The rather nice gents from Moritz have
kindly given me the go ahead to post a review way ahead of any release of their
next album…….
Now I know I wasn’t there back in the 80s
when Moritz went for the big time, with their fancy costumes, big songs like
‘City Streets’ and even bigger hair! Well the hair is a bit more sensible
nowadays (these guys are fairly respectable human beings) and have ‘proper’
jobs away from the rock star aspirations.
Where was I. Oh yes, I wasn’t there at the
beginning when songs like ‘Cant Stop Loving You’, and ‘Caught Up In The Action’
were doing the rounds, but I managed to get onto them quite late in the day
when ‘Undivided’ was released on the world a couple of three years ago (Jesus!
It was 2011). I was hooked on this great 80s sounding outfit. SOS followed and
this, dear reader (there’s only the one) had more polish than the brass
doorknobs at Mister Sheens testing laboratory.
OK so this is a demo, and Ill review as a
demo. I’ll tell you what, it’s a bloody cracking demo, and I don’t think it
will take a shit load of tweaking as most of the stardust is already present.
‘About Time Too (Likely to be the Album
Title)/ One More Beautiful’ day isn’t a song about work productivity, its their
‘tongue in cheek’ take on how long it takes them to get albums out the door. At
this rate its one every 10 years, so still not as bad as Boston! Peter Scallan’s
voice has developed more of a rock-rasp than previous, and I like it. It has a
sweeping, haunting sound to it, dare I say epic in nature with some sumptuous
harmonies. I cant say I expected anything less…
‘Chance of a Lifetime’ has a great 80s
lyric, ‘walking on a thin line, between love and hate’. It’s a huge 80s
influenced song. In fact, if it were 1986 we would all be shitting ourselves
with excitement! I’m an old fart brought up on music like this, and I did let
out a little excited fart if I’m honest, as it brings back a lot of great
memories from so many great bands (and times). The melodic rock community will
love this.
‘To The Moon And Back’ just boots you in
the head with its sumptuous opening harmonies. It’s giving me goosies just in
its demo format; huge vocals, with harmony 80s geetar and keyboards. If
Carlsberg did Moritz, it would be like this! There’s a Family Guy episode where Peter
Griffin had a cold and he sung like a crooner. Apparently Peter Scallan sang
this with the flu. If that’s the case when they come to lay down more vocals
for the album. I’d make him record his vocals in his undies in the middle of
the Pennines.
The early demo for ‘Own Little World’ shows
what could be on the horizon, with layers upon layers of vocal harmonies. It is
a part II companion piece of ‘Caught Between Life & The Light’ from SOS. ‘Run’
shows that its not all about pure pink fluffiness. The Moritz boys like to rock
out occasionally and this is a prime example. A co-write with Ivan Gunn, it
gets full marks as a soft/LOUD rocker; the best ones mix the tempo, and this
one does it with flair, and has a cracking guitar solo. It will sound massive.
‘Love Long Gone’ is the kind of song that bands tried to coax out of the
‘masters’ such as Diane Warren or Desmond Child back in the day. In fact,
Michael Bolton would have sold his best AOR wig to get his mitts (and vocals)
on a song like Love Long Gone, and it wants to make you buy a Delorean and
head back to the 80s.
You know that noise you made as a kid, when
you made a sound and your mum would repeatedly hit you on the back, fast. Well
that’s what the keyboard sounds like to the opening section of ‘If You Call
That Lovin’. The verse is akin to Lorraine Ellison’s ‘Stay With Me Baby’ and
shows that white men can play (and sing
the blues). Think Percy Sledge / Otis Redding and a smidge of Procul Harum,
only with Joe Bonamassa wading in with guitar. I cant wait to see where this
one goes as its not the norm for Moritz, and is a surprise package. Finally its
‘Take It On The Chin’ or ‘chins’ as I prefer to call it. If ‘TIOTC’ was to be
the last song on the album, then it’s a belting way to end one. Flight Lieutenant
Mike Nolan (he of the flying V display troupe) steps up and produces a face
melting riff, accompanied by what sounds like Scallan catching his balls on
razor wire. ‘Some you lose, some you win, you gotta take it on the chin.’ Well
based on this selection, Moritz will undoubtedly be winners
I like it that they are no longer trying to
be like ELO or that Kind of pomp band. I can’t say that Peter Scallan’s voice
is maturing exactly, as they recorded Undivided 6 yrs ago when they were all in
their late 50s!!
In fact they are maturing……the demos
already are better songs, better sound, more range and diversity than before.
We are all in for a treat when this is released
There a few songs that are in the pipeline
that I have yet to hear, and if they have the same finesse as what’s on offer
here, then Moritz have a belting album on their hands
Score – an excited ‘Oooooh!’ with a little
fart!
