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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unhinged Soul, Funk & Rock, 12 Dec 2004
His Name is Alive continue to change styles & sample musical genres; a process started on their last album & continued here, to produce an effect something like "music you thought you knew, but somehow damaged & mad"."Fort Lake" is their 5th album, from 1998. It starts with a strange few seconds of 'computer' generated music - as if back in the 50's, this is what they thought the music of the future would sound like - before launching into a pretty fast run-through of distorted electric rock guitars (Wish I had a Wishing Ring" and "Waitress"); Soul (No Hiding Place Down Her); Rockabilly (Red Haired Girl) & a half-dozen other things as well. As with other His Name is Alive albums, several little musical interludes act as bridges between the songs. The new recruit from the previous album, Lovetta Pippin, is brilliant and shines everywhere she sings, providing a deep & smokey voice to counterbalance the long-time singer Karin Oliver's sweet, girl-next-door clarity. The highlights are the rockers: "Wish I Had a Wishing Ring" with spiteful 'my man done me wrong' lyrics and 2 wonderful guitar solos from Warren Defever, and "Rock & Roll Girl from Rock & Roll City", but I also love the funk and bizarre message in "Up Your Legs Forever". If you're a rock fan, give this a try. Otherwise, I'd not recommend this album as a place to start with His Name is Alive - Try "Someday My Blues Will Cover the Earth" from 2001 if you're into Soul/R&B or "Mouth by Mouth" from 1993 if you're a goth. Or, if you're reading this & wondering how one group can deliver such radically different styles, give them a go anyway, start with any album and prepare yourself for a very strange journey.
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