Search - Sign :: Signs of Life

An excellent collaboration!

12/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an wonderful example of excellent vocal harmonies and superior musicianship. I was impressed with this album on the first listen, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it! My favorite tracks are "Aryon," and "Signs of Life." If there is one disappointment, it is that "Desperate Hearts" does sound like Journey's "Any Way You Want It," but every other track sounds largely original to my frame of reference. There are good solo and double guitar solos, and those outstanding vocal harmonies. I've always believed that what separates the best bands from the rest are superior vocals, and this album features them in abundance! Buy it and enjoy!"

The Sign - Signs Of Life

Fred Monster | Zwijndrecht, Holland | 06/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When I heard of the cooperation between the two masters of symphony (Randy Jackson of Zebra and Billy Greer of Kansas) on one hand and the two masters of melody (Terry Brock of Strangeways and Mark Mangold of Touch and Drive, She Said among others) I was a bit surprised. What kind of album would this be, a Symphonic or a Melodic Rock album? Or a crossover? Who would sing? Would the songs gell together? A lot of questions.... On Union 3 the veil was lifted a bit with the fabulous song Aryon, sung by Terry Brock. But soon after that Frontiers announced that this was a demo only. On the final album the vocals would be shared by both Terry and Randy Jackson. So in fact the only thing we knew was that the guys were capable of writing a monstersong together. But now the wait is over, the album's out. And what can I tell you about it? Well first of all that it's everything I hoped it would be and more. All the influences and every inch of talent those four (Bobby Rondinelli doesn't write on the album) incredible songwriters could bring with them is present on it. More symphonic parts, like the opening track I'm Alive and All Your Life, where the Zebra and Kansas influences are clearly audible, are very well blended with melodic crackers like I Will Be There For You and Nothing But A Heartache, which have more of Strangeways and the Mangold repertoire in them. Crackers yes, as there's definitely not a bad song on this album. To use a cliché, no fillers, just killers. A song I wouldn't have expected to hear on an album like this is Stranded. I guess that none of the band members have ever done such a heavy song with any of their other bands. All I can say is "Wow"! I could go on and on raving about this album but I won't. First of all I would start to bore you to death and second there's a bunch of other albums waiting for review. But there's one thing I want to tell you before I quit and that's if you don't buy this album you're missing out on one of the if not the best album of 2000..."