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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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To say, like some music journos have, that Will Tang hasn’t got his own style or direction is codswallop. Okay, there are glaring influences, particularly from the blues genre, and legendary Led Zeppelin. So what. Where did the Stones and Zep get their mojos from eh? For the record, he’s written all the songs and produced them. How many can claim that on their UK debut, I wonder? For a Young Turk, Rochdale resident Tang has to be admired for not treading the path of, let’s see now, the blandness of Jack Johnson et al. There’s plenty going on here to keep this journo interested, especially his cool guitar licks and picks. His blues harp (harmonica) is equally impressive. There’s nothing frivolous going on here: it’s serious stuff, and it’s very good. To prove he’s really hot stuff, just check the heavy-blues of The Other Side. Page and Plant would be suitably impressed to hear his rasping harp and solos. Tang’s not restricted either, as he comfortably trawls through acoustic folk and a bit o’ country. The delightful acoustic ballad and title track Everything Changes, a song about love deteriorating, is a neat opening. It rambles cautiously, with understated swagger, and it’s catchy too with bags of melody.
Next comes Troubles Down, a gorgeous country tinged shuffle. The pace drops for acoustic lead ballad On My Way, as the ‘lover’ predicts his emotional return: "Won’t you take this chain and won’t you, keep it safe / ‘cos it, won’t be long ‘till I’m coming home." Like a hammer from the gods comes the album’s highlight – The Other Side. The whopping heavy blues blast is scintillating, even if Zep are ghost-watching. A rampant harp textures the riff brilliantly, and there’s a massive Bonzo feel to the pounding sticks to the tale of ‘war’ (cryptic). A funky bass-line slides in and holds Red City Blues together with splashes of blues guitar solos and harp being the icing on the cake, whereas the perky ‘world music’ feel of Something Special, a short tale of a boy longing for his dad’s return, is a contender for a radio friendly single, and maybe the only one. If chunky blues is yer bag, then taste Love Bites, which is a shaking shuffle, again with dollops of harp, segued by the full-on monster Time Of Day, that in truth, would have been better left out, as it would make a better gig track, but useful to know he can cut it.
For a well earned breather, it’s back to the acoustic delight of melodious Drifting. A wandering ballad about the dream-like state, and love, of course. On the last two tracks, Tang simply showboats his blues credentials – Travellin’ Man is a funky and steady sojourn dripping in more harp, with Love Bites’ remix taking on more of a modern R&B pose. Its only weak spot is a kinda filler track, Stories. All the songs are superbly played, as you’d expect from a musician who’s an experienced session man, cutting his teeth in Hong Kong and the UK underground scene. File under: Solid album. One to watch.
Weblinks:
willtang.co.uk /
myspace.com/zenmusicuk
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
