Description
Soul Survivor is the sophomore solo album by the American hard rock vocalist, songwriter, guitarist, and producer Ken Tamplin, released on Intense Records in 1991, a division of Frontline Music Group, distributed by FMG Distribution. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Ken Tamplin.
If Ken Tamplin would sit still long enough fans of power pop/metal would be able to discover him and lift him to the Christian rock vocalist pantheon, alongside top selling singers like John Elefante, John Schlitt and Rick Florian, where the former Shout leader belongs. After establishing that unit, Tamplin moved on rapidly to form Magdallan with guitar ace Lanny Cordola, an ill-fated collaboration that was disbanded before the record was even completed, although it is now done and on Frontline’s schedule for early ’92. In between all that, the ever-active Tamplin managed to release ‘An Axe to Grind‘ – his solo debut in collaboration with some heavy hitter friends sitting in on guitar – Cordola, Scott Van Zen and notable others – focusing as the title suggests on hot guitar playing on mostly metal tracks.
For ‘Soul Survivor’, Tamplin leaves the guitar playing mostly to Van Zen, with whom he shares writing credits on nearly every track, and puts his energies into bringing all the strength and emotion out of his five-octave vocal range. You can hear a family resemblance to cousin Sammy Hagar on a few of the rockin’ tracks, but Tamplin’s approach, stacking his own harmony vocals for all the bgv’s and a willingness to explore new directions, keeps him distinct and unique. Listen to the barber-shop quartet range in the a cappella intro and augmentation on «(I’m Gonna) Live Forever» or «Take It Now (Or Nothing)» and you’ll understand what five-octaves sounds like.
While Tamplin’s metal fans, since the Shout days, are likely to enjoy this disc’s energy and drive, there’s a move toward pop/rock, AOR tastes, a la Boston, Journey and that commercially successful ilk. All of which means that Tamplin has a chance to grab an even larger fan base with tunes this memorable and music this accessible. Most of these tracks sound radio-ready, in the best possible sense, produced to a polished glow, with just the right amount of edge shining through to put some rock muscle in the song’s pop hooks. Van Zen, an incredible guitar soloist, keeps things nailed down, even as Tamplin’s vocals tend to soar.
«Mindnight ‘N Peru», an acoustic jazz instrumental that one might expect from a Al DiMeola jam with Kenny G., divides the record, acting like a musical sorbet to clear the palate for more of Tamplin’s hard rockin’ pop sing-alongs. You can join in on the chorus if you like, but I bet you won’t hit both the high and the low notes. Tamplin’s voice is top-notch, and ‘Soul Survivor’ is a contender. [Brian Q. Newcomb, CCM, January 1992]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/soul-survivor/390579521)
CD tracklist:
01. Media Mania – 4:17
02. (I’m Gonna) Live Forever – 3:36
03. Hard Times Comin’ – 3:37
04. Stand Up – 4:29
05. Midnight ‘N Peru (instrumental) – 3:15
06. Take It Now (Or Nothing) – 3:09
07. Love’s Eternal Road – 4:16
08. Stay By My Side – 3:25
09. Come And Save Me – 4:02
10. Heart And Soul – 3:07
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Intense Records.
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