Scottish vocalist Doogie White certainly has built himself a solid resume over the last two decades, fronting acts such as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Cornerstone, Demon's Eye, Midnight Blue, and of course, La Paz. It's actually the last one that provided White with his first big break back in the 80's, though sadly despite all the touring that big record contract eluded them. Fast forward over 20 years and the singer, along with guitarist Chic McSherry, bassist Alex Carmichael, keyboard player Andy Mason, and drummer Paul McManus, are back at it again with a brand new album of hard hitting melodic rock called Granite.
If you are at all familiar with Doogie White, you no doubt are aware of his love for classic Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, and Journey, and this is something he always shared with the rest of the La Paz band. Granite is a fun, enjoyable homage to some of those legendary bands, as White's powerful vocals soar over the guitar & keyboard driven "Too Good to Lose", and "This Boy", and "Lesson In Love", all three hard rockers that will thrill any fan of Deep Purple. "Amy" is a lush ballad for all the ladies, while "Just For Today" is a riff-heavy rocker that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Whitesnake's Come and Get It album. "What Do You Say" is a crisp rocker with plenty of hooks and crunchy guitar, as well as tasty keyboards, while "Still In Love" features memorable melodies and radio friendly hooks, certainly a song that would have had hit potential in the late 80's. The blistering rocker "Young and Restless" sees White really nailing down an inspiring vocal performance alongside some crafty riffs & sizzling leads from McSherry, and "Shame the Devil" closes out the CD in superb heavy rock fashion.
If you love and crave 70's/80's styled hard rock & melodic metal, then Granite is a CD you'll want to investigate sooner rather than later. Doogie White has proven time and time again that he's a vocalist of tremendous talent, and listening to Granite it's clear that La Paz really got a raw deal back in the 80's and deserved the acclaim that ultimately eluded them. Better late than never I always say, so let's hope that the band can take this fresh new start to the next level.
Track Listing
01. Too Good To Lose
02. This Boy
03. Lesson In Love
04. Amy
05. Just For Today
06. What Do You Say
07. Still In Love
08. Young And Restless
09. Shame The Devil
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