This is such a crazy good record on so many levels, I just hope I can aptly explain just why it deserves such praise and describe, at least in part, someone of the many complexities within this record – and just why it all works so well.
It is not easy writing reviews like this. You want to convey the brilliance of the music without going too over the top, yet the emotion of the record leaves you at its mercy.
It appears I have written a bit of a novel here. Never intended to, but that's what good music does to you.
The big question – how could this album possibly be worth the wait? How could it match the brilliant (and perfect score achieving) debut?
Nine years since the debut album; 6 years in the making; 2 previous versions of the album scrapped; a Mecca 1 lawsuit; line-up changes; the death of the studio engineer and friend to everyone; and personal turmoil for the band's main man Joe Vana.
What we have here is an absolute rarity. Mecca II is one of the few records ever that has gone through all of the above, only to finally appear….and deliver!
This really is an AOR masterpiece. Mecca II is a finely crafted AOR album, with touches of high-tech 80s, Westcoast pop and a whole swathe of production effects that should make this record timeless in years to come.
Obviously the length of time I have lived with tracks helps and some I have had for several years now! But for all the demos and alternative takes, the final versions here just blow them all away. Getting the final mix of this album and then the final mastered version some months back was a revelation. And time has only helped firm my resolve in these songs.
This album is anything but AOR by numbers. In a scene that complains about lack of creativity and originality, of stale projects and drum machines – this album is the exact opposite. This is an album that takes time to grow and reveal itself. It is composite of years of studio time, precise and analytical rewriting of songs until perfect and absolutely beautiful performances by all those involved in the record.
And the production and mix are just glorious. This album has so much room to breathe. No wall of volume here. Crank it up and it's loud – but still perfectly in balance.
This is a truly organic record and is just so inspiring to listen to.
The arrangements within are selective and intelligent. The structure of the songs is never dull nor predictable. And the record should be showcased as an example of how to do things right. How to achieve sonic nirvana in this AOR world.
Credit to the production team of Joe Vana, Chuck Macak and Mark Alano. It was Chuck who mixed the album.
The Mecca debut was perfect in its own right. I still love that record to this day. But Mecca II is a different beast. They are vastly different albums, but still related to each other by Joe Vana's natural writing ability and moody AOR style. I think the debut was, in many ways, seen as Jim Peterik's vehicle. And there was a definite question mark over Joe and if he could deliver anything of the quality of the debut without any of the other team involved.
Well….he's not only done that, but he's grown in leaps and bounds since then and has delivered what I will say now as an even better record.
This is 100% Joe's baby and together with songwriting partners Tommy Denander and Christian Wolff, the pressure of the countless delays and high fan expectation can be laid to rest. Joe Vana is now a force to be reckoned with on his own.
And of all things here, I'm most happy with the fact that Joe hasn't sacrificed himself with hesitations over whether his vocals would be enough to carry the album. There were times where the album was to again be split between two vocalists (Bobby Kimball was one nominee) such as the debut was with Fergie Frederiksen. Thank God Joe did not do this and I for one pushed him not to behind the scenes. As his voice is so engaging, so crucial to the success of this album. And he has added so much to his range since the debut.
And the songs....the songwriting is just amazing. Joe Vana found the perfect writign partner in Tommy Denander, and together they bring out the best in each other. They wrote most of the album together.
Track By Track:
Perfect World opens the album in absolutely blistering AOR form. The very first thing you notice is how crisp and crystal clear the keyboard and bass sound. Tony Levin supplies bass on this track, so it's no wonder why. The drums (Rick Vitek) snap in and the guitar work is beautiful. Tommy Denander has never sounded better and I mean that. Everything just sounds so organically placed. The song flows with such ease and such precision. This song and this album as a whole is like a high performance vehicle. Everything on the surface seems so effortless, yet the work done to design the car and get it to this point and the power 'under the hood' is simply unexplainable. Joe Vana has grown in maturity and in skill as a vocalist since the Mecca debut and he sounds like a seasoned veteran here. The vocals are so easy to listen to. Perfect World has an instant chorus and some fine soulful harmonies. The lead break following the chorus gives the song the same musical intensity and integrity as luminaries such as Mr. Mister and Toto. The guitar solo is sublime and a joy to hear.
Closing Time kicks off with another set of keyboard/programming before the drums kick into gear. A tougher track then the opener, but equally impressive with its technical prowess and the chorus grows with each listen. Again there is so much to listen to that one or even three listens is not enough. The Toto style soloing is again brilliant.
10life (or Ten Lifetimes) is a terrifically moody and complex AOR track with a mix of Westcoast in the keyboards and the smooth vocals. Mr. Mister would be proud to call this their own. A punchy chorus breaks the Westcoast spell. And just as you were getting comfortable with the track, it breaks into a haunting instrumental passage half way through the song. It slows things way down, before building them back again with a flurry of guitar (Brian Moritz, Christian Wolff and Tommy Denander) and percussion parts. You simply cannot teach this kind of intelligent songwriting (Vana & Wolff). It has to come naturally.
Life's Too Short is another moody number that features a classic retro keyboard sound, some funky bass and believe it or not, a spoken word verse! The chorus is simple yet catchy as, surrounded by some fine guitar playing (Wolff & Denander), contrasting brilliantly with the complex verse and bridge structures. Drums courtesy of Pat Mastello don't hurt either! Joe Vana manages to add so much more to his vocals this time around. I loved the raw emotion of his voice on the debut, but this album is so far ahead from that.
I Know features some amazing lead vocals from Joe. Some high notes that really surprise and raise the song into another level. The whole song has a rich texture of complex keyboard parts (from Brian Moritz) and layered harmonies and a fabulous chorus of chorus. Tommy Denander and Christian Wolff turn this into a 'lost' Toto classic and Joe makes it an AOR home run with those vocals. The album's bass star is Wally Hustin – surely a new name that will make a huge mark thanks to this.
Did It For Love is a 6 minute AOR masterclass in how to write brilliant AOR. Soft and subtle to start, with piano, keyboards and subtle guitars all working together in unison. But the vocals are simply brilliant. Joe carries the mod of the song here, through the verse and into the bombastic chorus. Brian Moritz' keyboard parts are again brilliant too. So much to listen to here. Thank God the guys got the mix just right. The song takes a left turn mid-way through into a nice mid-song break/guitar solo before returning to where it all started – a sparse musical arrangement.
From The Start is another one of those tracks where you think, just how did they write this? The moody and feel comes straight out of the Mr. Mister/prog AOR handbook, yet it is so original at the same time. Technical brilliance, diverse arrangements and classy guitar work (Joey Vana and Tommy Denander strike again). Tony Levin grooves again on bass. Another pretty long song, the instrumental passage mid-song stretches out into another killer solo.
As if I haven't gushed enough, then comes Deceptive Cadence which is simply stunning. The haunting Westcoast/pop/AOR ballad with an engaging, warm and sultry lead vocal builds slowly into an orchestral chorus that builds the mood. And at 3.30, this 6 minute track does an absolute left turn – turning sultry up to a new high and delving into a complex slow burning instrumental with Tony Levin (bass) and Pat Mastelotto (drums) going to town. AOR by numbers this sure is not. And the keyboards (Paul Prociotto & Denander) are killer.
As if sensing that the album could use a shift in tempo and mood, W2W (Wire To Wire) bursts to life, bringing a more urgent and rocking affair to break up the mood. This is catchy as hell in its own right and is really well placed within the structure of the album. Again, it seems simple enough, but there is a lot of music to digest in the background. And there's that killer guitar solo too!
Undeniable is yet another perfect mood track. The haunting vision of the album is back with a softly sung vocal gliding over keyboards (this time from Mr. Perfect Keys, Eric Ragno). Then the chorus – the song bursts to life with passion and power. A big big ballad and some soaring lead vocals from Joe.
What could possibly conclude this album in a way it deserves? A way that would leave its own mark in an already crowded album of classic songs? The answer is As I Walk Alone – one of the most brutally emotional lead vocals I have heard in years. Joe bares all emotionally as he sings with only the accompaniment of a piano (Brian Moritz) and then later in the song, a simple, perfect slow guitar solo (Wolff). It really is a fine and classy way to close a perfect album and due to the impact of the song, it stands out as a highlight – for the album and for the year.
Taking off my reviewer's hat for a moment and speaking as a friend, I am so very proud of Joe Vana for overcoming everything that was thrown across his path on his quest to make Mecca II and form the musical vision he has carried in his mind all this time. He has accomplished that goal and to be honest, delivered a very special album here. One I knew he had in him, but wasn't always confident it would come together. All doubts are cast aside with this result.
I've been debating the score needed for this for weeks now. In conclusion I realized that it was just that good an album that anything less than a perfect rating would be doing it a disservice. In a year of truly staggering quality releases, why should I not give out another perfect score, when it clearly matches the quality of the other 3 killer albums awarded such a score this year. It's vastly different in style to those, but every bit just as classic a record.
|
Discography / Previously Reviewed
|
· Mecca
· Undeniable |
|
Line Up:
|
· Joe Vana: Vocals
· Tommy Denander, Christian Wolff, Joey Vana, Mark Alano: Guitars
· Rick Vitek, Pat Mastelotto: Drums
· Wally Hustin, Tony Levin: Bass
· Brian Moritz, Tommy Denander, Eric Ragno: Keyboards
|
|
Essential For Fans Of:
|
· Mecca
· Toto
· Mr. Mister
· Tommy Denander |
|
|
Track Listing
|
· Perfect World
· Closing Time
· 10life
· Life's Too Short
· I Know
· Did It For Love
· From The Start
· Deceptive Cadence
· W2W
· Undeniable
· As I Walk Alone
--All tracks are highlights. |
|
|
