Ronnie Romero – Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
Ronnie Romero – Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
Frontiers Music s.r.l.
Release Date: 15/09/23
Running Time: 44:23
Review by Simon Black
6/10
Ronnie Romero is another one of those highly prolific lungs for hire that seems to crop up on lots of projects these days. He started life in the fabulous Lords of Black, but first got properly noted when he was brought in by Ritchie Blackmore to front his brief return to the Rainbow fold a while back. He’s been involved on a dozen projects since (many for Frontiers Records itself), so a proper solo album is long overdue.
The trouble is, he’s set himself a very high benchmark.
After Elegant Weapons dropped their debut “Horns For A Halo” earlier this year, and given that this project has one hell of a pedigree for a supergroup and absolutely delivered the goods, this feels a little like it’s slightly behind the curve. Don’t get me wrong, the man can bloody well sing, and has such a warm and charismatic delivery that always touches the soul, and does so here. With the ‘Weapons crew though, he’s got a bunch of equal partner perfectionists driving him above and beyond, but here he’s the boss. He’s also the main songwriter and involved in production, and for me this is just a little lacking.
This is a shame, as Romero is an artist whose work I’m always happy to grab hold of (and you should see and hear what he can do live), but for some reason this feels unfinished. Vocally, he’s doing fine (well he would, he’s Ronnie Romero and he knows how to deliver), but perhaps to hit his best he still needs those equal partners in support that can gear things up to the stratospheric heights he is truly capable of. But then, solo albums are a whole bunch of work and mean the buck stops with you, and sometimes take a few goes to get into their groove (just ask Bruce Dickinson).
That said, when the players feel more equally engaged, it works really well. Musically, much of the instrumental side of things is workmanlike, and nothing to write home about. I enjoyed it all much more when the players finally got to let rip instrumentally on ‘Chase By Shadows’ and the album closer ‘Vengeance’, but since those come right at the end the risk is losing people earlier on. I get that the players are understandably taking a back seat to the man with the mike, but unfortunately, it’s the song writing I’m really struggling with a lot of the time in the early part of the album. Don’t get me wrong, it has its moments, but the problem is there aren’t enough of them, and they come a little late in the record. More like that, and it would have been a belter…
TRACKLISTING:
01. Castaway on the Moon
02. Mountain of Light
03. I’ve Been Losing You
04. Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
05. Girl, Don’t Listen to the Radio
06. Crossroad
07. Not Just a Nightmare
08. A Distant Shore
09. Chased By Shadows
10. Vengeance
LINE-UP:
Ronnie Romero – Vocals
Andy C. – Drums
Jose Rubio – Guitar
Francisco Gil – Keyboards
Javier Garcia – Guitars
LINKS:
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