RICK SPRINGFIELD: The Snake King (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Those who follow Rick Springfield's long career know that the Australian is not the type to stay locked into one artistic genre. For the past few albums, the singer-guitarist offered a well polished AOR but "Rocket Science" (2016) started to offer a pop-rock with country accents proving that blinkers were incompatible with an interest in this artist. So it's hard to know what to expect with the new opus entitled "The Snake King", even if the level of quality doesn't really bring concern since Rick Springfield always meets a high standard.

From the first track opening this opus of almost one hour, things are clearly set: the way engaged on the previous album will continue to be explored. In The Land Of The Blind' delivers a pop-rock-folk sound reminiscent of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen or the latest Mike Tramp. However, don't believe that the follow-up is going to take place on an average tempo and with no surprise because Rick Springfield is going to make a series of changes of direction within a set looking like a concept-album. Many sound effects are placed between the titles in order to reinforce the unity of the whole album. The recurring theme is a diatribe against the excesses of religion, even going as far as to use numerous provocations whose goal is the awareness of the greatest number and the encouragement to use one' s free will.

And to succeed, the Australian does not hesitate to use several arguments that keep the listener permanently attentive. First of all, there are the numerous blues elements that dominate the majority of the tracks such as 'The Devil That You Know' with its brass section and its accents coming from Chicago, 'Judas Tree', more old school with its screaming harmonica and its smoky bar atmosphere, or the provocative 'Jesus Was An Atheist'. With 'Suicide Manifesto' or 'Santa Is An Anagram', the tempo becomes fast and scathing on lengths barely exceeding two minutes, the second one even becoming rockabilly with accents of 'Johnny B. Goode'. There is also this 'Little Demon' which begins like a dark and catchy rock before engaging on a second part in instrumental format and in mid-tempo, offering a beautiful guitaristic demonstration.

Closing the set, 'Orpheus In The Underworld' symbolizes the risk-taking of this opus by spanning over 10 minutes that is impossible to see passing. The harmonica and the banjo are part of all the elements that enrich this folk-rock track that lets appear the shadows of the previously mentioned artists, these references being essentially present to validate the approach of an artist who offers here a demonstration of maturity. The end of a melancholic journey in the sunset, 'Orpheus In The Underworld' reinforces the sensation of having shared a privileged moment with an artist who takes all a great dimension by setting no limit, whether it is from an artistic or a political point of view. With "The Snake King", Rick Springfield is likely to leave a deep mark on people's minds. Well done the artist! - Official website

RICK SPRINGFIELD

THE SNAKE KING

FRONTIERS RECORDS

ROCK