Great news a new project is due!!
Typical chris, its as ambitious as the last few releases. My initial reaction is one of excitment mixed with intrigue and abit of disappointment.
Excited = new material, promise of tour and book!
Intrigue = what is santo spirito?? bullfighting?? gypsie music?? journey in florence??
[****] disappointent = the song titles from the new studio album, the're lifted straight from a mix of blue guitars and RFHBN books. The song 'dancing my blues away' seems to a lyrical mix of quite a few recent rea songs (twister inside/ i cant wait for love, the intro "my mama"...references to "born in the north wind" for example) the riff is actually more like a delmonts tune "Big storm coming". The song is also v.similar in style, structure etc to lots of his recent output, same guitar solos etc., zz top like? definite chris rea style of blues/rock. I love his rapid hammer on/ off technique, but I think it is somewhat overused? (most the blue guitar songs ended in this sort of solo)
Anyway, my point is I hope the new album isnt simply a re-introduction of old songs, slightly altered/ revamped for this a label release - to hopefully a wider audience. We'll wait and see...
[****]
I suppose this release puts to bed any chance of a memphis flie/ new delmont project as chris presses ahead releasing material under his own name...?
So a project which raises a lot of possibilties and questions, but that is what a chris rea fan should probably have come to expect over the last few years, lots of promises of one thing, and the delivery of something completely out of the blue! (again bull-fighting?!?!) I just hope he hasnt gone a bit stagnant with the song writing
bring on the 13th june...