XYZ is back after a twelve year hiatus. Having enjoyed the band's self
titled debut album and the follow up, Hungry, I was eager to hear
Letter To God. I've given this album several listens before arriving at
a final opinion since it is quite different from their older material. I feel
that this album will split fans into two groups: those who feel that the band
has strayed too far from their trademark sound and those who enjoy the new Zeppelin-esque
sound.
The best way to sum this album up in a nutshell would be to call it a cross
between Don Dokken solo material and Led Zeppelin. As fans of
the band know, the band's debut album was produced by Don Dokken, and therefore
has a very heavy Dokken influence. Vocalist Terry Ilous even sounded
very much like Don Dokken on that album. Fast forward to 2003… The band's sound
is slower, and nowhere near the LA metal of the previous two releases. As I
said, the Led Zeppelin influence cannot be denied. In fact, Touch
The Sky sounds like a direct Zeppelin knock off. There are numerous acoustic
passages throughout the album which aide greatly to the whole retro-Zeppelin
rock atmosphere. Terry Ilous even sounds a lot more like Robert Plant and less
like Don Dokken on this album. Jeff Northrup's guitar work blazes throughout
this album with quality solos and heavy riffs. However, I do wish the band could
have cranked it up more throughout the album rather than plod along in the slow
to mid tempo range the entire duration. Just when you get the feeling that a
big, energetic crescendo is lurking ahead, the tempo does not change. Suffice
it to say that Northrup would have shined even more with only a few more up
tempo opportunities.
Musically speaking, XYZ puts on a very tight performance for this album.
The production is exceptionally crisp, with each component of the sound in perfect
balance. As I said, Ilous and Northup shine, but the rhythm section is also
very bold. Without a doubt, these guys know how to play their instruments. Although
I am pleased with the individual performances of the band members, something
is missing. The songs themselves just are not interesting or exciting enough
to keep me coming back for more. The melodies are not very strong, and only
a couple of chorus lines from the entire album can be remembered when the album
is done playing. Hence, the album as a whole is not very memorable, especially
when factoring in the lethargic pace of the album.
For some reason, the band decided to include two re-recorded hits from their
past. Inside Out has been given the 70's retro treatment, and What
Keeps Me Loving You has been given a more stripped back, emotional delivery.
Neither one of the two tracks surpasses or even equals the original version.
When it's all said and done, I feel that die hard XYZ fans and fans
of Led Zeppelin style hard rock will enjoy this album the most. All others,
especially causal fans of the bands first two album will want to take a more
cautious approach to this album. Despite the impressive individual performances
on this album, I just don't find enough stand out moments to prevent this CD
from becoming buried in my CD cabinet one month from now.