Album review: DANNY BEARDSLEY – Chase The Sun

DANNY BEARDSLEY - Chase The Sun

www.dannybeardsley.com [Release date 24.06.22]

I think the first thing to say about this release. Isn’t eco-friendly packaging s—e? The album arrives dog-eared and bendy. Surely we can do better than this?

Sorry, now the music. We reviewed Beardsley’s previous album ‘Blood From A Stone’ and were mightily impressed. So expectations are high for the sophomore release. And although our early, glowing, review of that album remains top of Google in a search there is no reference in latest despatches. Which is sad. And probably a PR malfunction.

I often think you are too old to rock when you constantly hear other artist’s songs in the mix especially when they are a bit of a guilty pleasure. Maybe I’d be a good troubleshooter for Ed Sheeran? Opener ‘The Chance To Live’ reminds me of Mel C’s ‘Here I Go Again’ (Reason, 2003) in the verse and breakdown. I suppose there are only so many notes…

At least Beardsley has the chops. His early precision playing with the highly regarded instrumental trio ‘The Parallax Method’ stands him in good stead. A robust, rhythmic thrust is always rather appealing.

If there is a criticism the production is a bit thin and extra heft could have been lent to the hard rock on offer. Beardsley has done all the recording and mixing so I am afraid stands accused. In different hands, these tunes would have had much greater impact. Those riffs just don’t thunder out of the bins. Not round here anyway.

That said, there’s a handful of highlights on this album including ‘Reap What You Sow’, ‘Fade’ and ‘Hurricane’ but ‘Lonely Mile’ with its chopping and changing tempos doesn’t work at all.

Maybe this album will give Beardsley the breakthrough he deserves, although it doesn’t quite match the impressive debut sonically or songfully.

At times you can hear a Kotzen, maybe a Smith Kotzen. And perhaps just not enough Beardsley. ***1/2

Review by David Randall

Album review (Blood From A Stone, 2019)

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)