Good but not great
Posted February 25, 2013
By plungebob,
These guys are intense; their commitment, musical style, artwork and live performance say so. I must confess, I was not happy when this album was released. I felt betrayed. I resisted the “new” sound as did many die-hard RED fans. Apparently, string infused rock are no longer a sound RED desire to cash in on. Despite altering the basic formula, they achieve something with “Release the panic.” In lieu of strings, electronic-esque sounds are successfully incorporated into RED's signature heavy rock. And I have to admit, it works. A part of me wants it to fail, because I love the old RED, but I cannot deny they have accomplished something. Even the casual listener would have to concede the production elements on tracks such as “Die for you,” “Damage” and “Same Disease” are impressively refined and pleasing to the ear. That said, there are other tracks on the album I find myself less excited about; “As you go,” “The moment we came alive,” “Glass House” and “Hold me now” are tracks I consider mediocre. I just don’t think the Howard Benson production machine did them justice; but then, how many albums are chocked full of timeless gems? On a more positive note, I found myself falling in love with the song “Far away” and believe it to be one of the better tracks on the album. Lyrically and vocally “So far away” rivals RED’s classic ballad, “Start again.” Though, I might have liked the song better with a slightly softer guitar mix (yes, I said that). Now, let me address the title track, “Release the panic.” The song is disappointing and its message is misguided and confusing. Lyrically, it fails to grab me at a deep level emotionally and intellectually. The song opens with a groveling vocal/guitar fusion that immediately grabs the listener and peaks an interest, but from there...it is all downhill--sadly. It does play well live and RED will get some serious mileage out of it on tour. The remixes offered on the deluxe album are worthwhile and do justice to the original tracks. Thankfully, the rush to remix everything these days didn't diminish some of RED’s finer work.I will listen to this album and enjoy it, but I might not listen to it in its entirety. I may pick n’ choose and long for the days of the old RED under Rob Grave’s production prowess.
A grumpy old RED fan,
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