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HOUSE OF LORDS – World Upside Down
House of Lords – World Upside Down (2007, Locomotive Records)
Original Release: 2006, Frontiers Records
1. “Mask Of Eternity (Overture No. 1)” … 1:45
2. “These Are The Times” … 4:20
3. “All The Way To Heaven” … 4:31
4. “Field Of Shattered Dreams” … 5:51
5. “I’m Free” … 4:05
6. “All The Pieces Falling” … 5:29
7. “Rock Bottom” … 3:52
8. “Million Miles” … 5:06
9. “Your Eyes” … 4:15
10. “Ghost Of Time” … 4:15
11. “My Generation” … 4:34
12. “S.O.S.” … 4:43
13. “World Upside Down” … 4:25
Band:
James Christian – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jimi Bell – Guitar
Jeff Kent – Bass, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
B.J. Zampa – Drums
Additional Musicians:
Robin Beck – Backing Vocals
Terry Brock – Backing Vocals
Producer: James Christian
After picking up Cartesian Dreams and LOVING IT, I decided it was time to own more House of Lords albums. What I would really like to own is the first three albums but those are a bit pricey right now, so I picked up World Upside Down based on my remembrances of “All The Pieces Falling” and “Rock Bottom” (a popular song title for rock bands), both of which I had heard online a few years back. I guess what I own is the U.S. version because the album was originally released in 2006 on Frontiers Records. Tracklisting is identical.
This is a really good album full of everything that makes House of Lords such a great band: amazing vocals, great guitars and keyboards, giant hooks and huge choruses but as a point of comparison, it doesn’t come close to matching the glory of Cartesian Dreams. As good as the album is, I can’t help but wonder how much better the album may have been if the group’s founder Gregg Giuffria contributed more than “keyboard productions”, whatever that is. I guess he gave tips and pointers to Jeff Kent.
There are a few songs that totally fall flat with me. “Field of Shattered Dreams” is just another song in a long line of songs dedicated to our military and the war on terror in the Middle East. It’s a nice gesture, but at this point, these types of song seem so cliche and generic.
Then there’s “My Generation”. No it’s not a Who cover but an ode to those that grew up listening to Hendrix and the like. It’s pretty weird to hear a melodic band like House of Lords name check Jimi and talk about such an era. They don’t even try to mix it up by sounding heavier. I thought the lyrics were pretty arrogant and silly too: “my generation/will take your breath away/let the music play/my generation/will always lead the way/just like yesterday”.
Okay, so what do I like? Well, “These Are The Times” is a great opener (“Mask of Eternity” is an instrumental) and is classic House of Lords. “I’m Free” is a great rocker. “All The Pieces Falling” is one of the band’s best ballads, I think. While “Rock Bottom” is easily one of their heaviest and meanest sounding songs that finds the band encroaching on heavy metal. The band also delivers another stellar ballad with “Your Eyes”.
So there’s a few filler moments on World Upside Down, but overall, the album gets a thumbs up from me.
Highlights: “There Are The Times”, “All The Way To Heaven”, “I’m Free”, “All The Pieces Falling”, “Rock Bottom”, “Your Eyes”, “Ghost Of Time”
www.jameschristianmusic.com
www.myspace.com/jameschristianhouseoflords
HOUSE OF LORDS – Cartesian Dreams
House of Lords – Cartesian Dreams (2009, Frontiers Records – European Import)
1. “Cartesian Dreams” … 5:15
2. “Born to Be Your Baby” … 4:31
3. “Desert Rain” … 5:08
4. “Sweet September” … 3:45
5. “Bangin’” … 3:32
6. “A Simple Plan” … 4:25
7. “Never Never Look Back” … 4:06
8. “The Bigger They Come” … 5:53
9. “Repo Man” … 4:11
10. “Saved By Rock” … 4:45
11. “Joanna” … 3:30
BONUS TRACK
12. “The Train” … 4:41
Band:
James Christian – Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Jimi Bell – Guitar
Chris McCarvill – Bass, Backing Vocals
B.J. Zampa – Drums
Additional Musicians:
Tommy Denander – Guitar (“Sweet September”, “Never Never Look Back”)
Robin Beck – Vocals (“Repo Man”)
Producer: James Christian
This is the first House of Lords album I’ve ever owned, but I’ve been familiar with their songs and most of their albums for a number of years. Just never got around to buying one for some reason. I know the band’s music well enough to say that despite their membership changes over time (the band’s founder Gregg Giuffria hasn’t been involved with in the group for years), they’ve pretty much always put out quality1980s melodic hard rock anthems with little regard for trying to sound “modern” (okay, so I’ve heard that 2004′s The Power And The Myth is a bit of a departure). Cartesian Dreams is no different.
Had I listened to it in 2009, this would have made my Top Ten list, which is pretty funny because I almost didn’t buy this album. I considered it and had it on my wishlist for a while, but after checking up on some samples, I decided against it. Recent “best of ’09″ reviews convinced me to seek out more samples from this album and I must’ve been in a foul mood the first time I previewed the songs because I loved what I heard! One quick visit to a online music shop and here the album sits with me!
James Christian’s voice is as strong as ever, the musicianship is top notch and the production is wonderful. This album is filled great hooks, harmonies and huge choruses and I found myself singing along quite quickly and frequently to these songs. I always get a great positive feeling when listening to House of Lords, there’s just something very bright and uplifting about their music even when singing about love gone wrong or war.
Too often AOR/melodic rock comes off as quite wimpy, but House of Lords has always had a great balance of crunchy, thumping hard rock and slick melodic rock that so many other bands struggle to find. This one should please hard rock and melodic rock fans alike. It certainly pleased me.
“The Train”, as I understand it, is an exclusive track for the European pressing. When I ordered this, I didn’t realize I’d be getting the import version, but hey, an extra track works for me!
Highlights: “Cartesian Dreams”, “Born to Be Your Baby”, “Bangin’”, “Never Never Look Back”, “The Bigger They Come”, “Saved By Rock”, “Joanna”
www.jameschristianmusic.com
www.myspace.com/jameschristianhouseoflords
