01. Sounds Like A Plan
02. That Kind Of Love
03. Are You Ready To Fly
04. Follow Me Under
05. I'll Take You As You Are
06. Hell Of A Way To Live
07. Fade Away
08. Dress It Up
09. Punching Above My Weight
10. Forgive & Forget
11. Where Do We Go From Here
Snakecharmer is a Classic Rock Supergroup featuring Chris Ousey (Heartland), Laurie Wisefield (Wishbone Ash), Simon McBride (Don Airey), Neil Murray (Whitesnake/Black Sabbath), Harry James (Thunder/Magnum) and Adam Wakeman (Ozzy Osbourne). That's a pretty impressive line-up to say the least.
This is their second album, and is another display of high quality, albeit generic Hard Rock. There's nothing technically wrong with this album, but my issue with it is that there really is nothing unique about Snakecharmer. Some of their songs sound like Whitesnake and others, well most of them actually, sound like early Thunder. It's all bluesy Hard Rock that doesn't deviate from the tried and tested formula in any way at all. To put this into perspective, after listening to the first 60 seconds of the first song, I knew exactly what this album was going to sound like, and I was absolutely right.
There are loads of unoriginal bands out there whose albums I have really enjoyed, so I'm trying to work out why this one simply isn't floating my boat. The musicianship is there. The production is fantastic. What I believe it's missing is that little bit of magic. That hit single that will pop up on every Dad Rock compilation album in the local supermarket. That song that every haggard old covers band will churn out down your local pub ten years from now. That song that everyone goes mad for in the last half hour of a DJ's set in a Rock club. Snakecharmer simply hasn't got it.
I'm sure this record will receive plenty of glowing reviews purely because of the Rock royalty who played on it. Personally, I expected something better from Snakecharmer. Maybe if they worked with some external song writers next time they could be in business? Otherwise they're just another unmemorable Classic Rock band and a missed opportunity.
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