{"id":4800,"date":"2019-04-08T05:00:32","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T05:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=4800"},"modified":"2019-04-04T12:01:16","modified_gmt":"2019-04-04T12:01:16","slug":"snowy-white-and-the-white-flames-the-situation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=4800","title":{"rendered":"Snowy White and the White Flames \u2013 The Situation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>It\u2019s been 18 months since we last heard an album from Britain\u2019s very own Snowy White. April 2019, we are presented with 12 new tracks from Snowy and co. You may know Snowy White from his days with Thin Lizzy (Chinatown and Renegade eras), his work with blues extraordinaire Peter Green or maybe even his time with Pink Floyd and later, Roger Waters.<\/p>\n

Snowy describes The Situation as \u201cmy expression of where I was in 2018, up and down, good and bad, weak and strong \u2013 it\u2019s all here, just doing my thing as usual, enjoying playing with all my musician friends<\/em>\u201d. Looks like we\u2019re in for a reflective ride, let\u2019s strap in!<\/p>\n

Opening track \u201cThe Situation<\/strong>\u201d holds down a steady groove around some dreamy, 60s esque vocals. Snowy isn\u2019t reinventing the wheel here, but he\u2019s not trying to. He\u2019s doing what comes naturally, writing great, solid songs. Through the swirly textures, there are guitar harmonies that would sit nicely with his Thin Lizzy days. \u201cThis Feeling<\/strong>\u201d is a slow, soul searching march through the human conscience, while there is some great, tasteful guitar playing in this track (Do I hear a slight Gilmore inspiration there?) I feel it lacks any real song structure.<\/p>\n

Snowy, a guitar player by trade, needs a chance to shine. Instrumental track \u201cL.A. Skip<\/strong>\u201d takes us on a journey. It\u2019s Spanish and Latin infused backing just transports you to a cantina bar, mojito in hand before we\u2019re hit between the eyes with some fusion style guitar licks coupled with harmonies that sound like Carlos Santana has joined Thin Lizzy. This is a guitar players paradise.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t Seem to Do Much About It<\/strong>\u201d has a great swagger. It reminds me in parts of a Stones-style track. Snowy\u2019s guitar tone on this track is simply fantastic. It highlights the subtleties of his playing and allows you to really feel those notes. For a guitar player like this to not play some blues would be criminal so we dive headfirst into \u201cCrazy Situation Blues<\/strong>\u201d. I was always a fan of slower blues tracks and this is no different. Soft and gentle melodies flow between vocal lines and fragile, delicate guitar parts. As a guitar player, it\u2019s hard not to hear the guitar tone on this track and not feel blown away.<\/p>\n

\u201cBlues in my Reflection<\/strong>\u201d is a more upbeat stomp through the blues. The rhythm section is tight, the bass is thumping, the Hammond organ is singing and the guitar is wailing. What\u2019s not to like?<\/p>\n

\u201cWho do I Still Have the Blues?<\/strong>\u201d is another downtempo blues style track but there are many elements of Pink Floyd here. Snowy clearly took some inspiration from the Gilmore\/Waters school of songwriting to craft this track. Let\u2019s kick it up, \u201cYou Can\u2019t Take It With You<\/strong>\u201d takes us into a jazzy style shuffle, Snowy is showing off some of his more mind-bending guitar trickery here and crams an awful lot of song into less than 2 and a half minutes.<\/p>\n

\u201cMigration<\/strong>\u201d by name, migration by nature. We\u2019re back on that plane to Spain to embrace more Latin grooves and more brain twisting fusion playing. This track is another instrumental walk through just how good these guys can play together. Snowy isn\u2019t playing with people who can get the job done, he\u2019s playing with people who can PLAY!<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Lying Game<\/strong>\u201d covers the topic of people suffering and dying under a dithering political reign, somehow that feels strangely appropriate for modern times. A great song with a strong message to share.<\/p>\n

\u201cHard Blues<\/strong>\u201d is another great blues shuffle that showcases Snowy as a player. He\u2019s able to weave in and out of the solid, thumping rhythm with some smooth guitar licks before rounding up with \u201cI Can\u2019t Imagine<\/strong>\u201d. An epic ender for this album. It takes you on a journey as is builds up to the giant guitar solo of the middle track as it\u2019s climax.<\/p>\n

What really captivates me about this album is how Snowy and co have been able to place all the elements that we\u2019d expect, keep it sounding relevant to their sound but amp it up with more modern production while maintaining the integrity and loose feel of days gone by. Bloody marvellous I say, bloody marvellous.<\/p>\n

Author: Leigh Fuge<\/p>\n

Buy Snowy White Here<\/a><\/p>\n