Les Pauls (‘The Pauls’, get it?) album Holy Land Revisited is a passionate collection of serious rock.
Opening with ‘Sleepwalking Through The Mist’, Les Pauls establish their sound as big, beefy pub rock that isn’t afraid to use some unusual embellishments such as chimes and more psych/prog elements. ‘Driving In The Final Nail’ uses a characteristic 12-string to create a more folk vibe, with vocals that are raspy and rough, while ‘Standing In The Rain’ uses swirling organs and adds more of a country alt-rock feel. ‘Seeing Over The Wall’ has more of a blues feel to it, but remains firmly underpinned by its strong rock aesthetic, with emotional pianos that move into Elton John territory at points, and not in a bad way, while ‘The Refugee’ takes those pianos and uses as a joyous addition to its forthright confidence, with its dead ahead bassline and characterful drums.
Listen to the album: http://www.paullyrics.com/album/holy-land-revisited-2
‘The Man I Used To Be’ is an introspective, thoughtful track with a wandering, sprawling guitar part that looks over its shoulder to the classic rock era, while ‘A Pale Martyr’ is a honking, gutsy tune that evokes a variety of feelings. Closing with ‘I Will Return’, there’s a sense of religious imagery as well as hope for the future, the whole time played out with a sense of fun, using pop synths and funk-infused drums.
By Chris Marsh
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