Davis; Derek: Re-Volt

It is the age old question. You front a mildly successful, if one of the better under the radar arena rock acts of the late 80s and early 90s, who resurfaced ten years later to little or no acclaim, yet you still want to get your music out there in 2012. What to do? Plunder the scene and sound that you made in your youth, or stride out into the bright light and chase the newest fad? Well if you are Derek Davis, once of Babylon AD, then the answer is both, neither and I don't care.

Although he has also fronted the band American Blues Box, Re-Volt is the first solo effort from the one-time Babylon AD frontman, delivering a mixture of songs that have a modern sheen, a muted hint of his past and, well truth be told, a few ideas which eschew fads and bandwagons by being both up to date and outmoded at the same time. It is an interesting mix and one that works for the most through its unadulterated anger. Davis was and is a fine singer, combining a thrusting in your face fire with the ability to force melody down your throat as he does so. Which when combined to the fiery funk of "American Jihad", where no one escapes their rightfully deserved criticism, works a treat. It isn't the album's strongest moment however, with the funkified bass line and popping snare being mere vehicles for the anger in the song, but it is a good indication of where some of the album is headed. "Re-Volt" removes the funk, replacing it with a chunky riff that sparks and bites - although the hissing hi-hat certainly gets annoying all too quickly - while "Judas Kiss" adds a sleazy undercurrent to the more overtly modern themes. Far from the quick fixes that one might expect from an 80s and 90s rocker, this trio of tracks take a few spins to worm their way into your mind, but they are worth the effort. As is the more cock rocking "Hollywood Heartbreak" and Bang Tango on steroids of "Tied Down And Hammered".

Less convincing however is the overlong acoustic schmaltz of "Troubadour", while "Bad Men Cometh" is marred by some run of the mill rapping that adds little and excites less. However when you weigh up the strengths of the angular riffs and sampled sounds of "I Love U 2 Death" and stunning reworking of the Babylon AD classic (for they had a few) "Desperate" and the pros far, far outreach the cons.

Not perfect and far from predictable, Re-Volt proves that Derek Davis is desperate to tell you what's on his mind, thankfully meaning he has a lot to say in 2012 that is well worth hearing.

Track Listing
1. Re-Volt
2. Bad man Cometh
3. Tied Down And Hammered
4. Troubadour
5. American Jihad
6. Hollywood Heartbreak
7. The Promise
8. Judas Kiss
9. I Love U 2 Death
10. Love Star
11. Desperate

Added: November 30th 2012
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Derek Davis Music
Hits: 1743
Language: english

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