I’ve always liked Ted ever since I first saw Danger Danger support Kiss way back in 1992, and over the years his projects and solo albums have been pretty consistent – especially Melodica, Poley/Rivera and the newer Tokyo Motor Fist.
This though, I’m finding hard to love. Opening track ‘New World’ is lush, melodic, modern and rather insipid, and it’s that lackluster feeling that follows me into ‘Gypsy at Heart.’ It’s a song that sounds polished to perfection, then polished some more, then some more, then more still until it’s a ghost of the song it could have been. That to me is really the story of the album, there’s a lack of soul here, a lack of grit, and just lots and lots and lots of style.
It was only after a few listens and the songs still not clicking that I picked up the press release that came with the release to find that essentially the album is a collaboration with Swedish band Degreed. That sort of hit the nail on the head for me having heard their latest self-titled release and not exactly hitting it off with their style of modern Nickelback-lite rock and roll. As for the rest of the album? It’s pretty much the same style and quality as the start.
Fans may well see this as a left turn like me,but if you’re a fan of Degreed then maybe grab yourself a copy. I’ll take a rain-check.
