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GREGORY LYNN HALL
Heaven To Earth

AOR Heaven (2014)
Rating: 5/10

Straight from sunny Southern California, singer and multi-instrumentalist Gregory Lynn Hall may be a name recognisable to some for his liaisons with 101 South, Heaven And Earth and Rat Sally.

For this solo outing, Hall has assembled 11 tracks for an album that features guest guitar solo contributions from the likes of Jeff Duncan (Armored Saint) and Craig Goldy (Dio). With those names in mind I expected a sturdy, sizzling opus from a singer who has one of those uncomplicated yet soulful voices that warms the inside, but on this record there seems a lack of conviction, and not just in Hall’s croon.

In today’s climate it seems nigh on impossible that an album could be accused of being tinny, but Heaven To Earth just seems a bit thin on the ground, and in spite of some truly evocative solos I’m rarely moved by this platter.

Gregory Lynn Hall most certainly has a fiery voice, but the music just doesn’t seem to compliment this passion and from the very off there is such a watered down feel to the album. ‘Rockin’ The Road’ may attempt to give us an insight as to what it’s like for a rockstar on the road, but the percussion seems to have left the building and the guitar lacks belief to turn this into a solid rock tune.

Of course, with the first track being so lame I fully expected that at some point this album would sweep me off my feet, but it’s just doesn’t happen. Okay, so there are some superb, stormy blues-tinged moments; none better than the slow-building ‘Cryin’ with its reflective plod and Hall’s rich, flame-filled voice that somehow hints at W.A.S.P.’s Blackie Lawless for gravel. Nevertheless, only a handful of tracks, if that, really stand up and be counted as the rest seem to suffer as being rather bog-standard fair.

‘You Got Me Runnin’ has a boogie jingle about it, almost in ZZ Top fashion, while ‘Cry No More’ has a bluesy vain wrapped up in a dirty riff. As each track comes and goes, however, there’s nothing to ignite the flames of excitement within me; each segment once again let down by that rather flimsy production where the bass seems to drift off on its own accord and the drums dawdle along just happy to be there.

‘Ordinary Man’ once again gets on the bandwagon of reflection, but as a song it lacks the spine to stand out as a well and truly bolstered AOR melody. This pretty much sums up an album, which is mediocre at best.

There are times when I’m not overly bothered about production values, but on this occasion I’ve never heard a contemporary composition suffer so much from the lack of. And so it’s with deep regret that I have to consign Heaven To Earth to the wayside in a category of albums that should have been good, but which simply aren’t up to scratch.

Neil Arnold

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