Flashback CD Review #76 - Jim Peterik - Above The Storm

This review was written for the Rock Is Life.com website in 2006.

Jim Peterik
Above The Storm
Frontiers Records - 2006
http://www.jimpeterik.com

What's The 4-1-1?

The new solo album from the highly prolific singer-songwriter finds Peterik stretching his musical horizons for his own benefit.

Genre

Melodic Rock / Rock / Pop

The Good

I should just say that this album is absolutely phenomenal and leave it at that.

However, I can't do that; so let's start shall we?

Jim Peterik's music pedigree with Ides of March, Survivor, Pride of Lions and World Stage is well known. It's always great to discover that an artist stands out just as well on his own as he does in collaboration with other musicians. I really enjoyed the deep rich quality of Peterik's vocals. While he had a bunch of other people helping out, he also played guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion on the album.

The songs break down into the uptempo rockers, slow ballads and the midtempo numbers. The song lyrics from Peterik reflect a generally positive outlook on life. While I don't necessarily subscribe to that theory myself, his ability to turn a lyrical phrase sells me on every word he sings. While there are plenty of guest musicians here, the most outstanding is Lisa McClowry on background vocals. She appears throughout the album and her vocal work really accentuates Peterik's voice well.

"Live Life" leads off the album and it is an instantly memorable rhythmic tune featuring a great chorus and a nice guitar riff. "Burning With A Reason" is dare I say, an almost danceable pop hit. "In The Days We Have" is a solid midtempo song with the backing vocals serving to elevate Peterik's lead vocal. I'm always very hard on ballads, but I'm thrilled to report that the ballads on Above The Storm are all very good with "A Talent For Loving You" serving up a highly emotional content in the lyrics that never strayed across the line into sappy material. My favorite song on the album is "Stand and Be Counted". The chorus reaches an almost crescendo like peak. It is just a stand out rocker.

The Bad

Not a darn thing.

The Verdict

I managed to use the title "Stand And Be Counted" as a part of my motivational speech to one of the basketball teams I coach. If you can find music that allows you to use a lyrical passage or even the song title in such a positive manner, how can you not think this album is going to be killer? Jim Peterik was never in danger of not being recognized as one of the premiere melodic rock performers but Above The Storm certainly serves notice that he is a master at the top of his form. It's early, but you can certainly add this release from Peterik to the preliminary list of best albums of 2006.

Did You Know?

Jim Peterik's former bandmates in the group Ides of March make background vocal appearances as well as Scott May from Ides of March providing B3 organ. Peterik co-wrote 8 out of the 12 songs on the .38 Special album Drivetrain from 2004.

Rating: 5 out of 5