ALBUM OF THE WEEK #28 ALTER BRIDGE - ABIII (2010)

[RJhog (Admin)]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***click the album cover***

 

1. Slip To The Void *

2. Isolation *

3. Ghost Of Days Gone By *

4. All Hope Is Gone *

5. Still Remains

6. Make It Right

7. Wonderful Life *

8. I Know It Hurts *

9. Show Me A Sign

10. Fallout

11. Breathe Again

12. Coeur d'Alene *

13. Life Must Go On

14. Words Darker Than Their Wings *

15. Zero (Bonus Track) *

16. Home

 

This week's album of the week is also Classic Rock Bottom's Album Of The Year.  That honor goes to Alter Bridge for ABIII.  This release came late in 2010 but it's so good, it made voting in this category easy for
me.  Myles Kennedy really steps to the front on this album, but that
doesn't mean Mark Tremonti has gone away.  His signature playing is
still very evident, even if he holds back a little on all the shredding
that Alter Bridge fans are accustomed to.  Where as he holds back on
some of the solos, just listen to the other amazing sounds he comes up
with, like the lead in to the guitar solo in Isolation and the
pre-bridge riffage on Still Remains.  It's just another step in his
development.  I think the rhythm section of Brian Marshall (bass) and
Scott Phillips (drums) do an outstanding job here as well.  These two
guys don't get much attention compared to Kennedy and Tremonti, but
their imput is obviously very important to the band.   This album is
heavy when it needs to be (Isolation), and not so heavy (Wonderful
Life) as well.

 

The album was released in Europe first, which kind of surprised me, but when it came out in the U.S., we got two bonus tracks.  Usually it's the other way around.  Let me just say that I think all of the songs
are very good, but the ones I marked with an asterisk are my personal
favorites.  I do think the album is a little long for one disc.  I'm one
of those folks that likes the traditional 9-11 songs on an album.  I'm
not arguing here because of the quality of these 16 songs, but I would
love to have seen a double disc release, kind of like we used to get
with double album releases, which were just cool as hell.  But, in this
day and age of squeezing every penny of profit possible, we get 16 songs
on one disc.  Maybe I'm the only one who cares, I don't know.

 

Of the songs marked, my absolute favorite is Ghost Of Days Gone By, which has just a touch of Creed's sound in it, but it's definitely a Myles Kennedy special.  This should be a hit single, but it will not
be.  What does have a chance as a cross-over hit is the beautiful ballad
Wonderful Life.  Man, what a great vocal performance, especially at the
end of the song.  This is a very emotional song that puts a lump in my
throat everytime I hear it.  I have a cousin who lost his wife about a
year or so ago to cancer and I think of him each time I hear this song. 
That bonus track Zero is a must hear if you have the European version
(Niels).  I love the guitar at the end.  

 

All in all, a superb disc that is very deserving of the Album Of The Year award from CRB.  Obviously, it's very available, and if you don't already own it, you are missing out.  Buy it!

 

Hidden Gem Award: Zero

 

My Favorite Track: Ghost Of Days Gone By

 

Most Likely To Get Skipped:  N/A

[Scott]

Your click me link isnt linked, I own this one anyway so I dont need it to listen, but just sayin'

[RJhog (Admin)]

Aww man, perhaps I should have been more specific...click the album cover.

[Niels (Mod)]

It's great to finally hear the two bonus-tracks, and I agree, that "Zero" is a VERY good number. Too bad, it's not on my cd.

And i also agree, that it was very, very easy to choose the best cd of 2010. There was NO contest from any of the other albums. This is not only the best (new) album, I've bought in 2010, but the best since "Songs for the Deaf" (QOTSA) from 2002!!