Member:
Windhawk
(Profile)
(All Album Reviews by Windhawk)
Date:
7/17/2009
Format:
CD (Album)
The Players:
J-Henry (vocals, guitar) - Anthony Krizan (guitar) - Jon Cornell (bass) - Ralph "A1" Barrientos (keyboards) - John Hummel (drums) - CC Coletti & Jen Curtis (vocals). GUESTS: Rob Clores (keyboards) - Viwian Sessoms, Jenny Douglass McRae, Celia Chaves (vocals) - Arno (keyboard) - Gary Oleare (fiddle) - Gordon Wells (pedal steel guitar)
Starting out in 2004, New Jersey based US rocker J. Henry had released 2 albums prior to 2008, both of which had been generally well received. Code Red is the latest production by Henry and his band, and was available from January 2008.
On this album Henry walks back and forth between two distinct styles of music, 70's tinged hard rock and country. The ballads are purebred country tunes with steel lap guitar, fiddle and piano present in varying degrees, some of the rockers are close to mainstream 70's hard rock in style while others mix in more mellow moods and strong country leanings that basically results in songs describable as country rock in style.
And the country-tinged tunes dominate this production, there's only three tunes without any noticeable traces of this style. Of these, the title track “Code Red” is the best; a raunchy energetic rocker that is really likable. The cover of Led Zeppelin's classic “Whole Lotta Love” is the least successful; the arrangement and guitar sound is quite good and really adds to the tune, but Henry's vocals never manage to get as over the top in power and performance as this song really needs to be enjoyable beyond the "nice enough" level.
The final song on the album, “Snapshot of My Life”, is the one tune that goes slightly against the norm here though. Ballad and country tinged, but with a driving bass line with traces of funk. This rather long tune is the odd one out on this production - atmospheric, emotional and with a brilliant vocal performance by Henry. Henry's singing is the main asset on the rest of this album as well - with one notable exception - his powerful singing somewhat similar to Bryan Adams in style adds energy and emotion to the tunes, and is a force of momentum in it's own right.
Personally I'm not that much into country music though, so for me this isn't a really good album. Fans of country and country rock should check out this one though; there's a fair chance that many of those will find this CD most pleasing.
My rating: 57/100
Reviewer: Olav Björnsen
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