Overland is a great name for an album huh? We’ve been on the case for Steve Overland’s new album since around Christmas.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Overland
ALBUM: Epic
LABEL: Escape Music
SERIAL: ESM 262
YEAR: 2014
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Steve Overland – lead & background vocals * Christian Wolff – lead guitars, rhythm guitars, acoustic guitars, keyboards * Mike Slamer – additional guitars, bass, keyboards * Larry Antonino – bass * Jay Schellen – drums
Additional Musicians: Billy Greer, Billy Trudel – background vocals * Fredrik Bergh – additional keyboards ‘Liberate My Heart’ and ‘Down Comes The Night’
TRACK LISTING: 01 Radio Radio * 02 If Looks Could Kill * 03 Stranded * 04 Rags To Riches * 05 Liberate My Heart * 06 Down Comes The Night * 07 If You Heart’s Not In It * 08 Rock Me * 09 So This Is Love * 10 Wild * 11 The End Of The Road
RATING: 90/100
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Overland’s ‘Epic’ is a great name for an album huh? We’ve been on the case for Steve Overland’s new album since around Christmas 2013. It follows hard on the Seventh Key album ‘I Will Survive’.
Now why should that matter to all and sundry? Simple really, Mike Slamer, Billy Greer and Billy Trudel all play and sing on ‘Epic’, and it really does sound like Round 2 of SK, but without the prog and symphonic influences.
Overland has always had a great voice, and he has proved a popular draw over the years with FM and with his solo projects as Overland, and ‘Epic’ is sure to go close as his best effort. No doubt Mike Slamer has done his best to turn ‘Epic’ into an (err hmm..) ‘epic’..
The Songs
The perfect summer settler gets us underway. ‘Radio Radio’ speaks to all of us in a way that transcends generations of listeners. I’m sure many of us were disciples of the radio back in the day.
I can remember I had an old radio that would pick up AM stations hundreds of miles away, and it was through this medium that I learned about so many great bands, partcularly on Sunday night rock shows back in the mid-late 70’s.
‘Stranded’ is as light as it gets for Overland, even lighter than the stuff found on FM‘s ‘Indiscreet’ album. Like a good steak, it’s lean with next to no fat.
‘Liberate My Heart’ is of a similar build, lighter than air in parts, not so the dynamic pairing of ‘Down Comes The Night’ and ‘So This Is Love’ with its chirping synths and captivating hooks.
‘If Your Heart’s Not In It’ reminds me of many acts from the 80’s, Toto probably comes closest, but at a pinch. Like the keyboard work on this one, and also how the guitar builds momentum.
‘Rock Me’ is the bluesiest track on the CD, and with Steve’s background, it comes as no surprise that we’d get a blues oriented track on ‘Epic’.
‘The End Of The Road’ to my ears is the next best thing to a Seventh Key song. There’s a sense of drama, that blokes like Slamer and Greer have no trouble creating in their music, and it rubs off here.
In Summary
‘Epic’ is without doubt a great start to 2014, and effortless sounding album really, and another good body of work to add to the Steve Overland port-folio. Fans of Seventh Key in particular should seek this out when it’s officially released in February. I needn’t say anymore. Grab it when you can.
Overland on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
