White; Doogie & La Paz: The Dark And The Light

Falling firmly into the "what could and should have been" category, Lanarkshire, Scotland band La Paz worked their socks off between 1984 and 1988, building up a strong reputation and equally impressive following. Before losing out on a seemingly in the bag record deal at the last minute. It knocked the heart out of the band, who split not long after but it, in the long term, made the band's singer Doogie White, who subsequently went on to work with Midnight Blue, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen, Cornerstone, Tank and Michael Schenker – an impressive CV in anyone's book.

Then in 2008 White reached out to La Paz guitarist Chic McSherry to perform an acoustic set at the birthday bash of Rock Radio, leading to the pair setting about breathing new life into their long admired, but forgotten band, 2012's Granite album being the results. Barely twelve months down the line and White, McSherry, bassist Andy Carmichael, keyboard player Andy Mason and drummer Paul McManus return with The Dark And The Light.

White's previous work will leave no doubt that he's a Classic Rock singer and therefore it comes as a no brainer that La Paz play to his strengths. McSherry and the large lunged frontman combining to write a collection of bulging riffs and keyboard backed tracks that act like the last three or four decades never happened. White himself is in fine form, belting out the lyrics in style, authoritative and commanding, while McSherry, Mason, Carmichael and McManus come together in climactic fashion. However from track titles like "Don't Drink With The Devil", "Old Habits Die Hard", "Devil In Disguise" or "Sweet Little Mistreated" it's immediately clear that The Dark And The Light is an album all too happy to play safe and use the tried and trusted to get its message across.

Not that in itself that makes this collection substandard, far from it actually, but just don't expect any surprises or effective curveballs. The only genre pushing arriving through the clumsy, rather sleazy Glenn Hughes-ish drawl, of "Burlesque", which lacks the class and tastefulness of the genre it covers. Instead this feels like a quick fumble in the private room through the back, rather than a show of titillation and sleight of hand. In fairness though it is the only moment which really misses the mark, with "The Good Old Days" having that up and at 'em Rock 'n' Rumble of Thin Lizzy about it, "Men Of War" hitting like current day Saxon and "Lonely Are The Brave" being a beautifully delivered slow number. "Shadow Of Romance" keenly combines Free or Bad Company to Joan Jett!

The Dark And The Light isn't likely to change anyone's world, including that of Doogie or his La Paz mates, but in terms of delivering a solid burst of British Classic Rock values there are plenty more lauded acts out there who can't hit the standards achieved throughout this album. Making it and La Paz worthy of this second crack of the R'n'R whip.

Track Listing
1. Little Black Book Of Songs
2. Don't Drink With The Devil
3. Old Habits Die Hard
4. Burlesque
5. The Good Old Days
6. De La Luz
7. Devil In Disguise
8. Lonely Are The Brave
9. Shadow Of Romance
10. Sweet Little Mistreated
11. Men Of War
12. The Fallen

Added: October 12th 2013
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Doogie White online
Hits: 2020
Language: english

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