Peter Goalby, best known for his time with Trapeze and then a three album stint with Uriah Heep in the 1980s, has his “lost” solo album seeing the light of day. And very welcome it is too.
Eleven songs written and originally recorded just after he left Heep showing Peter in fine form and that marvellous voice soulful, rangy and powerful as ever.
The story had been for years that Peter left Heep because his voice gave out. Certainly not the case on this evidence.
And as he says in the liner: “just for the record, my voice did not give up, I did.” So there you have it. Record set straight.
Easy With the Heartaches and the eleven songs making up the album is I suppose you could say is of its time with more than a few shades of what Heep were doing during Peter’s tenure on Abominog, head First and Equator.
That said, the songs here stand well on their own merits with plenty of lovely melodic hooks with plenty more chugging riffs, keyboard swells and the Goalby voice right on point. Beautifully written and performed throughout.
The title track being an excellent example. The chugging riff pushing it along in the style of a tasty melodic rocker. Hold The Dream rocks nicely too. As does Chance of a Lifetime, which is my choice cut here. Have a listen:
I Found Real Love an enjoyable ballad style affair as is the beautiful and haunting Mona Lisa Smile. So catchy.
And so it continues with wonderfully melodic rock with infectious hooks aplenty. Gets right in your head. Perhaps the closing three of Perfection (impossibly catchy), I Built This House and The Last Time showcasing Peter’s song writing and vocal range to fullest extent.
This is much more than a curiosity for old Heep fans such as your reviewer. Easy With the Heartaches is an excellent showcase for the Goalby talents and that superb voice of his. And despite being written way back in the 1980s, everything sounds fresh. Proper melodic rock with a bit of bite to it.