James Christian – Lay It All On Me
Frontiers Records
https://frontiersrecordspromo.haulix.com/Media/View/9692

Rating: B

James Christian is best known as the melodic voice of House of Lords, but he is also a gifted songwriter outside of the band.  His 1994 solo release Rude Awakening is a must-own for fans of melodic rock.  He released a second solo effort in 2004 and now, nine years down the line, he’s at it again with the release of Lay it All On Me.  While all of his solo albums feature his amazing vocals, this one, start to finish, it the best example of all of his musical skills. 

The title track is one of the finest melodic rock tracks to be released in sometime.  James really puts his heart and soul into each song and the emotion it delivers keeps the tune enticing after many listens. 

The songs are very ‘grown up’ in terms of lyrical content, showing how Christian has grown as both an artist and a person over the years.  He did not forget how to rock however as several tunes have amazing guitar solos. 

Everything one would expect from Christian is found on Lay It All on Me.  There are hard rockers, ballads and plenty of straight ahead rock tunes that showcase his ability to craft a good tune. 

Think House of Lords meets Journey meets Survivor and you get the idea of what this release brings to the table. 

Tracklisting: Lay It All On Me; Sacred Heart; Day In The Sun; Believe In Me; You’re So Bad; Don’t Come Near Me; Let It Shine; She’s All the Rage; Sincerely Yours; Shot in the Dark; Welcome to Your Future.

Musicians:
James Christian : Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar
Robin Beck, Background Vocals
Jeff Kent: Keyboards
BJ Zampa, David Sherman: Drums
Jorge Salas, Jimi Bell, Shelby Stewart: Guitars

Produced By James Christian

By Jeb Wright