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Keel
Streets Of Rock & Roll

Company: Frontiers Records
Release: 2010
Genre: Hard Rock
Reviewer: Chris Kincaid

  • Just doesn't match up to their earlier works



    • KEEL are back with a new album called "Streets of Rock & Roll" that is the first full length studio album to feature original members Ron Keel (Vocals), Marc Ferrari and Brian Jay (Guitars), and Dwain Miller on the drums since 87's "Keel".

    Rather than going back to the well and hammering out those classic Hard Rock riffs that made Metal gems like "Lay Down The Law" or "The Right To Rock" instant classics, KEEL have chosen to continue their trek into 'Commercial Rock' in an album that is strong on vocals but weighed down with Rock anthems that dare I say have a Country vibe to them.

    What it gives us is an album that is geared to the Rock/Country crowd because of the party songs that adorn the album. Sure they have a Rock N Roll vibe but one listen and you hear the Country influence that shades 6 of the 12 tracks. It does however kick off with an opener called 'Streets of Rock & Roll' a song that sounds like it was taking from a Van Halen album with it's group harmonies on the verses and a guitar solo that Eddie himself would be proud of. But it soon falls back into the previously mentioned mashup on songs like the aptly titled 'Lookin' For A Good Time', the fist pumping 'The Devil May Care' and in a song that was built for hitting the open road 'No More Lonely Nights'.

    For my tastes the strongest tracks on the whole album are 'Come Hell Or High Water' and in the closing song 'Brothers In Blood' a song about unity and male bonding while standing strong in the face of adversity--2 tracks that are as close as they come to their 80's albums.

    Overall it's lacking in the Metal edge department coming up short on the twin guitar attack KEEL are famous for. There's no doubt that Ron is at his best vocally but the album just doesn't match up to their earlier works.



    Maximum Metal Rating Legend - Full Details
    5 Excellent - Buy it and say a prayer to the metal gods that you were tuned on to this masterpiece. A classic.
    4-4.5 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a clunker or a lacking somewhere to keep it from perfection. You won't feel bad about dropping some bones on these.
    3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler. This is the OK range where you'd search for the record on sale or used.
    3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio. Could show skills but be dull overall. Redeeming qualities for indy bands are effort and passion. Majors that don't try or suck outright end up here.
    2-2.5 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors. There is much better metal out there.
    1-1.5 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
    0 Terrible or an otherwise waste of your life and time.

    Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

    The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.

    Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.


    All reviews for this band:
    CD
    		 TITLE BAND
    DOR
    		 REVIEWER DATE
    		Streets Of Rock & RollKeel
    2010
    		Chris Kincaid7/20/2010


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