Talas – 1985

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TALAS formed in the early 70’s and dissolved in 1985, they may have never reached arena-headlining status but they were an integral part of the early 80’s hard rock scene, and their long awaited return does not disappoint. “The time was right and we were all into it, no one needed any convincing, we were all instantly excited to do it,” explains bassist Billy Sheehan, who is rejoined by drummer Mark Miller and powerhouse vocalist Phil Naro, as well as new recruit Kire Najdovski on guitar. “It’s like we never stopped – everything fell together so easily. It was quite wonderful.” The album has eleven songs.

Let’s get to some of the highlights. “Inner Mounting Flame” has a raucous energy with harmonic vocals and a smoking guitar solo. “Crystal Clear” features some Reggie sounds in the guitars, some excellent bass guitar work from the maestro Bill Sheehan, a great vocal performance from Phil, and some outstanding work on the drum kit from “Mark Miller.” “Do You Feel Any Better” struts with a sultry riff and a bit of ZEPPELIN in the verses, and some nice ambient pauses. Kire is a beast on the axe as well.

“The Power to Break Away” is a bit more emotive than some of the other songs, with a Punk-tinged sound from the guitars. The chorus is full and catchy. “Black & Blue” is a blues-tinged song with plenty of longing in the lyrics. The music is fun and light at times, almost as if you got dogged but really don’t care. “7IHdh” is a short song that features the immeasurable talents of Sheehan on the bass. He does a nice job with multi-tracks on the song to thicken it up. Overall, this was a nice and smooth listening experience. The songs were energetic, fun, and catchy. Although the riffs aren’t one that you haven’t heard before, the band performs them with a solid energy from start to finish. If you will, allow yourself to go back in time to 1985, and just kick back and enjoy this album.

Songwriting: 6
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 6
Production: 8