It is no secret that I am a fan of Phil Vincent’s work. In any capacity, and in every band he is in. So if you do not share that sentiment, little use in reading on ha ha.
I know the man works hard and on average releases more than 1 album in about every year. To me, the quality never drops. If anything, I admire that Phil keeps trying to push his boundaries, whilst still staying true to his favourite style, the hard rock made popular by bands like Dokken, Winger and Whitesnake. I also think his production skills keep improving, adding more clarity and punch to his releases.
So solo album 21 sees Phil delivering 12 more songs. As on his solo albums he takes care of about everything, with only some help on guitar solos and acoustic guitar. Since his style is known, let’s have a look at some of the more different tracks. Back In The Day is a great 7 minute track with lots of piano as well as his trademark vocal harmonies and a catchy chorus. What Might Have Been sees him add drum beats, giving the track a modern flavour. Waste Of Time opens with a clean somewhat psychedelic sounding guitar and a vocal. After the opening solo, the song comes alive and arrives at more familiar territory. Another track with a beat is Caught In The Act. There is a bit of sequencing in the bridge, giving it a somewhat progressive (Saga?) feel. But the chorus is again vintage PV.
I am sure the most surprising song on offer is the closing title track. This is a monster with a synthetic, almost industrial groove and a bit of harsh vocals (“lies” “despise”) in the chorus.
Like I said, in my book the man can do no wrong, great album!
