ROCK 'N' ROLL DIZZY MAN - hard 'n' heavy
MP3 snippets
- Blessed Hope :::
- Paper Missionaries
- A Love Song To My King :::
A Love Song To My King (organ solo) :::
- Battlefield :::
- Hear My Prayer
- yernotalittlegod :::
- Loose Lips
- Breathing :::
- Have Mercy
- Believe
Plenty o' Reviews!
CREATIONS By L. David Wheeler
Daily Messenger
Sunday, August 24,2003
"Rock'n'Roll Dizzy Man" - Wales Road (Spun Records)
The Rochester band Wales Road has gone through
assorted changes in personnel and sound over the
years,evolving from an "acoustic/neo-folk/blues" duo
(their description) to the current hard rock outfit.
At the center,though,has always been the vision and
voice - sometimes a wistful whisper,sometimes a
amiable growl - of Tom Wales; and his theme has
remained consistent: one man and his God,whom he
sometimes praises,sometimes defends-and sometimes,like
Job,seeks,pleads and beseeches.
Yep, Wales Road is a "Christian rock" band -
a concept that still elicits smirks from some
quarters,where faith based rockers are seen as
propagandists using inferior musicianship and trite
lyrics to push religion. While a few bands undoubtedly
fit that stereotype,plenty of others maintain high
standards of musicianship and lyrical development:
Daniel Amos,Jars of Clay and guitar wizard Phil Keaggy
come to mind, as do Wales favorites Resurrection Band
and The Seventy Sevens. Add Wales Road to that list.
"Rock'n'Roll Dizzy Man" - name courtesy of Wales' son,
from a picture he drew of his dad - marries
straightforward faith and Scripture-based lyrics to a
fully-realized sound with flourishes from the various
styles that make up "rock". "You've got metal,you've got a little punk,you've
got some blues,a little 80's new-wave" Wales said
Thursday. "...on 'A Love Song To My King' we were trying to
capture the Deep Purple/Yes feel - all different sides
of rock'n'roll."
Lyrically,Wales'songs remain simple and
straightforward: songs of praise to God ("A Love Song
To My King","Blessed Hope"); bluesy tunes of loss and
lament and yearning for divine intimacy and aid
("Breathing" and "Have Mercy"); and indictments of
unhealthy attitudes and actions. Particularly notable is "Paper Missionaries",which
targets pseudo-evangelists and missionaries who
solicit money for ministries they don't actually do.
(Wales doesn't mince words:"Handing out lies and
pieces of candy/Taking photos for Sunday's
bulletin/Outward appearance that all is dandy/God sees
your heart your works of sin.")
This year's model includes bassist/keyboardist Tom
Sluberski and drummer Lou Gonzelez,with additional
guitar by Wales Road vet Ilya Fedotov and others in
Wales' orbit. He credits engineering and mastering
by Matt Scheidt of Scheidt Music Studios and Matthew
D. Guarnere of What's Real Unlimited, both of
Rochester, with increasingly professional production:
They create a nuanced bed for Wales' vocals but let
them take center stage. "I don't see myself going national or international-
I'm a parent and I have a job",said Wales who works in
the psychiatric wing at Strong Memorial Hospital.
"Pretty much, the Lord told me my ministry is to
touch one heart and one soul at a time."
Wales Road recordings are available at Alpha & Omega
bookstores and at the Alpha & Omega bookstores and at
the Web site www.walesroad.com
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