Dan Reed Network – Origins
6/10
As a music-loving teenager, I quickly fell in love with Dan Reed Network, an underground jewel only remembered by few and whose funky rhythms and soulfilled hard rock spreaded out over three unique albums, was one of a kind. Around the time where I had collected most of the bands albums and singles on CD and vinyl, frontman Dan Reed announced a comeback as a solo-artist, and the album Coming Up for Air (2010) turned out to be a completely astonishing piece of work. It was a very different and peaceful album, far from the old funky rock of the Network stuff, but I saw him live, bought the albums and fell in love once again with a completely different but just as wonderful sound. When he eventually reformed the old Network band, I took an airplane to Stockholm for that concert alone and skipped one nights sleep to be able to take the plane back the same night in time for work next morning. Since then, the band has reformed permanently to play live and release new albums on a regular basis.
Unfortunally, the comeback album “Fight Another Day” (2016) wasn’t a huge hit. Most fans felt disapointed by it and I too must admit that I had hoped for more. It was far from bad, but it just didn’t have the same feeling as the old classics and the sound felt more like another solo album than a reunion. Now the follow up is here. It’s called “Origins” and it consists of only four new songs, mixed with four remakes of old classics mixed up on a lenght stretching over only 38 minutes. Smells fishy. My expectations aren’t exactly the greatest.
But, I must admit, as soon as the album starts I feel comfortable. Reeds voice is still incredibly strong, and the sound is warm and beautiful. None of the old songs are ruined and the new songs are nice and pretty. In the end, I can’t help but liking this album all the way through. I dreaded a disaster, but my thumb goes way up! But of course, it feels somewhat strange that they are doing this instead of an entire new album. It feels somewhat like a discography-filler, and so I can’t give it too high rate. But if you are not into the band, this is not a bad way to check them out. Especially if you are, as I know some people are, allergic to the old 80’s sound of the bands classic material.
Band: Dan Reed Network
Title: Origins
Label: AOR Heaven
Date of release: 23/11-18
Time: 38,49
Rate: 6/10
Stand out tracks: Shameless
