| Musical Style: Hard Rock | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Spun | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2021 | Artist Website: Wales Road |
| Tracks: 22 | Rating: No Quote |
| Running Time: 73:06 |
On the face of things, the April of 2021 Spun Records new album from Rochester, New York based Wales Road, Character Voices, feels more like an assembling of new studio songs as opposed to a compilation release. With a staggering 22-song track listing, Character Voices encompasses material from nearly the entire spectrum of the group’s career, which dates to the mid-nineties and includes 17 studio albums, one rock praise album and 3 live albums, majority of which is new to me. Considering the three Wales Road albums I have reviewed in Beyond The Shadow Of A Doubt (2011), Radio Scripture (2013) and Wounds & Whispers (2015) combine to yield just 5 of the 22 tracks, the remaining 17 I have heard for the first time!
Wales Road remains the project of founding member and vocalist/guitarist Tommy Wales, whom throughout his career has specialized in a multifarious hard rock sound. On one hand, artist reinforces a founding of straightforward hard rock with nuances of blues based and melodic hard rock. On the other, he also mixes in periodic leanings towards acoustic and classic rock, new wave, praise/worship rock and progressive rock, with the styles at hand almost diverse as the number of tracks making up Character Voices. Regardless, those whose tastes range from Resurrection Band to Stevie & the Saints to Glenn Kaiser Band are going to find a lot to like in Wales Road.
That said, what is behind the Character Voices title? According to the artist, a studio engineer once advised him he uses ‘character voices ala Alice Cooper’, which makes sense in light of his varied vocal abilities. I find the artist to sound at home with his smooth classic tenor ‘metal/hard rock voice’ but proves equally adept when using his gritty and raspy ‘blues voice’ in addition to his lower register and sterner ‘punk/new wave’ voice, each of which is interchangeable depending on the song.
Album opens to a fantastic Rock ‘N’ Roll Dizzy Man (2002) track in “Paper Missionaries”, an edgy hard rocker spiced with growling guitars and inspiring hooks to highlight Wales’ gruff and gravelly vocal presence. Of equal merit is second RRDM cut “Yer Not A Little God” to feature feedback and classical keyboards to start ahead of turning into a full on cruncher with pounding drums and bass driven groove to match.
Another top-notch piece is lone song from Wounds & Whispers (21015) “Your Words Are Killing Me”, a brazen four minutes of snarling riffs, flashy guitar leads and arresting momentum wrapped around a message based upon forgiveness. Note that Wounds & Whispers is my favorite of the Wales Road albums I have reviewed, referencing not just the 80% grade but also how it received honorable mention in an article I recently put together outlining the top album released each of the past fifteen years (to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Angelic Warlord).
Maintaining the heavier rocking stance is a pair of songs off Beyond The Shadow of A Doubt (2011). First “Super Hero”, an explosion of fiery energy and galloping riffs reaching for the punk-like, stands alongside second “Time Will Tell”, a virtual jam session in light of its offbeat keyboard opening and closing instrumental run with moments in between angst laden with punchy hooks and artist’s smoother vocal presence.
Blur (2004) is home to two hard rock numbers. I take to “180” with its moody and darker mid-tempo essence reveling in laid-back melody in speaking of the grunge like (in a positive sense), while of equal quality is minute and a half spiritual warfare piece “Shoo Devil, Shoo!!!” of the rollicking energy and out of control punk laced fury (but not without bluesy nuances). Also of a shorter nature is Praying Mantis (2005) hard rocker “Father Of Lies” to highlight a feisty disposition and eerie backend keyboards.
This reviewer’s choice cut is lone Snakes, Hisses & Judas Kisses (2006) contribution “Life Jacket” with its seven-minute progressive hard rock direction. It breaks down into two parts, with first rollickingly up-tempo in walking a fine line between hard rock and the bluesy and second covering the final three minutes as a spirited instrumental guitar jam with enough cool bluesy licks and chops you could ask.
Whereas I favor the Wales Road heavier material, I also appreciate its lighter straight up rock moments. “What I Need”, first of three off Farmers (2001), is a very well done acoustic rock number home to an ethereal melody and soothing tenor backing vocals, and “Not Just A Song” (Praying Mantis) a mood filled (and quite catchy) classic rocker to also take an acoustic slant but heavier with a flattering rhythm guitar edge. My favorite is “White Flag” (Blur) in combining artist’s baritone vocals with viola and acoustic guitar.
I also enjoy the pair of traditional hymn rock interpretations. “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” (BTSOAD) speaks of the mirthful with its lively bass line and classic rock guitar edges in aligning with the songs immediately recognizable melody, while “Christ The Solid Rock I Stand” (Radio Scripture) ups heaviness to hard rock territory with driving rhythms, rolling drum beats and deep seated backing vocals.
Wales Road delivers in addition several well-executed pop wave moments. I enjoy “Battlefield” (RRDM), shining with an easy-going essence found in repeated clapping hands and guitar melody reminiscent to that of The Police’s “Message In A Bottle”, and “Me Without You” (Rock Love from 2008), of “The Munsters” theme song bass line and elevated guitars to point towards the punk like. “What Is Your Life” (Farmers) takes a similar heading in building upon the bass presence and commercial melody in reinforcing how ‘if your born once, you’ll die twice / if your born twice, you’ll die once’
In trending outside the box is minute and a half closer “The Father Of Lies (Club Mix)” (Ricochet from 2007) with its techno industrial flavorings and dealing with societies stereotypes of the devil.
If you have never previously heard Wales Road, Character Voices is a good place to start as a well-executed compilation album. It serves to highlight all aspects of the groups sound, including not just the signature hard rock and blues side but also that with a mellower acoustic slant or even straying into wave-like punk territory. Tommy Wales’ adept guitar playing and all around vocal abilities help round things out. As a reviewer, I am glad he made these songs again available in that many come off hard to find and out of print albums. It is also testament to the depth of the artists back catalog that he could put together a compilation release home to such a high volume of quality material. For those into hard rock and/or blues-rock with variety I cannot help but recommend Character Voices.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “Paper Missionaries” (2:59), “Me Without You” (3:06), “Your Words Are Killing Me” (4:16), “Super Hero” (2:31), “Bring 2 U” (1:46), “Father Of Lies” (1:51), “What Is Your Life?” (3:54), “Somebody Luvs U (Live)” (2:46), “What I Need” (3:27), “Battlefield” (3:44), “Life Jacket” (6:50), “Time Will Tell” (4:48), “Christ The Solid Rock” (4:20), “Fears Fly” (3:00), “Not Just A Song” (5:00), “Shoo Devil, Shoo!!!” (1:40), “180” (3:49), “White Flag” (2:29), “Turn Your Eyes On Jesus” (2:58), “Pray As I Go” (2:16), “Yer Not A Little God” (3:54), “The Father Of Lies (Club Mix” (bonus track (1:40)
