JAMES CHRISTIAN
Meet the Man
Frontiers Records 2004
www.frontiers.it

Read the James Christian interview

What’s the 4-1-1?
House of Lords frontman goes solo for the second time.

Genre
Melodic rock / hard rock

The Good
“After the Love Has Gone” is led by a subtle chugga-chugga riff and forceful drum beats. The chorus has a flowing lyrical scheme to it, which in turn will have you singing along in no time. I’ll admit it, not only does “Know You in the Dark” have a cheesy title, it also has some cheesy lyrics that go with it. However, I just can’t get the song out of my head. It has a strong melodic chorus that just works. I’m a sucker for cheese anyway. You’ll really start to notice how James has refined his vocals over the years on the ballad “Surrender Your Love”. He invokes plenty of emotions with his deeper toned melodies, as opposed to his former high-pitched wails.

On the title track “Meet the Man”, James shows that he still has a little eighties flair left in him. The guitars have more of a crunch to them, and when it comes to soloing time, watch out for the thrills and finger tapping. James returns with another power ballad on “Love Looked into My Life” and solidifies his spot as passionate rock balladeer. If that doesn’t convince you, than “Hold Back the Night” surely will. “Strong Enough” sends out the message that no matter how complicated a relationship can get, love will keep us together. The female led chorus adds dimension to the track.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
A great mix of melodic hard rock tracks, over-the-top power ballads, and emotional love songs. It’s definitely worth your time to meet the man.

Did You Know?
“Strong Enough” was written by Stan Bush, who also wrote House of Lord’s biggest hit “Love Don’t Lie”.

Rating: out of 5

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--George Dionne