Todd Michael Hall - No Winner Takes All (September 2022)

[whiplash1972]

 

Experienced vocalist TODD MICHAEL HALL has been in the Rock business since the ’80s with the band Harlet, with Jack Starr’s Burning Starr, Reverence, etc, and from 2013 to date he’s the frontman of RIOT V.
But Hall has a solo career as well where he takes a different musical path of his metal/hard rock bands: that’s what we hear on his new solo album “No Winner Takes All“, a Classic Rock collection of songs bluesy-based and plenty of melody.
At places, the songs on this new Todd Michael Hall album brings to mind Coverdale’s ‘Restless Heart’, early Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, etc. With strong lyrics, rock solid guitar riffs, Todd’s multi-octave voice, and a clean bright production, “No Winner Takes All” results a very enjoyable album from start to finish.

Far from being a trifling exploration of an old sound by a fold of amateurs, this album is an exercise in paying tribute to the greats by a singer who were there to witness the original run of classic rock and have a deep well of talent with which to match the standards set by the originals.
Hall’s mighty wailing tenor proves both versatile enough to channel the unique personas of Brad Delp, Tommy Shaw and Geddy Lee, and also distinctive enough not to come off as a carbon copy of any one of them.

Perhaps the only thing that keeps this album from being a full on throw back to the 70s / 80s, apart from the amped up production value, is that Hall emulate a different signature sound from one song to the next, all but to the point of coming off as a tribute album of sorts.
For any rock fan who wants a bit more from their sonic cuisine than a few chords being banged out beneath a vocalist that showcases as much intrigue as a wall of drying paint, “No Winner Takes All” is a much needed breath of fresh air.

To be fair, there have been a few solid acts putting out material of late that are within the threshold of the millennial generation, but Todd Michael Hall bring a level of credibility to the art form that is a cut above the rest, showcasing that this is the music he has loved for the majority of his life.

01. Hurt
02. Lord I Have Doubts
03. A Smile On Your Face
04. Perfect Moments
05. Praise Him
06. No Winner Takes All
07. Love May Go
08. Unconditional
09. Your Side Of The Bed
10. Where’s The Love
11. Bedrock Of Blessings
12. Talk To Me
13. No Winner Takes All (Ballad Version)

Todd Michael Hall – Lead and Backing Vocals
Mike Flyntz – Solo Guitars on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, 12
Domingo Vasques – Guitars on “Your Side Of The Bed”
Francisco Palomo – Piano and Orchestration on tracks 7, 13
Donny Brown – Drums
Andy Reed – All other instruments

 

Shop - Todd Hall (toddmichaelhall.com)

 

 

 

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This is VERY laid back compared to 2021's "Sonic Healing", and also, listening to a handful of tracks, this appears to be a CCM release...

Not gonna be for everyone...