JOEL HOEKSTRA'S 13
Crash of Life
Frontiers Music
www.joelhoekstra.com
Guitarist extraordinaire Joel Hoekstra (WHITESNAKE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) is back with Crash of Life, his third studio album under the JOEL HOEKSTRA'S 13 banner. Joining Hoekstra once again on bass is the fretless monster Tony Franklin, returning on drums is Vinnie Appice (LAST IN LINE, DIO), and tickling the electronic ivories once again is Derek Sherinian (SONS OF APOLLO).
Absent from the JOEL HOEKSTRA'S 13 this time around is vocalist Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X). While Allen split vocals with Jeff Scott Soto on Hoekstra's debut Dying To Live in 2015, he took a more prominent role on 2021's Running Games. Stepping in for Allen on this album is Frontiers Music latest "chosen one" Girish Pradhan of GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES.
Now, I have covered Frontiers Music for over 20 years. When they find a vocalist that they deem "the guy", two things happen. The label gives them a huge amount of exposure with their own album, pairing them with a group, putting them in a supergroup, or pairing them with other notable musicians. Some of those projects turn out to be good, others not so good. The other thing that happens is, with that kind of exposure, it begins to turn people away. A decent amount of listeners feel like this "chosen one" is being shoved down their throats.
Don't believe me? I'm going to type two names here. For those of you that follow Frontiers Music, some of you are going to cheer reading the names and others are going to jeer. Ronnie Romero & Alessandro Del Vecchio. Both super talented musicians, both appear on A LOT of Frontiers Music projects.
GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES released Back On Earth back in January. Pradhan appeared on the 2023 releases of CIRCUS OF ROCK and MAGNUS KARLSSON'S FREE FALL, he was recently announced as the vocalist for the George Lynch/Jeff Pilson project THE END MACHINE, he has a solo album on the way, and now he's a part of JOEL HOEKSTRA'S 13.
Do what you're told and don't question a thing, because technology knows what's best for you is the satirical story being relayed on the album's opening track "Everybody Knows Everything". Pradhan's soulful vocal melodies mesh well with the back-up vocals of Jeff Scott Soto on "Crash of Life". Our protagonist is wrestling with the feeling of love disrupting their comfortable life.
"Torn Into Lies" tampers down the tempo, as Hoekstra blends acoustic guitar tones with electric. Girish is earnest in his delivery on this reflective ballad. The riff laden "Not Tonight" gives off some WHITESNAKE vibes with its heavy Blues influence and cocksure delivery. Keyboardist Derek Sherinian gets into a fiery battle with Hoekstra during the solo break.
Vinny Appice's drum print is all over the dark ballad "Over You" The song is part celebration and part heartbreak. Girish does his best David Coverdale vocal take on "I Would Cry For Love". The song is full of emotion and energy. Hoekstra and Shernian team up again to make the solo section more than just a resting point.
"Find a Way" is a head-bouncing, toe-tapping rocker, while "You're Right For Me" has a bit of an 80s Sunset Strip feel to it. The album's closing track "Through The Night" recalls the warm Pop Rock, Singer-Songwriter genres of radio's golden years.
As a longtime Russell Allen fan, I didn't want to like this album, but Joel Hoekstra reminded me that he's the star on Crash Of Life, and the rest are just supporting players. Hoekstra flexes his penchant for relatable lyrics, catchy melodies, and masterful guitar work with his third effort.
Pradhan's work with JOEL HOESTRA'S 13 is quite possibly his finest. It is by far better than any music I have heard Girish perform on in the past. There's something about Joel's style of songwriting that takes his new vocalist to another level.
However, there is a huge possibility that Pradhan's work on Crash Of Life will get lost in the shuffle of everything else he appears on this year. Don't just constantly give us more of a good thing, Frontiers Music, make us WANT more of it.
4.0 Out Of 5.0
