Released by: Frontiers Records
Release Date: 5th December
Genre: Hard Rock / Melodic Rock
Links: www.baileyrocks.com
Line Up:
Nigel Bailey – Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Mario Percudani – Guitar
Alessandro Mori – Drums
Alessandro Del Vecchio – Keyboards
Track Listing:
Feed the Flames
In The Name Of The King
Dirty Little Secret
Bad Reputation
Stay
Somewhere In Oslo
Long Way Down
Spend The Night
Love Falls Down
Ticket To Yesterday
Dirty Angel
Up until a few years ago, Nigel Bailey would have seemed something of an unknown quantity on the hard rock scene. It was only in 2011, when Nigel was picked up by Serafino Perugino, President of Frontiers Records, and paired with producer Alessandro Del Vecchio that a deal for Long Way Down was principally agreed. From there, production began with renowned studio musicians Mario Percudani (Lionville) on guitar and Alessandro Mori, (previously having toured with the likes of Glenn Hughes) on drums.
The result? An undeniably fantastic debut album.
Known primarily for his part in Firefest-born Three Lions, Bailey has undoubtedly drawn inspiration from said bandmate Vinny Burns (Dare, Asia), most notably in Long Way Down’s single release ‘In the Name of the King’. While this single could never do battle on the same fields as Lizzy’s ‘Emerald’ or Gary Moore’s ‘Out in the Fields’, it is very reminiscent of Dare’s ‘We Don’t Need a Reason’ from yesteryear. And this, let me tell you, is not a bad thing at all. You may still feel like you need to grab a horse, saddle up and ride headbanging into the night.
This album is not just a back-to-front battle epic, however. Rather, it is a demonstration of Bailey’s pedigree as both a song writer and a musician. The sword raised ‘In The Name of the King’ is not the only weapon this band possesses. There is a great range of styles throughout the album. The galloping pace from the opening tracks is slowed in the no-nonsense ‘Bad Reputation’, a song with sleazy 80s guitar hooks and strong, provocative vocals.
The title track, ‘Long Way Down’ is another demonstration of the dynamic pairing between vocals and memorable guitar licks. This same 80s feel is impossible to escape from in the aurally appealing ‘Love Falls Down’, with its catchy chorus and smooth vocal harmonies.
Throw some ballads with ‘Spend the Night’ and ‘Stay’ into the cocktail and you really do have an intoxicating swig of hard rock to take in.
While Bailey may still pass under many radars undetected, one can’t help but wonder why. Yeah, nothing new is being achieved with this album in terms of what has come in decades past. But is that really a bad thing? The styles that Bailey renews on this album do the genre a great justice. Albums like Long Way Down are a godsend for any fan of hard rock. There’s no getting away from the 80s feel with such rich vocals, big riffs, face-slapping solos and superbly sweet choral harmonies. Who would want to, right?
One thing is for sure, with a debut album as good as this, there really would be a long way down for Bailey now.
Written by Phil Bailie
Ratings Phil 8/10
About Author
