
Vardis
Red Eye
SPV/Steamhammer
2016
Vardis came out of all the somewhat wildly divergent musical scene of the 70s North England. Combining a plethora of ongoing at the time trends and molding their own boogie inspired but at the same time pretty heavy style, the band has endured in the memories of fans and despite a 30 year “gap” their reunion that after some gigs that followed the remastering of “Vigilante” in 2014, showed in no uncertain terms to Steve Zodiac and Terry Hrbury that they should pick up the pieces and move forward… which they actually did.
However not everything was rosy, after bass player Terry Horbury tragically died last year, which the band decided to honor by forging on, recruiting Martin Connolly (ex- Rick Wakeman, Paul Fox, Entire Population of Hackney) with whom the performed at Up The Hammers Festival in Greece. Certainly he seems a good fit, as the sound hasn’t changed much. I guess there’s a bit of a more modern production, which is to be expected some thirty years, which translates in a clearer, fuller sound, but otherwise it’s business as usual, with also the accumulated experience over all those years translating in somewhat more mature compositions that however are not lacking in dynamics.
The title track, the paranoia inducing “Paranoia Strikes”, the more tender “I Need You Now” and pretty much every track on the album feels vital and urgent, which is great. “Jolly Roger” is a little weird as it sorts of doesn’t dock to Port Royal, but heads to Port Boogie… for its solo heh. And the question is how do you top a classic like, “100 M.P.H” to which the band has an easy response, but with “200 M.P.H.” of course, which might not be as brilliant as the original, but is pretty cool on its own right as well. The special editions [internet and some physical ones (digi)] also include an extra number “Living Out of Touch” and a reprise of “200 M.P.H.” as well... Good to have you back gentlemen…
However not everything was rosy, after bass player Terry Horbury tragically died last year, which the band decided to honor by forging on, recruiting Martin Connolly (ex- Rick Wakeman, Paul Fox, Entire Population of Hackney) with whom the performed at Up The Hammers Festival in Greece. Certainly he seems a good fit, as the sound hasn’t changed much. I guess there’s a bit of a more modern production, which is to be expected some thirty years, which translates in a clearer, fuller sound, but otherwise it’s business as usual, with also the accumulated experience over all those years translating in somewhat more mature compositions that however are not lacking in dynamics.
The title track, the paranoia inducing “Paranoia Strikes”, the more tender “I Need You Now” and pretty much every track on the album feels vital and urgent, which is great. “Jolly Roger” is a little weird as it sorts of doesn’t dock to Port Royal, but heads to Port Boogie… for its solo heh. And the question is how do you top a classic like, “100 M.P.H” to which the band has an easy response, but with “200 M.P.H.” of course, which might not be as brilliant as the original, but is pretty cool on its own right as well. The special editions [internet and some physical ones (digi)] also include an extra number “Living Out of Touch” and a reprise of “200 M.P.H.” as well... Good to have you back gentlemen…