Another fine release from some of Rock's biggest names.
Robert Berry, Gary Pihl and David Lauser – otherwise known as Alliance – return almost eleven years after their last album 'Road To Heaven' with a fabulous new opus entitled 'Fire And Grace'. Musically not much has changed since 'Road To Heaven', but that isn't a problem at all because the three gentlemen involved in this recording have produced a fine album full of catchy Hard Rock and AOR-tinged songs which prove that when you put talented artists together magic can and often does happen.
'Don't Stop The Wheel Turning' kicks things off nicely with a rocking riff and some classy keyboard runs that join together alongside Berry's strong vocals, and it's a fine way for any release to begin. The band then really hit their groove; 'Good Life', a full-on melodic rocker with a fantastic hook and a killer solo from Pihl, is up next and this power trio really show us what they are capable of.
Following this excellent opening pair, Alliance continue to ply us with stylish track after stylish track. The evidence for this, if any is needed, can be found via the superb ballad 'Uncertain' where Berry shows us his passionate side through an emotion-driven vocal that wrings every feeling it can from the lyrics. 'Time', a song that reminds me of early Bryan Adams meets Richard Marx, has a memorable killer chorus, which is something that the tracks on this album all excel in. Then it's time for the funky riffage of 'Real Thing' and a song that shows the superb Blues chops of this group off to a tee. 'Reason', a perfect summertime rocker full of attitude and fun, soon follows and the smooth yet cool 'Change Of Heart' (which has a late-night smoke-filled-bar feel to it) comes next. The tale of lost love and yearning that is 'The Same' closes the release in some style.
When you consider Alliance have been around for two decades or more, it does seem a bit strange that a band who can write, play and record such great music have only a handful of albums to their name. However, it's a clear case of quality not quantity when it comes to this group. 'Fire And Grace' is another fine release from some of Rock's biggest names, and they can hopefully be persuaded to make another record sooner rather than later.
Ian Johnson
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