Bobby Kimball – Jimi Jamison – Kimball Jamison Review

Released by: Frontiers Records

Release Date: October 18th, 2011

Genre: Melodic Rock

Links:

http://www.bobbykimball.com/

http://www.jimijamison.com/


Line Up:

Lead & Background Vocals: Bobby Kimball & Jimi Jamison

Guitars & Lead Guitar: Alex Beyrodt

Bass Guitar: Mat Sinner

Keyboards: Jimmy Kresic

Drums & Percussion: Martin Schmidt


Tracklist:

· Worth Fighting For

· Can’t Wait For Love

· Sail Away

· Chasing Euphoria

· Find Another Way

· Get Back In The Game

· I Did Everything Wrong

· Shadows Of Love

· Hearts Beat Again

· We Gotta Believe

· Kicking And Screaming

· Your Photograph


I’m a big fan of duet albums and when it comes to Melodic Rock giants, you are not likely to find 2 guys bigger then Bobby Kimball of Toto fame and Jimi Jamison. These two gentleman have been friends for a long time and for the first time ever they get to make an album together in a familiar style and environment meshing their two great voices in a traditional Melodic Rock sound that each portrayed so famously with their perspective bands, Toto and Survivor. An all star team of songwriters have contributed to the music here and it includes songwriters like Richard Page (Mr Mister), Jim Peterik (Survivor), Randy Goodrum (Steve Perry, Toto), John Waite, Erik Martensson (W.E.T.) and Robert Sall (Work of Art), among others, and directed by German producer Mat Sinner of Primal Fear fame.

My biggest thing for me was to not listen to a record that each of these two guys can make in its sleep, because is easy to fall into those false expectations. I guess I expected that it was going to be good but it took me a few listens to try to dig into this record because at first it seemed to simple and to their credit the songs structurally are not all the same sound even though they are still Melodic Rock/AOR at heart they have managed to sound refreshing and not too repetitive.

I have to admire the different amount of songwriters that wrote for this record in particular, i’m sure hand picked by Frontiers as they are all very talented members of their respected bands. The same goes for Matt Sinner a guy who has become a very respectable producer in the metal/hard rock scene, apart from his playing in his own band Primal Fear among many other projects.

You can pick up on some interesting vibes when you listen to the faster rockier tune of “Chasing Euphoria”, which often times can sound a little monotonousness, either way its a nice tune that normally you wouldn’t get to hear from these singers in their other bands. Kimball does a nice job on the rocker ballad “Find Another Way” which is a nice change of pace as this fine tune track brings out the best in this dynamic duo. The thumping AOR vibes of “Shadows of Love” is majestic as this song sounds better and stronger then the version that John Waite released earlier this year on his solo record.

Wise old men sure know how to perform and you get that feeling here when you listen to this pairing of two old school singers that have lived through and sustained a genre of Melodic Rock that has of recent years pushed out so many new talents. Is nice to hear that both of these guys around and proving the grumpier old men can still teach the new blood something,  while managing to sound pretty good as their vocals are in fine shape as well. It took me a few more spins to accept the quality of each song as there are not many bad songs to track down, and any fan of Melodic Rock will witness a solid effort from these cagey veterans.

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