Snakecharmer
Snakecharmer
Frontiers Records
2013
Snakecharmer is a sad-case. It’s a bit of an effort to try and ride the coat-tails of Whitesnake. And Well Moody and co-always tried to do so more or less – by calling themselves Snakes this and snakes that – but being under the same company as the governor and using a cover that’s somewhat too reminiscent... be it their choice or the company’s ain’t a very good one I can tell ya.
So, after the Snakes and their company and a few other offshoots – here comes Snakecharmer founded in 2011 by former Whitesnake members Micky Moody and Neil Murray, this “super-group” includes the perfect mix of caliber musicians with Laurie Wisefield, Harry James, Adam Wakeman and Chris Ousey all having earned their stripes in bands like Wishbone Ash, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Magnum, Thunder, MSG, Brian May Band and Heartland (albeit mostly as session musicians in most cases).
The album boasts an unusually modern production, that while no-one would complain about, feels a tad unnatural. At first it felt a bit like modern rock, then I thought it sounded a bit like a more pedestrian Mr. Big, then sort of semi justified the label of wannabe Whitesnake mixed with Bad Company.
Ousey who cut his teeth with Virginia Wolf and later went on to be with Heartland sounds a lot like Eric Martin, so “My Angel” ends up sounding quite a bit like a Mr. Big quasi-ballad/rocker.
“Accident Prone” has a bit more of hit potential, but it ain’t something too amazing, it’s more of a thing with a lazy southern vibe again I’d dare to characterize it like a cross like Cinderella and Mr. Big and I am starting to wonder, if this is really the album, they wanted to be advertising with that big cable, casting the shadow of a snake... oh how subtle…
“To the Rescue” at least, begins to sound more as it should… but at best, like a song that a version of a song that one of the mid 80s versions of Whitesnake would come up with, not the early ones.... plus, Ousey, sounds like a cross of a bad Coverdale with a bad Joe Lynn Turner.
“Falling Leaves” is a slower number, with no particular, allegiances, that could have ended somewhere, anywhere… on one of those albums. Ousey doesn’t particularly try to copy anyone and oh snap the magic happens! Guess what! It’s a bloody good song! Around 3:30 there’s also a pretty great solo... that’s the way to do it. You don’t need to lay down some top secret plan – just go for it and make it happen!
“A Little Rock and Roll” is a little and simple rock and roll number, that while its nothing too special but is also, manages to fill its 6 minutes, without causing boredom. It has some rather nifty ideas and some pretty cool licks and it’s sexy slow groove makes it quite interesting and different in terms of mood, to all the other songs in the album, since the soul vocals it has thrown in there for good measure don’t make another appearance.
“Turn of the Screw”, well, tightens things up, a couple of notches and gets things serious and mean and low down dirty. It’s seriously gritty and seriously fun!
“Smoking Gun” is a much more laid back number that mixes rock with a more bluesy attitude and at least here, things tend to be a be reminiscent of what the project is supposed to be all about.
“Stand Up” also treads similar territory with a slightly bigger emphasis on the blues side of things which makes it a lot more melodic, which ain’t nothing to complain about. Pretty nice song!
“Guilty as Charged” struts in and rocks n rolls quite wildly, being indeed quite an up-tempo rocker... actually, being the fifth or sixth in a row really decent track. After a bit of a rocky start, the album sort of really manages to get things sorted out seemingly.
“Nothing to Lose” is a bonafide bluesy number that reeks of early snake-ism, but Ousey ain’t exactly Coverdale. He’s his own man and that’s quite respectable, but that won’t get you compared to the Deep Purple and Whitesnake legend, unfortunately. Well at least, he does put in a decent performance. He tries and doesn’t throw the towel. It’s just that “Mr. Velvet Voice” would have probably have done something like this, way sexier...
Supposedly number 11 (should have been) the itunes only bonus “White Boys Blues” but the promo didn’t include it, so I can’t tell you zilch about it! But by the title – I would imagine it must be a blues track – otherwise it must be a bit of a surprise.
Finally, “Cover Me In You” is one of the best non-Whitesnake songs that Moody has produced ever and again while Oucey does his best and he’s putting in a commendable production, you can’t help but think how well Coverdale or ever (Jorn) might have sung it and it’s surprise how since both of those singers belong to Frontiers and the latter has done the Snakes project with Moody and Mardsen, that neither of them was involved, I mean OK, no one expected, Cov, to do it, but, Jorn, well, Frontiers has managed to do much stranger “reunions” and “hybrids” so...
All in all, Snakecharmer’s debut is a decent album of “Whitesnake” inspired numbers, from people that were there and played a role, but while it’s good and valid it’s not exactly quintessential either.
So, after the Snakes and their company and a few other offshoots – here comes Snakecharmer founded in 2011 by former Whitesnake members Micky Moody and Neil Murray, this “super-group” includes the perfect mix of caliber musicians with Laurie Wisefield, Harry James, Adam Wakeman and Chris Ousey all having earned their stripes in bands like Wishbone Ash, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Magnum, Thunder, MSG, Brian May Band and Heartland (albeit mostly as session musicians in most cases).
The album boasts an unusually modern production, that while no-one would complain about, feels a tad unnatural. At first it felt a bit like modern rock, then I thought it sounded a bit like a more pedestrian Mr. Big, then sort of semi justified the label of wannabe Whitesnake mixed with Bad Company.
Ousey who cut his teeth with Virginia Wolf and later went on to be with Heartland sounds a lot like Eric Martin, so “My Angel” ends up sounding quite a bit like a Mr. Big quasi-ballad/rocker.
“Accident Prone” has a bit more of hit potential, but it ain’t something too amazing, it’s more of a thing with a lazy southern vibe again I’d dare to characterize it like a cross like Cinderella and Mr. Big and I am starting to wonder, if this is really the album, they wanted to be advertising with that big cable, casting the shadow of a snake... oh how subtle…
“To the Rescue” at least, begins to sound more as it should… but at best, like a song that a version of a song that one of the mid 80s versions of Whitesnake would come up with, not the early ones.... plus, Ousey, sounds like a cross of a bad Coverdale with a bad Joe Lynn Turner.
“Falling Leaves” is a slower number, with no particular, allegiances, that could have ended somewhere, anywhere… on one of those albums. Ousey doesn’t particularly try to copy anyone and oh snap the magic happens! Guess what! It’s a bloody good song! Around 3:30 there’s also a pretty great solo... that’s the way to do it. You don’t need to lay down some top secret plan – just go for it and make it happen!
“A Little Rock and Roll” is a little and simple rock and roll number, that while its nothing too special but is also, manages to fill its 6 minutes, without causing boredom. It has some rather nifty ideas and some pretty cool licks and it’s sexy slow groove makes it quite interesting and different in terms of mood, to all the other songs in the album, since the soul vocals it has thrown in there for good measure don’t make another appearance.
“Turn of the Screw”, well, tightens things up, a couple of notches and gets things serious and mean and low down dirty. It’s seriously gritty and seriously fun!
“Smoking Gun” is a much more laid back number that mixes rock with a more bluesy attitude and at least here, things tend to be a be reminiscent of what the project is supposed to be all about.
“Stand Up” also treads similar territory with a slightly bigger emphasis on the blues side of things which makes it a lot more melodic, which ain’t nothing to complain about. Pretty nice song!
“Guilty as Charged” struts in and rocks n rolls quite wildly, being indeed quite an up-tempo rocker... actually, being the fifth or sixth in a row really decent track. After a bit of a rocky start, the album sort of really manages to get things sorted out seemingly.
“Nothing to Lose” is a bonafide bluesy number that reeks of early snake-ism, but Ousey ain’t exactly Coverdale. He’s his own man and that’s quite respectable, but that won’t get you compared to the Deep Purple and Whitesnake legend, unfortunately. Well at least, he does put in a decent performance. He tries and doesn’t throw the towel. It’s just that “Mr. Velvet Voice” would have probably have done something like this, way sexier...
Supposedly number 11 (should have been) the itunes only bonus “White Boys Blues” but the promo didn’t include it, so I can’t tell you zilch about it! But by the title – I would imagine it must be a blues track – otherwise it must be a bit of a surprise.
Finally, “Cover Me In You” is one of the best non-Whitesnake songs that Moody has produced ever and again while Oucey does his best and he’s putting in a commendable production, you can’t help but think how well Coverdale or ever (Jorn) might have sung it and it’s surprise how since both of those singers belong to Frontiers and the latter has done the Snakes project with Moody and Mardsen, that neither of them was involved, I mean OK, no one expected, Cov, to do it, but, Jorn, well, Frontiers has managed to do much stranger “reunions” and “hybrids” so...
All in all, Snakecharmer’s debut is a decent album of “Whitesnake” inspired numbers, from people that were there and played a role, but while it’s good and valid it’s not exactly quintessential either.