The Moonstone Project – New Life
(Escape Music – 2024)
(Style: Rock)
Anything that features Glenn Hughes in any capacity immediately grabs my attention. This is a completely remastered version that along with Hughes features Graham Bonnet & Ian Paice, not forgetting the mastermind behind the project Matt Filippini.
Before I dip into the album, I have draw your attention to beautiful artwork by Stan W Decker that adorns this album, ‘New Life’… poignant indeed... The album kicks off with ‘Silent Hunter’ featuring the vocals of Andrew Freeman and so begins a Rainbow fest of songs, complete with Ritchie Blackmore style guitars and swamped with keyboards.
Having said that ‘Slave Of Time’ leans heavily towards Whitesnake, Kelly Keeling does a more than passable imitation of Coverdale. The next track is sublime as Hughes becomes the frontman ‘Closer Than You Think’ is pure class, with beautiful ambience and feel, but then again it is no more than you would expect from the Voice Of Rock.
‘Pictures Of My Lonely Days’ returns us to the many colours of Rainbow, featuring Paul Shortino at the microphone. ‘Beggar For Love’ is a funk work out with James Christian stepping up in Lenny Kravitz style, it more than adds a twist to the album, giving it added depth.
‘On The Way To Moonstone’ sees Eric Bloom get his turn, it’s lightly funky with a catchy chorus, another good tune. ‘Madman’ is a pounding rampaging rocker that races along at speed, it’s a return to the main theme of the album, Christian steps up once more, as Hammond organ embellishes. ‘One Dollar Baby’ sees Christian remain it’s par for the course, with plenty of bass, which steals a bit from that song by the Darkness!
The Mighty Glenn Hughes returns for ‘Where Do You Hide The Blues’ it is surely him on the bass. It is another atmospheric, slightly dark epic. It I scintillatingly superb, the brooding bassline is at the foundation with some tasty lead guitar in the mid-section. Hughes treats us to his entire vocal range.
Last up sees Graham Bonnet in blistering form as his voice propels ‘Not Dead Yet’ it has a driving riff which creates impact and supercharges this number, Bonnet doesn’t need your foolish advice as he is not dead yet.
The middle breakdown is pure class and leads us into a plethora of guitar, which are enhance by some tasty keys, of course it’s like Rainbow and it is an absolute showstopping end to an album that probably shouldn’t work. That it does is thanks to the talents of all involved (which are to long to list) and the production talent of Khalii Turk & Matt Filippini.
By Paul Mace