David Coverdale - 'Into The Light'

                                                                                                            Released on Dragon's Head Records in 2000
THE BAND:
(various musicians)



TRACK FRAGMENTS:

  1. "Into The Light" -Instrumental leading into "The River Song". The drum and guitar patterns are very heavy and sound a lot like the stuff on Coverdale/Page.
  2. "The River Song" -The guitar pattern to this track is the same as the instrumental. The music is very laid back and "bluesy" in true Coverdale form. With it doubled up guitar rhythm the song is real heavy sounding. The arrangement is very similar to Whitesnake this is very evident in the choruses. There are three different guitar patterns counting the guitar solo itself, you can only appreciate this through headphones. The drummer plays a very laid back John Bonhan double bass lag on a single bass drum wich gives the song a Zeppelin feel to it.
  3. "She Give Me" -This track also has flavors of Coverdave/Page. The vocal lines of the pre-verse where done in mono and has a backwater effect. The main guitar pattern was done acoustically and in a Jimmy page style. The small acoustic riff through out the song would sorely had been missed if they where not on here. During the second pre-verse they add a reverbed guitar that added a great little effect on the song. It might just be my aging hearing but at times I hear a very low acoustic guitar playing a simple bass run., it my just be a studio echo. The song really kicks in after the chorus. In the solo the song kind of takes a strange turn to odd sixty's style. The solo has a Wah-Wah effect petal sound and even though it fits real well with the song it does throw you for a second, because you do not expect it with the musical arrangement of the song.
  4. "Don't You Cry"- The opening intro to this one is a lot like eighties Whitesnake. Even at his age and smoking David Coverdale has never sounded greater…. That is until the chorus when David really shows not only his range but ability to hold a note. Along with the backing vocals the chorus has a great sweetness to it.
  5. "Love Is Blind"- This ballad kicks off with two acoustic guitar patterns. When the vocals kick in they add a third guitar which makes the song real thick sounding. After the chorus the band adds a violin section which gives the song a laid back sound and is something you do not here in this style of music much. Stetting here thinking with all the different acoustic guitar patterns, the orchestrated stings, and harmonizing, this song would sound great live and acoustic.
  6. "Slave"- This is the first U.S. single taken off the CD. Vocally and musically if I had to pick one, this one reminded me most of Whitesnake. After hearing all the hooks this song has one can tell why they released it first. From the first opening guitar riff you can feel the 'snake' start to rise. Nothing against this song but wouldn't it had been great to Coverdale/Sykes/Vandenberg play this one. The solo even has a Sykes/Vandenberg sound and style to it.
  7. "Cry For Love" -This song opens with a very abstract harmonic part. The rough vocal style David chose on this one suits the arrangement perfectly. This would make a great bar or pub song.
  8. "Living On Love"-This ballad kicks off with an electric\acoustic guitar intro. Coverdale completely changes his vocal style in the verse of this one, and does such a good job it almost sounds like a duet.
  9. "Midnight Blue"-This ballad is real laid back in almost a pop, or country way. When the song kicks in it is very influenced by Bad Company and other groups of that genre.
  10. "Too Many Tears"-previously recorded on "Restless Heart" and "Starker's In Tokyo" David said this version was a little more laid back than the other two. This is an awesome song all around! One of the things that really stood out on this version was the echoed backing harmony during the choruses.
  11. "Don't Lie To Me"- This track opens with a hard-hitting eighties guitar pattern. The lyric content and arrangement are a lot like early eighties Whitesnake. One of the guitar rhythms are done with a reverb which greatly adds to the power of the song itself.
  12. "Wherever You May Go" - From the opening ring of the acoustic intro you can tell this is going to be one hell of a Coverdale ballad. In The intro along with the acoustic guitar are several female back-up singers doing ohhs, and ahhs. Strangely enough when the vocals kick in David sings in an almost Geoff Tate style like in "Silent Lucidity".

       The first time I had the chance to hear David Coverdale was on Deep Purple's vinyl album Stormbringer, the song was "Soldier of Fortune". I thought to myself, nothing against Purple, but what the hell was a voice like this doing in a band like that. Years later when Whitesnake release "Slide It In" I was once again amazed by the power of this guys voice it is very powerful and bluesy just like a singers should be.
      When I received the CD to review I thought there just might be a slim chance Coverdale's voice has lost some of its luster. Boy, I don't believe after listening to this I ever suspected that. David has never in his long career ever sounded better!! Buy this CD!!!!!