Laurence Jones – Destination Unknown Review

30-year old Liverpool, UK born LAURENCE JONES returns with a sensational new album titled Destination Unknown. I have followed him throughout the past 10 years, and every new release...

Released by: Marshall Records

Release Date: Out Now!!!

Genre: Blues Rock

Links: https://www.laurencejonesmusic.com/

 

Line Up:

Laurence Jones – Vocals, Guitars
Bennett Holland – Backing Vocals, Hammond, Piano, Synth
Jack Alexander Timmis – Bass Guitar
Samuel Jenkins – Drums, Percussion

 

Tracklist:

1 – Anywhere With Me
2 – Can’t Keep From Loving You
3 – Give Me That Feeling
4 – Gave It All Away
5 – Tonight
6 – I Won’t Lie Again
7 – Holding Back
8 – In Too Deep
9 – Said And Done
10 – Destination Unknown

 

30-year old Liverpool, UK born LAURENCE JONES returns with a sensational new album titled Destination Unknown. I have followed him throughout the past 10 years, and every new release he seems to be getting better, and I think this new album is perhaps his finest. Recorded at the the Marshall Studio in Milton Keynes and mastered at the Abbey Road Studios, the 10 included songs are basically sounding picture-perfect. Besides Laurence on vocals and guitar, we can also hear BENNETT HOLLAND (Hammond, Synth, Piano, Backing Vocals), JACK ALEXANDER TIMMIS (Bass) and SAMUEL JENKINS (Drums, Percussion), and without a doubt, Destination Unknown is Laurence’s most accessible record so far, because it has a clear Classic Rock/AOR/Melodic Rock touch, although it still has the bluesy rocksound he is known for. Imagine a mix between JOURNEY, KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD and JOE BONAMASSA, then you’re quite close, although Laurence has definitely created an own identity by now.  

The album starts with the big time hardrockin’ Anywhere With Me that is built around a classic rocking guitar riff and a groovy funky touch that almost feels like LENNY KRAVITZ. Next track Can’t Keep From Loving You is a clear early 80s inspired uptempo southern fried bluesy melodic rocker that reminds me just a little bit of VAN ZANT, 38 SPECIAL, SAMMY HAGAR and such in their early 80s days. Give Me That Feeling is a great groovy rocking tune, while Gave It All Away is quite a change in style, as this song is basically pure classic 80s uptempo AOR/Pomprock, and I must admit it sounds really fantastic, especially due to the combination of an exciting piano-keyboard/hammond, catchy hook and extremely strong AOR chorus straight out of the classic book of bands like JOURNEY, TRILLION, TOUCH, etc, and of course the soaring guitar solo absolutely confirms the whole AOR feeling! Tonight is up next, and this is a nice strong early 90s kinda bluesy melodic rock ballad that feels a bit like BLUE MURDER mixed with EVERY MOTHER’S NIGHTMARE. Towards the end of the song Laurence stretches the song with his fantastic bluesy guitar solo in a WALTER TROUT meets JOE BONAMASSA direction. I Won’t Lie Again is uptempo melodic rock again, and the funny thing is that suddenly I realise that Laurence reminds me of JEAN BEAUVOIR during his CROWN OF THORNS period, so fans of that band will definitely love this new LAURENCE JONES record. Holding Back is a very nice melodic rockballad with once again a fantastic soaring guitarsolo a la NEAL SCHON. In Too Deep has a really cool 80s GARY MOORE Melodic Hardrocking guitar riff, and also the song is a lovely uptempo melodic hardrocker that also reminds me a bit of Y & T! Said And Done is back to the classic 80s AOR sound again, and basically this is another super melodic catchy tune that sounds like a cross between HUGHES / THRALL, JOURNEY, ROXUS and AIRRACE. The titletrack Destination Unknown closes the album in a beautiful bluesy melodic rock ballad setting, once again a perfect combination of a lovely melodic vocals driven AOR chorus and a soaring bluesy guitarsolo like GARY MOORE meets NEAL SCHON. 

Concluded, this new album of LAURENCE JONES is an absolute winner that travels nicely between bluesy rock, classic rock and melodic rock/AOR featuring great vocals and amazing guitarwork of Laurence. I am very eager to catch him live soon!

 

 

Written by: Gabor Kleinbloesem

Ratings: Gabor   9/10

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Laurence Jones - Destination Unknown
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Laurence Jones - Destination Unknown
The Good
  • Classic Rock/AOR/Melodic Rock
  • Accessible
  • UK
  • 9
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