Kinaxis: Red Skies

OK, colour me confused, but here we go. Kinaxis are (possibly a one man?) band based round Bill Compeau, a multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer who has worked with Kerry Livgren of Kansas and boasts the involvement here of Rich Williams, also of that band. Now, the CD digi that I hold in my hand states that this eleven track album was released in 2019 through the now defunct JLT Records. However, following the link below will take you to the Kinaxis bandcamp page which suggests that Red Skies was (re)released in digital format in 2022 with thirteen songs on it. However (stick with me) inside the CD digi-pak I have is a small piece of paper detailing the twelve(!) songs on this album, which would appear to be what can then be found on the CDR supplied. Confused? Well, yes, totally.

Anyway, all that to one side - and in fairness, let’s just acknowledge how difficult it can be for independent artists to get their music out there - what we have here is an album that sits somewhere between melodic hard rock and something a little more 90s in a kind of Alice In Chains sort of way. Now, neither of those descriptions really hit home as to what you can find, most of Red Skies heavier than the MHR tag would suggest, while never as grunge as the AIC comparison could elicit. In many ways that’s maybe the issue because I kind of find this album neither fish nor flesh, in that it isn’t catchy enough to snag the ear, nor grinding enough to make a more ominous impression. Instead the likes of “For The Takin’� contains some big riffs and some more subtle nuances without every really grabbing the attention, while “Hold The Line� sits on a bulging bass line and cool, considered vocal. In that department Compeau has quite an individual style, with most of the words delivered quite slowly through his more than capable lower end register. This guy can sing, but to my ears, that doesn’t mean that the results always mesh with the music. If I was looking for a comparison, I’d maybe suggest Bob Mould if he was singing on a 7� single played at 33rpm. That said, when things do come together in a more cohesive fashion, as they do on the memorable “Homeland�, which pumps with a bit more life, or the upbeat wallop of “Now�, the results really are quite pleasing.

To be fair to Kinaxis, the actual standard of musical performances is good and the production is pretty impressive and there’s clearly something, nearly, almost, but not quite, there for you to latch onto. Too often however, those moments are fleeting and allowed to slip past without ever being fully realised.

Track Listing
1. Red Skies
2. Remember
3. Homeland
4. Reason To Believe
5. For The Takin’
6. Time To Fly
7. Now
8. Hold The Line
9. Feel
10. It’s Time
11. All My Life
12. The Shore

Added: January 19th 2024
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Kinaxis @ bandcamp
Hits: 270
Language: english

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