| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Stand Still Human Race (feat. Alex Lifeson of Rush) I Sing (feat. James LaBrie of Dream Theater) My Cathedral The Ghost Of Shadow Town When You Were My Baby Sweet Tooth Heads Up Rest Of My Life End Of The Line (feat. Alex Lifeson and James LaBrie) Grand Parade (Bonus track) (feat. Gil Moore and Mike Levine) Release Date: November 11, 2016 Label: Mascot Label Group Website: www.rikemmett.com www.facebook.com/rikemmettnetwork |  |
RIK EMMETT & RESOLUTION 9 IS:
Rik Emmett - Lead vocals & guitars Dave Dunlop - Guitars Steve Skingley - Bass & keyboards Paul DeLong - Drums
Rik Emmett - Lead vocals & guitars Dave Dunlop - Guitars Steve Skingley - Bass & keyboards Paul DeLong - Drums
What else can be said about Rik Emmett? Besides being one of Canada's most loved rock musicians, it's been quite a while since he has released a rock album. It's obvious that we won't be getting anyting new from Triumph anymore, so a Rik Emmett rock album is what many fans have been waiting for. With a fine group of musicians in his new band RESolution 9, Emmett and the band released the album Res 9, and have brought on some very special guests. With Emmett on lead vocals and guitars, the band is rounded out by Dave Dunlop on guitar, Steve Skingley on bass and keyboards and Paul DeLong on drums. There's a great variety on here that would make the album appeal to every type of rock fan from hard rock, blues rock and even a bit of country.
The record opens with the up-tempo bluesy rocker "Stand Still" followed by the catchy number "Human Race", where Emmett shares guitar duties with the great Alex Lifeson of Rush. Vocally, Emmett is sounding fantastic and he shares vocal duties with James LaBrie of Dream Theater on "I Sing". This is the starting point for the energy being turned down a few notches for the next few tracks like "My Cathedral", "The Ghost Of Shadow Town" and "When You Were My Baby", but they're part of the diversity that shines throughout the album. There's no doubt that you'll be craving something sweet once you hear all the deliciousness referenced in the lyrics of "Sweet Tooth". The lyrics may come across as corny to some. They are to me just a bit. Musically, it carries a bit of a country flare.
However, the rock energy returns as we head into the album's catchiest track "Heads Up". With great hooks and vocals, this is sure to stand out with those who enjoy the rock side of things more. The standard edition of the album closes with "End Of The Line" with Lifeson and LaBrie both lending their talents to the track, resulting in a great climatic point of the album. The bonus track "Grand Parade" can be described as a Triumph song due to the fact that Emmett plays with Gil Moore and Mike Levine on the track. The fact that it's not a rocker might be a disappointment to some people, but if you're a fan of ballads, you should enjoy the track. Simply put, Res 9 is a very enjoyable album with neatly written songs, fantastic vocals and guitar work from Emmett and great performances from Dunlop, Skingley and DeLong.
Highs: "Stand Still", "Human Race", "Heads Up" and "End Of The Line"
Lows: "Grand Parade" should've been a hard rocker since it's a Triumph reunion track.
Final Rating: 7.5/10
The record opens with the up-tempo bluesy rocker "Stand Still" followed by the catchy number "Human Race", where Emmett shares guitar duties with the great Alex Lifeson of Rush. Vocally, Emmett is sounding fantastic and he shares vocal duties with James LaBrie of Dream Theater on "I Sing". This is the starting point for the energy being turned down a few notches for the next few tracks like "My Cathedral", "The Ghost Of Shadow Town" and "When You Were My Baby", but they're part of the diversity that shines throughout the album. There's no doubt that you'll be craving something sweet once you hear all the deliciousness referenced in the lyrics of "Sweet Tooth". The lyrics may come across as corny to some. They are to me just a bit. Musically, it carries a bit of a country flare.
However, the rock energy returns as we head into the album's catchiest track "Heads Up". With great hooks and vocals, this is sure to stand out with those who enjoy the rock side of things more. The standard edition of the album closes with "End Of The Line" with Lifeson and LaBrie both lending their talents to the track, resulting in a great climatic point of the album. The bonus track "Grand Parade" can be described as a Triumph song due to the fact that Emmett plays with Gil Moore and Mike Levine on the track. The fact that it's not a rocker might be a disappointment to some people, but if you're a fan of ballads, you should enjoy the track. Simply put, Res 9 is a very enjoyable album with neatly written songs, fantastic vocals and guitar work from Emmett and great performances from Dunlop, Skingley and DeLong.
Highs: "Stand Still", "Human Race", "Heads Up" and "End Of The Line"
Lows: "Grand Parade" should've been a hard rocker since it's a Triumph reunion track.
Final Rating: 7.5/10
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