Tag: Iain Hornal

Iain Hornal and The Grip Weeds

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“The

Iain Hornal “Return to the Magic Kingdom”

Iain Hornal has likely the best pedigree I’ve seen for an artist, as he’s a long-standing touring member of both 10cc and Jeff Lynne’s ELO, including touring with prog legend Yes. On his third album he swings for the fences, and it does not disappoint. There are some stylistic parallels between these songs and those of ELO and 10cc; however, it is important to highlight that they are original songs that have been meticulously crafted by Hornal.

Starting with “Little Bit More” is a blast of guitars and chugging piano with classical ascending chords and overlapping harmonies. The glam rhythms of “Positive People” are next. Loaded with those “la la la” vocal touches and handclaps, it’s like a wicked monologue from a charismatic cult leader. The catchy “Already Dead” is a perfect diagnosis for modern anxiety disorder, but the crown jewel of this album is “Love Your Enemies.” It starts out a little like an Andrew Gold piano gem, but grows into something so much more, with its layered earworm of a chorus and a solid biblical message to stop “pointing fingers at those twisted fools on the news.”  Additional highlights include “If It Were You”, a co-write with 10cc’s Graham Gouldman (who also features on the track) and the very ELO-like break up song “Over and Out.” Overall one of the catchiest albums I’ve heard this year. It makes my top ten list for sure. Super Highly Recommended.

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“The

The Grip Weeds “Soul Bender”

At this point The Grip Weeds are not contented to stand still. On ’Soul Bender’ they create a kaleidoscope of sound by combining garage rock, paisley pop, and baroque psychedelia. The title track marches out like a combination of late ’60s The Moody Blues and The Who. It sets the mood nicely, and next we have “Flowers for Cynthia” and “Spinning The Wheel.” These fuzz-laden psychedelic power pop tracks juggle garage rock tenacity with Byrdsian jangle in a strong, powerful hook. The Rickenbackers are up front, and the distortion pedals are less of an issue. Kurt Reil makes sure the vocals don’t get lost either, and it makes great listening.

“Conquer and Divide” and “Wake Up Time” seem direct descendant of Moby Grape, and the band still has that Beatlesque blend with The Byrds to dazzle with “Column of Air” and the Kristen vocal led “If You Were Here.” Another pop confection is “Someone in Love,” which reminds me of The Aerovons. Overall, no filler or a trace of indulgent psychedelic bombast get in the way of each melody. A great band continues to impress with a great album. Highly Recommended.

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Iain Hornal and Bhopal’s Flowers

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Iain Hornal

Iain Hornal “Fly Away Home”

Iain Hornal, best known as a touring member of 10cc and Jeff Lynne’s ELO impressed me with an excellent debut, and 4 years later (and a lack of a tour for 2020) we have a follow-up. I have to say, when you play for the best rock pop bands some of that greatness will rub off, and fans will love the opener “Wake Me Up, Drop Me Out.” It first brings to mind classic Graham Gouldman, but entirely original; a solid melody with soothing slide guitar accents.

The swaying follow-up “Fly Away Home” is an uplifting tune that seems a perfect theme for a long plane trip. The melancholy ballad “How Much It Means” is a deeply emotional look back to a loved one’s passing. “Try A Little Love” is another winner, similar to Andrew Gold, the chorus bursts out with layered harmonies and hooks you immediately. Iain’s adult pop smartly touches a variety of styles, so it never gets predictable. However best songs are loaded in the first half, and a few songs get overly sentimental (“I Can’t Tell You”), but melodically it’s always on point. Ends with the understated acoustic charm of “Drop This Song.” Overall, this is a highly recommended gem.

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Bhopal’s Flowers

Bhopal’s Flowers “ALSTROEMERIA: A Journey On Earth & Beyond”

Bhopal’s Flowers is a new psyche-pop band and Alstroemeria is a psychedelic & conceptual record, mapping a 24 hours cycle, in which each song is linked to a specific time of the day/night. If you loved the Beatles’ “Love You To” then this is the album’s starting point. It opens with the fantastic “Enjoy Your Life On Earth,” a collection of Sitar rhythms and layered melody lines. “Napoleon Candy Sweet” adds handclaps and a hook-filled riff, try to imagine Kula Shaker with more of a power-pop sound.

This exclusive release from Kool Kat Musik recalls the 1960s psychedelia but not overtly so, and the trippy hippy elements don’t bury the melodies. The sitars have a hypnotic quality and the band’s style shifts enough to keep you engaged, like “Tomorrow’s Heroes” adds plenty of hooks to all that jangling guitar. This is a long player with 16 tracks, and while the sunshine is one half, the darker themes come out on the second half. Plenty of standouts here too, with “What About You” and the slinky “A Night At The Devachan.” High-quality arrangements are everywhere, and it ends with a cover of Cream’s “I Feel Free.” A MAJOR trip and Highly Recommended.

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