By: William Clark
Great White has surfaced in 2012 from underneath the ocean’s mighty depths with their new album Elation. Best known for their anthems “Rock Me” and “Once Bitten Twice Shy”, Great White is no stranger when it comes to rock ‘n’ roll.
Elation marks the band’s 12th studio album, and throughout the past 35 years the members of Great White hves been increasing in both talent and their fanbase.
When the news came around that Great White would be returning this year for the first time with a new lead singer manning the gills, a lot of “what if’s” began surfing the airwaves from even the most diehard of fans.
However, after listening to the opening drum roll to “I’ve Got Something For You”, all fears were quickly washed away with the tide. Those memorable blues rock riffs that scatter Great White’s biggest hits are in excess with Elation. And I have to say that new lead singer, Terry Ilous, does a leviathan of a job on the new record. There are some notable similarities between his and original lead vocalist Jack Russell’s, however, Terry brings his own personality and singing style into Elation, and completely adds another depth to Great White and their music.
Elation features many diverse styles of music from the beach glam rockers. Standout songs such as “Feelin’ So Much Better” sounds more in line with some of the band’s heavier efforts like “Mista Bone”, with crunching distortion and memorable vocal harmonies most similar to those of Aerosmith being noteworthy features. Tunes of the likes of “Love Train” show Great White moving into previously uncharted waters with a more dominant blues style of sound, and others such as “Complicated” and “Heart Of A Man” will remind fans of such classics as “Lady Red Light” and “House of Broken Love”.
From start to finish, Elation is a solid album that is certainly worth buying, and will leave you hitting the replay button again and again.
Format: Audio CD
Original Release Date: May 22, 2012
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Frontiers Records
Tracks:
1) (I’ve Got) Something For You
2) Feelin’ So Much Better
3) Love Train
4) Heart Of A Man
5) Hard To Say Goodbye
6) Resolution
7) Shotgun Willie’s
8) Promise Land
9) Lowdown (Bonus Track)
10) Just For Tonight
11) Love Is Enough
12) Complicated
