Doogie White & La Paz
The Dark and the Light
Metal Mind Records
2013
When you consider Doogie White, it’s always a good thing, that you can expect some kick ass, hard rock, vocal performance and some authentic bravado and real soul, since the lad really, puts all he has into his singing, which managed to squeeze him even in the twilight of years in the company of all the rock legends that had walked next to “The Man in Black” in Rainbow’s final album, making him a bit of minor rock legend in his own right... but this review ain't about “The Man in Black” or Rainbow indeed it’s all about Doogs, second album with his original droogs in crime, La Paz.
Now La Paz were one of the first bands that Doogie found success in, probably his first “real” pro band, that he seriously toured with, but they didn’t even had a proper album out, until they professionally recorded and released some of their old staples that they used to play back in the day as “Granite” a couple of years ago?! Having found, some decent response I suppose, they decided to take it a step forward and make some new music together. So how does Doogie and LaPaz fare, anno 2013? Not effin bad is the answer...
Things are pretty much similar, with the band sounding themselves, taking the odd chance and doing the little funny experiment here and there, just to see how things sound, but mainly churning out some cool good time hard rock ‘n roll!
“Little Book of Secrets” is an energetic Purple/latter day Rainbowesque number, heavy on the Hammond and cool as “funk”... some might say by the numbers, but I’d dare say, do you know how difficult it is to make something so familiar sound SO exciting? Sometimes not very, but in this case the result is so good that, it speaks tomes and volumes.
“Don’t Drink with the Devil” (such a classic title... probably trying to blag a drink eh?) is another bleak bluesy number, that rocks like a mother-father! A riff that just hits bull’s eye, some really nifty, glassy keys, a solo that’s just pain-incarnate... everything is in perfect place.
“Old Habits Die Hard” is a little rock & roller, that’s obviously way more up-tempo, a story about falling about the wrong kind of woman. Again and again and again… Ha Ha. Aaaaha. Right.
“Burlesque” is a bit boring, obviously themed after the “glam” dancers and that whole scene. Complete with its horns and its slightly cabaret atmosphere, while it’s not bad, it’s a little of an acquired taste I guess.
“The Good Old Days” reminisces on the “good ole days”?! Hehe. Sentimental and it shows and it’s a cool little song, soft rocker with a nice vibe, promising that the good old days are back and there will be more music, sort of, which is cool :D
“De La Luz” is a one minute atmospheric instrumental intro to…
“Devil in Disguise” that’s a bit of a dramatic song, not very much unlike something that could have been on a Rainbow album, but decidedly more “Latin”, flavored...
“Lonely are the Brave” is a ballad, not about Scotsmen… Maybe it’s about Scotsmen, I suppose after all the band is comprised of Scottish men, but it’s about Lonely Scotsmen, without a woman, being all wallowing in sorrow and drinking whiskey and writing beautiful weepy ballads about it! Most Excellent!
“Shadow of Romance” is very Mott and the Hoople, complete with Saxo’s and bells and whistles :P Weird one, and Doogs, sings in the most bizarre way in this one... interesting, but not my cup of Earl Gray.
“Sweet Little Mistreated” wow, talking about an ORIGINAL title right there... I can think of 2-3 bands here and now that have thought of that one or similar ones. The song is a sultry rocker, about being something like the big bad wolf, well in sheep’s clothing (what’s with Scotsmen and sheep anyway!) haha.... and a little mistreated, that should run straight home and all that shenanigans... pure rock ‘n roll tomfoolery…
“Men of War” – I’d love to say that is a dedication to Joey DeMaio’s codpiece, but no it’s actually a far more impressive and epic piece, super heavy, considering the rest of the songs on the album, even if it’s equally based on keys/hammond as it is on it bone crushingly heavy riff. PURE AWESOMENES !
Finally there's a two minute outro in the form of “The Fallen” a bit of a guitar paean, mimicking a bagpipe so to speak, with a drum salute at the end from a band. Quite an epic way to close out the album.
All in all, a great album. Can't really find any flaws. Fans of Doogie, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Hard Rock, you can’t really go wrong here. Most tracks are awesome and even the few that miss the point, are sort of, interesting. Give it a try. Most recommended.
Now La Paz were one of the first bands that Doogie found success in, probably his first “real” pro band, that he seriously toured with, but they didn’t even had a proper album out, until they professionally recorded and released some of their old staples that they used to play back in the day as “Granite” a couple of years ago?! Having found, some decent response I suppose, they decided to take it a step forward and make some new music together. So how does Doogie and LaPaz fare, anno 2013? Not effin bad is the answer...
Things are pretty much similar, with the band sounding themselves, taking the odd chance and doing the little funny experiment here and there, just to see how things sound, but mainly churning out some cool good time hard rock ‘n roll!
“Little Book of Secrets” is an energetic Purple/latter day Rainbowesque number, heavy on the Hammond and cool as “funk”... some might say by the numbers, but I’d dare say, do you know how difficult it is to make something so familiar sound SO exciting? Sometimes not very, but in this case the result is so good that, it speaks tomes and volumes.
“Don’t Drink with the Devil” (such a classic title... probably trying to blag a drink eh?) is another bleak bluesy number, that rocks like a mother-father! A riff that just hits bull’s eye, some really nifty, glassy keys, a solo that’s just pain-incarnate... everything is in perfect place.
“Old Habits Die Hard” is a little rock & roller, that’s obviously way more up-tempo, a story about falling about the wrong kind of woman. Again and again and again… Ha Ha. Aaaaha. Right.
“Burlesque” is a bit boring, obviously themed after the “glam” dancers and that whole scene. Complete with its horns and its slightly cabaret atmosphere, while it’s not bad, it’s a little of an acquired taste I guess.
“The Good Old Days” reminisces on the “good ole days”?! Hehe. Sentimental and it shows and it’s a cool little song, soft rocker with a nice vibe, promising that the good old days are back and there will be more music, sort of, which is cool :D
“De La Luz” is a one minute atmospheric instrumental intro to…
“Devil in Disguise” that’s a bit of a dramatic song, not very much unlike something that could have been on a Rainbow album, but decidedly more “Latin”, flavored...
“Lonely are the Brave” is a ballad, not about Scotsmen… Maybe it’s about Scotsmen, I suppose after all the band is comprised of Scottish men, but it’s about Lonely Scotsmen, without a woman, being all wallowing in sorrow and drinking whiskey and writing beautiful weepy ballads about it! Most Excellent!
“Shadow of Romance” is very Mott and the Hoople, complete with Saxo’s and bells and whistles :P Weird one, and Doogs, sings in the most bizarre way in this one... interesting, but not my cup of Earl Gray.
“Sweet Little Mistreated” wow, talking about an ORIGINAL title right there... I can think of 2-3 bands here and now that have thought of that one or similar ones. The song is a sultry rocker, about being something like the big bad wolf, well in sheep’s clothing (what’s with Scotsmen and sheep anyway!) haha.... and a little mistreated, that should run straight home and all that shenanigans... pure rock ‘n roll tomfoolery…
“Men of War” – I’d love to say that is a dedication to Joey DeMaio’s codpiece, but no it’s actually a far more impressive and epic piece, super heavy, considering the rest of the songs on the album, even if it’s equally based on keys/hammond as it is on it bone crushingly heavy riff. PURE AWESOMENES !
Finally there's a two minute outro in the form of “The Fallen” a bit of a guitar paean, mimicking a bagpipe so to speak, with a drum salute at the end from a band. Quite an epic way to close out the album.
All in all, a great album. Can't really find any flaws. Fans of Doogie, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Hard Rock, you can’t really go wrong here. Most tracks are awesome and even the few that miss the point, are sort of, interesting. Give it a try. Most recommended.