debut and don’t budge from it an inch. Considering they’re made up of individuals with serious musical mileage and experience, their trick is a familiar one. They know exactly how to build a song so that it reminds you a bit of old Whitesnake, but is different enough that it’s clear all the way through that this is Snakechamer and not Whitesnake. So, a slightly different lineup that not only dares to do this but is allowed to get away with it.
Honestly, Snakecharmer would never have taken off if musicians of such famous reputation weren’t playing in it. That’s for sure. Rehashing what’s already been invented is everywhere these days. In the music business too, and people have short memories, so it pays to exploit that. You can be a “superman,” but without originality and authenticity you unfortunately mean nothing in the universe of music. In this respect Snakecharmer have damn good luck, because they’re really the heralds of the rock’n’roll generation that put hard rock firmly on the world map in the eighties.
The performance on this album is outstanding. McBride is cut from a completely different cloth than Moody, and the new album brings a substantial shift in the structure of the mid-eight passages, which are logically instrumental again, but this is where Simon McBeride’s exceptional technical and virtuoso polish really sparks. He’s a considerably more versatile and varied guitarist than his famous predecessor Micky Moody. Wisefield is also a bit more in the spotlight now. Alongside Moodyjem, Moody always left Wisefield somewhat in the shade. Four years was enough time to pile up plenty of useful ideas that ensure an effective repackaging of what’s already been said. The album »Second Skin« holds up. From A to Z. Even the ballad Fade Away, which tugs toward Aing’t No Love in the Heart of the City, once again reaches that desirable difference in the arrangements, so you can’t put an equals sign between the two songs. It pulls toward Whitesnake, but just enough that it doesn’t get in the way.
»Second Skin« will be snapped up by pretty much every die-hard Whitesnkae fan. Old or new, doesn’t matter. The melos itself, the approach and concept of the arranging, then Ousey’s superbly melodic vocals that add that velvety, raspy warmth to the performance, as well as the vocal harmonies keeping Ousey company. Last but not least, the listener is never left in the lurch thanks to the invigorating riffing in the songs, backed by the solid, chunky support of the Hammond organ. The songs are incredibly musical, peaking in choruses that are all memorable, every single one. The weight of the blues in this kind of rock’n’roll recipe is generous and clearly stamped, and the album as a whole doesn’t hide its erotic charge. In emotions and passions, of course. The probable peak of the album comes, besides the excellent Are You Ready to Fly, from the closing Where Do We Go from Here, no less atmospheric and gently mystical.
An album that brings no musical innovation will sound homey and familiar to Whitesnake lovers. It doesn’t lack production or songwriting quality. There’s only the familiar complaint, noted at the start of this review: leaning on the old glory of individual members of this crew, and the carefree songwriting that goes with it, which simply leads to musical unoriginality.
Snakecharmer – That Kind of Love (official video):
Lineup
Chris Ousey – vocals
Laurie Wisefield – guitar
Simon McBride – guitar
Adam Wakeman – keyboards
Neil Murray – bass guitar
Harry James – drums
Production
Snakecharmer
Tracklist
01. Sounds Like A Plan
02. That Kind Of Love
03. Are You Ready To Fly
04. Follow Me Under
05. I’ll Take You As You Are
06. Hell Of A Way To Live
07. Fade Away
08. Dress It Up
09. Punching Above My Weight
10. Forgive & Forget
11. Where Do We Go From Here
