Released by: Escape Music
Release date: June 24, 2022
Genre: Melodic Rock
Links: https://www.Escape-Music.com
Line Up:
Chris Ousey
Steve Mann
Angela Mann
Clive Edwards
Jason Mann (vocals on Track 4)
Tracklist:
1. The Flag
2. And So It Begins
3. Brave New World
4. I’ll Tell You When To Stop
5. Broken
6. Cruising At Altitude
7. Built For The Fight
8. The Fall
9. Is Anybody Listening
10. Before You Leap
11. I Know Who I Am With You
12. No Second Chances
13. Number One
Behind OUSEY MANN are two British musicians with great musical backgrounds. Chris Ousey and Steve Mann. The band was created in 2020 as time stood still due to the pandemic. The album was released through Escape Music, the Melodic Rock Indie label that has been around ages and one we covered many times here on site.
The lineup itself bares attention, especially when we are talking about vocalist extraordinaire Chris Ousey who is an amazing singer. He has participated in many projects without forgetting the two albums he has recorded solo, as well as in groups with great own names, the most famous are VIRGINIA WOLF, SNAKECHARMER, and of course HEARTLAND among others.
Steve Mann is a guitarist, keyboardist, composer, and producer from London. His first professional band was LIAR. Later, along with Dennis Stratton (IRON MAIDEN) and Rocky Newton, he founded the band LIONHEART. In 1986 he joined the MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP, along with Newton again. The time I like most of the group. Later he was with THE SWEET and the progressives ELOY. The rest of the lineup includes Clive Edwards on Drums and Angela Mann on Bass.
The opener “The Flag”, kicks things off. The entrance with keyboards and vocals is very well carried to introduce us to the song. It begins and the drums take center stage along with the keyboards. The unmistakable voice of Chris Ousey appears, and what a voice it is. A stream of crystalline notes comes out of that prodigious throat. The song starts to pick up the rhythm very well accompanied by some great choruses. Mr. Edwards’ drumming, masterfully directs the beats. Steve Mann with his guitar joins this melodic rock party. Concise chords and a short, but very well executed solo.
“And So It Begins”, is the typical song that could have been featured on any Heartland record. Chris Ousey’s voice sounds like a knife cutting through a tub of butter. Great drum and bass work. Steve Mann gives that perfectionist touch to the song with his razor-sharp guitar riffs. Great chorus for a great song. “Brave New World”, starts with some very dynamic guitars. The drums join the song with a thunderous sound. Good vocal performance and as always very well-placed keyboards at the right times. “I’ll Tell You When To Stop” starts with a very modern sound. The voice sounds funky. Song with rhythm and very danceable. “Broken”, is a mid-tempo, where Chris’ tonality becomes more melodious. Very compact song with good vocal arrangements and as always accompanied by good instrumentation. “Cruising At Altitude”, is a song with a lot of rhythms. I still find Clive Edwards’ work incredible, he sets the rhythms of the song and adds a more powerful or relaxed sound as needed, great job. “Built For The Fight,” begins with some grandiloquent keyboards. Then comes the voice of Chris whose intonation is more similar to the one they have in their band HEARTLAND, you only have to listen to their first three albums (by the way they are very good), in this song the keyboards dominate and in parts of the song they can remind you of Scandinavian bands.
These guys have it all packaged into something you tend to expect from Escape Music, the melody, and the hooks, are all there. Chris is a tremendous vocalist who’s work we always try to publish as it usaully stands out and is of high quality; and the rest of the band with Mann on guitars bring it all together as Top Notch Melodic Rock.
Written by: Shadow Editor
Rating 8/10
About Author
