Ten main man Gary Hughes comes back with his first solo album in about fourteen years – Waterside. A tasty slab of melodic rock in typical Hughes style. And sort of half a ten album with bandmates Dann Rosingana putting in some fine shredding and Darrel Treece-Birch as good as always on the keyboards and also drumming.
All at Once if Feels Like I Believe starts things off. Something of a mellow affair. Basically a piano-led ballad with a nice measured guitar solo thrown in. A bit too tame for an opening track in my opinion. Does not grab the attention.
Perhaps he should have gone with the next track – Electra Glide. This being a much more up-tempo rocker with strong hooks and melodies together with some tasty guitar work from Dann. Or maybe Lay Down which is in a similar style to Electra Glide with some of that tasty shredding.
The next three sound a bit samey and one-paced. Perfectly well performed, just a bit pedestrian in my opinion. Rather tame ballads which one feels could have used more bite. Though check out Danns solo on the title track – Waterside. Very nice.
Then when you think a spot of mediocrity might be creeping in, Gary steps it up with the next trio. Each one could have made the next Ten album. Punchy, faster-paced rockers and oh so enjoyable.
Video Show has some interesting lyrics picking up on what you might call today’s reliance on all things digital.
Save My Soul and Seduce Me are a fine brace of songs. High class melodic/heaviness with yet more superb guitar work from Dann. Check out the cutting riffs and spectacular soloing. He’s all over both – well, the whole album truth be told.
Have a listen to Save My Soul:
Now, as fine a songsmith as Gary Hughes is – and shows here on Waterside – he does have a tendency to chuck in a soppy, sugary ballad. And we have one here in the closing cut When Love is Done. To my ears it sounds somewhat contrived and not even a Dann solo can save it in my opinion. If you do enjoy the soppy stuff then you’ll be at home with When Love is Gone. I’m not and that’s simply because of my own tastes.
The golden Hughes voice is well suited to this style of stuff and his vocals are nicely measured. Dann Rosingana’s guitar work is the star of the show for sure. He’s all over it. David Rosingana also with some wonderfully melodic bass lines which could (arguably) have been higher in the mix.
Darrel Treece-Birch is such an excellent and under-rated keyboardist. Whilst he fills out the sound here in a bit of an understated, yet effective, way I do think it’d be nice if he was given opportunity to cut lose and come to the fore more – and on Ten albums too.
Overall – Waterside is Gary’s strongest and most consistent solo album bar the superb epic proggy concept masterpieces of his Once and Future King project from a couple of decades or so ago.
Now then Gary – thanks for Waterside – when do we get a new Ten album?
>> GARY HUGHES WATERSIDE ON AMAZON HERE <<
All being well coming next a run of New Wave of British Heavy Metal stuff starting with the Rhabstallion comeback album which should be here in a couple of days.