Graham Bonnet Band - Meanwhile, Back in the Garage

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When one of the most gifted musicians sets up a band with top artists, people call it a “Power Band”. Graham Bonnet just calls it “My Band”. Because the Graham Bonnet Band includes him on the vocals, (member of RAINBOW and MSG, and played guitar with Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai) his wife, Beth Ami Heavenstone on the bass and top of the top artists like the guitarist Kurt James (BLACK SHEEO), Jimmy Waldo on the keyboards, and Mark Benquechea on the drums. And this gives various influences to this record, that melt to make something great, powerful but sometimes cool, offering a various range of sounds and emotions to this album.

We can find in this album various kinds of  music, like Rock N Roll, Melancholic Rock, Various rock, covers, a live and an alternate version, The Rock songs include a nice and dynamic opening, “Meanwhile, Back in the Garage”, that gives its name to the  album. Quick tempo with efficient voice and chorus, as  “Living in Suspicion”, a good 80’s Rock-like song that sounds like a good trip with buddies, as “Outcest Incest USA” opens with wild electric guitars, keeping a great tempo, “Long Island” is a proof that GBB is a powerband : great lyrics and singing deserved by a good melody, and efficient instruments, with a dynamic but not too powerful chorus, inviting, and the solo guitar is like a good music lesson. While “America Where Have You Gone?” is like a questioning with a clear voice, powerful guitar solo and great supporting instruments,“Past Lives” is more like a narrative song, but still full of  Rock bits with inviting chorus, a really original guitar parts.

Melancholy can be found in songs like “The Hotel”, Sea of Trees” or “The Crying Chair”. One with powerful intro sliding to a melancholic mood. Sad voice and chorus, like in the 80's. The other one with acoustic guitar and a crying electric guitar to open the song. Tearful voice for an intense song, with slow drums. Various Rock songs show different horizons, and it fits well with the album, like “The House” which is a nice ballad with a soft mood, or “Heading Toward The Light” that opens with an exotic cithar theme and a nice mood sending us far away, and ”Man on the Corner”  that sends us back to the 80’s for our greatest pleasure. Three other songs are different from the others but are part of this album as well, like the cover of Tina Turner’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero” with a male voice, with a more Rock N Roll tune, a live session of “Starcarr Lane”, showing us how they interact with the audience, and their attitude on stage, and an alternate version of “Livin in Suspicion” with a different tune and no solo guitar. Interesting, to rediscover this song. As a conclusion, we can say that this (power) band shows a wide spread of influences in their music, through different kinds of Rock, but in a real unity throughout the whole album.

Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Memorability: 7
Production: 8