Alliance – Before Our Eyes
American hard melodic rock supergroup Alliance are well-named, as was 1996 debut album Bond Of Union.
Featuring singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry (Hush, 3, GTR, Greg Kihn Band, Six By Six, solo), Boston and ex Sammy Hagar guitarist Gary Pihl, and longtime Hagar drummer Davd Lauser, the band is, indeed, an alliance and musical union of three friends who love to write, play and record together when their busy schedules permit (previous album Fire And Grace was released back in 2019).
An impressive sum of their parts, the results of their latest get-together is Before Our Eyes, the band’s most all-encompassing, and guitar orientated, release to date.
Opener 'Tell Somebody,' a chunky midtempo with a strong beat, effective middle 8 and plenty of melodic panache, immediately underlines that guitar orientated remark. The chord progressions and structure of the song may be relatively simple, but there are a number of six-string textures at play in the foreground and background, rounded off by a great, 70s sounding solo from Gary Pihl.
Shimmering melodic rocker 'Nothing Can Make You Change' would have been a hands down airplay hit on American rock radio in the late 80s.
While a strong hook chorus and obligatory "woah-oh" interjections shape the core of the song, Robert Berry’s strong bass line and more great soloing from Gary Pihl elevate the song from the AOR norm.
The groove-led 'Too Many People,' which lyrically lambasts multiple opinions over serviceable action, is another with a strong, hook chorus and AOR vibe. A particularly nice and clever touch is the instrumental/ breakdown section, where Gary Pihl delivers a clean solo, followed by a fully fuzzed reply, seemingly emulating the differing opinions of the narrative.
'Face Of Justice' flits from folksy, acoustic sections to rockier passages that carry subtle shades of bluesy Americana. Robert Berry is in fine voice here (as he is throughout), and there’s yet another great solo from Gary Pihl, this time on the outro (Before Our Eyes features some of Pihl’s best work, and not just in terms of the solos).
'Our Good Life' carries a discernible vibe of The Who, but with a contemporary, hard-pop sheen.
David Lauser, who adds some subtle little flicks and fills throughout the album, is positively metronomic here with his sharp, on-point beat (a Lauser trait).
'Joan Of Arc,' a Gary Pihl penned number written for his wife, starts as an acoustic ballad before building and developing in to an up-tempo, melodic rock and roller.
A lyrically considered vocal from Robert Berry (never easy when you are singing someone else’s personal lyrics) and Pihl’s interweaving, twin solos toward song’s end, help make this a true highlight of the album.
Gary Pihl is all over, and indeed shines, on another highlight, the heavy, 70s sounding (and decidedly Hagar-esque) 'Can’t Stop Messin’.'
Pihl really let’s go on the Zeppelin styled instrumental section, including a tasty, pseudo-psychedelic wah-wah solo.
'Right' is a little too on the repetitive, four by four rock and roll nose (albeit the low-end bass sound add a little beef), but all is redeemed with the folksy, and slightly Celtic, '100 Sad Goodbyes,' which adds further texture to the album.
'Tonight' quickly moves from its bluesy, 'Little Wing' shaped opening and contemplative lyricism ("we're heading towards a world where the life we knew Is a fading") to blossom into the album’s good time moment.
An upbeat celebration of living for, and in, the moment, 'Tonight' may be relatively simple in arrangement, but it's sheer enthusiasm is effective, and infectious.
'A Bone To Chew On,' which mixes and matches strong, downbeat stomp-rock with mid-sixties Beatles/ George Martin stylings and a splash of classic era ELO, makes for a purposeful closing statement.
That the tempered frustration in Robert Berry’s vocal is matched by the anguished solo from Gary Pihl is a particularly nice touch.
Yes, Alliance are indeed well named, because this is a mutually and musically benifcial collaboration that continually delivers, right before our eyes. And ears.
Ros Muir
FabricationsHQ
Click here for FabricationsHQ's recent Muirsical Conversation with Robert Berry.
Featuring singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry (Hush, 3, GTR, Greg Kihn Band, Six By Six, solo), Boston and ex Sammy Hagar guitarist Gary Pihl, and longtime Hagar drummer Davd Lauser, the band is, indeed, an alliance and musical union of three friends who love to write, play and record together when their busy schedules permit (previous album Fire And Grace was released back in 2019).
An impressive sum of their parts, the results of their latest get-together is Before Our Eyes, the band’s most all-encompassing, and guitar orientated, release to date.
Opener 'Tell Somebody,' a chunky midtempo with a strong beat, effective middle 8 and plenty of melodic panache, immediately underlines that guitar orientated remark. The chord progressions and structure of the song may be relatively simple, but there are a number of six-string textures at play in the foreground and background, rounded off by a great, 70s sounding solo from Gary Pihl.
Shimmering melodic rocker 'Nothing Can Make You Change' would have been a hands down airplay hit on American rock radio in the late 80s.
While a strong hook chorus and obligatory "woah-oh" interjections shape the core of the song, Robert Berry’s strong bass line and more great soloing from Gary Pihl elevate the song from the AOR norm.
The groove-led 'Too Many People,' which lyrically lambasts multiple opinions over serviceable action, is another with a strong, hook chorus and AOR vibe. A particularly nice and clever touch is the instrumental/ breakdown section, where Gary Pihl delivers a clean solo, followed by a fully fuzzed reply, seemingly emulating the differing opinions of the narrative.
'Face Of Justice' flits from folksy, acoustic sections to rockier passages that carry subtle shades of bluesy Americana. Robert Berry is in fine voice here (as he is throughout), and there’s yet another great solo from Gary Pihl, this time on the outro (Before Our Eyes features some of Pihl’s best work, and not just in terms of the solos).
'Our Good Life' carries a discernible vibe of The Who, but with a contemporary, hard-pop sheen.
David Lauser, who adds some subtle little flicks and fills throughout the album, is positively metronomic here with his sharp, on-point beat (a Lauser trait).
'Joan Of Arc,' a Gary Pihl penned number written for his wife, starts as an acoustic ballad before building and developing in to an up-tempo, melodic rock and roller.
A lyrically considered vocal from Robert Berry (never easy when you are singing someone else’s personal lyrics) and Pihl’s interweaving, twin solos toward song’s end, help make this a true highlight of the album.
Gary Pihl is all over, and indeed shines, on another highlight, the heavy, 70s sounding (and decidedly Hagar-esque) 'Can’t Stop Messin’.'
Pihl really let’s go on the Zeppelin styled instrumental section, including a tasty, pseudo-psychedelic wah-wah solo.
'Right' is a little too on the repetitive, four by four rock and roll nose (albeit the low-end bass sound add a little beef), but all is redeemed with the folksy, and slightly Celtic, '100 Sad Goodbyes,' which adds further texture to the album.
'Tonight' quickly moves from its bluesy, 'Little Wing' shaped opening and contemplative lyricism ("we're heading towards a world where the life we knew Is a fading") to blossom into the album’s good time moment.
An upbeat celebration of living for, and in, the moment, 'Tonight' may be relatively simple in arrangement, but it's sheer enthusiasm is effective, and infectious.
'A Bone To Chew On,' which mixes and matches strong, downbeat stomp-rock with mid-sixties Beatles/ George Martin stylings and a splash of classic era ELO, makes for a purposeful closing statement.
That the tempered frustration in Robert Berry’s vocal is matched by the anguished solo from Gary Pihl is a particularly nice touch.
Yes, Alliance are indeed well named, because this is a mutually and musically benifcial collaboration that continually delivers, right before our eyes. And ears.
Ros Muir
FabricationsHQ
Click here for FabricationsHQ's recent Muirsical Conversation with Robert Berry.