Title: Friends
What is it? Rock CD by John McKeon. Vocals by John McKeon, music and compositions by McKeon and Lynn Monk
Technical Quality: Extremely high. Everything spot on in this English CD - nice mix, full arrangements, well recorded. Note some great guest artists. Nice color cover of two friends shaking hands, and CD also includes an insert lyric booklet.
Innovative Quality: Low. Not much here that 's not been done in the rock band format. But also note that the song quality, composed by McKeon and Monk: lyrics and music, is high.
Review: British rock CD has a lot of great songs sung in a laid back and relaxed manner with a consistent message for peace and friendship. Let's look at the individual songs.
1. The Gift of Friendship: Slow opener sets the tone: McKeon's vocals are easy and relaxed. Reminds me of James Taylor a bit. This song is music built on anonymous lyrics. Ex. "A friend is a precious possession/ whose value increases with the years."
The Next 3 songs are the heart of the CD for me:
2. Take a Little Time: Added background vocals by McKeon gives this a Beach Boys sound with a nice modulation at the end. A favorite of mine and a possible single. "Take a little time to be considerate...." Very melodic and hummable.
3. Peace is Flowing (traditional hymn). Another winner with a nice drum solo intro and some of the best lyrics on the CD. Acoustic guitar gives this a traditional sound. Simple music enhances the message of peace. Another possible single. "Peace is flowing like a river..."
4. Photograph Album: A carefree, Moody Blues feel, to this song with a nice chorus. Lyrics about his feelings after seeing his photo album - "Sifting through my memories of you..."Nice chorus and very melodic tune.
5. Favorite Music: It starts off with a clever radio montage, but verse repeats way too much for me. The chorus is a nice break. Lyrics about listening to our favorite music.
6. Speak Your Mind Up-tempo song about someone having trouble speaking their mind. Tries to be soulful or bluesy and doesn't quite work for me. "Are you just another with your head in the clouds?"
7. Why Aren't You Talking To Me: Hummable reggae number works very well and would make a fourth good single. Nice mix of longing and worry in the lyrics, "Why Aren't You talking to me/ Is it because you're getting tired of me?"
8. Made No Promises: Song about a friendship gone bad is the hardest rocker on the CD, but doesn't work for me. McKeon's voice doesn't seem like a rocking voice. There is none of the emotional range and belting that makes a rocker work. The anger doesn't fit with the rest of the tunes on the CD, and the arrangement sounds a bit staged.
9. Close Friendship: has the best lyric line in a nice chorus, "Ten times a hundred thousand songwriters, they write about love./ But they forget about the love that we have for a close friend." Easygoing song is a delightful song of joy celebrating good friends.
10. Someone is Thinking of You: Is the lullaby of the album with wonderful soothing lyrics such as , "Though you're miles from the home that you love A strange soil beneath you, a strange sky above Morning and evening and all the day through Someone is thinking of you."
11 We Want All Nations to be Friends: This one is a nice straightforward anthem for peace and protest against war. Nice ending to the song and the CD. Overall this CD has a refreshing message of brotherhood, friendship and peace. Most of the songs are gems - and worthy of being singles. I disliked the harder songs, because I don't think McKeon's voice has the emotional and technical range of very soft to belting out - that rockers need. He does best in his relaxed more contemplative and even-tempered voice . I liked those songs a lot.
Contact Info:
Wobbly Music
www.wobblymusic.net
Overall Grade: 6.2
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