I recall
reviewing the last couple of WINGER releases and being quite enthusiastic about
those, I found myself expecting a lot of this, their new album entitled “Karma”.
The title hints at the whole concept of the WINGER sound; a sort of karma or
equilibrium between the original “hair metal” style and the profound Kip Winger
solo sound. This intentional blend will make die-hard fans think twice while
it’ll potentially welcome a few new listeners.
Personally
I find it intriguingly catchy as Beach, Morgenstein, Roth and Winger crank up
the volume on the first 2-3 tracks. Their interplay is simply breathtaking! Even
the most formulaic composition is granted a whole new dimension and even
over-used sexist/R’n’R lines like “bottles of booze, girls with tattoos – I made
a deal with the deal” seem to maintain their integrity. Mind you, the year is
almost 2010 and it is 20+ years since WINGER started writing material like this.
On the
other hand, were it not for the ballads and introvert Kip-stuff, the typical
R’n’R sound would tire you in the long run. Imagine old school WINGER with a
twist - somewhere in-between “Pull” and “Sahara”.
There’s one
thing I do not like about “Karma” and that’s the element of progress. “Progress”
is normally a positive word but not when it comes to the sound of WINGER. They
simply try to sound TOO modern and up-to-date on certain tracks. It’s probably a
natural evolution for any band to try on a new sound every once in a while,
however WINGER should’ve stuck to the formula they created on their last studio
album.
This is
hardly a classic but fans of Melodic Hard Rock/Hair Metal will discover a gem or
two – that’s guaranteed!
