Dreamcatcher-first impressions

Well, I got it last night--and I love it! The album has a lot of different styles and sounds, ranging from hard rock (A Day Late 'N' A Dollar Short) to gentle, well written folk-like rock (All In My Mind, Country Mile).

     The credits for the album says all songs performed by Ian Gillan. Guitars and Accompaniment by Steve Morris. That's it--no one else! Four of the songs on the disc seem to have been written in the Repo Depo era, the band Gillan was forming in 1992. These four songs carry a Bloomfield/Gillan/Haze/Howard writing credit. Two other were written by outsiders, and the remaing songs wirtten by Ian alone or Ian with Steve Morris.

     There are 14 songs on the Japanese version, one of the bonus tracks is an alternate take of Sleepy Warm. The disc opens with a flurry of congas, leading into a Chandra's Coriander. Very unlike anything Gillan has done before. Prima Dona follows, a track that I haven't totally warmed up to yet. Though that's fine, I didn't like Hey Cisco when I first heard it. What's wrong with me?! :-) All In My Mind is one of the slower tracks and works well. That's Why God Is Singing The Blues is very folk like, as is Gunga Din, though they sound nothing alike. Gunga Din sounds great, I wasn't too sure what I thought of the blurb I heard on his web page. Hard On You picks up the pace, being one of the Repo Depo songs. It is still just Gillan and Morris playing though. Great track-I'd love to hear the original version. Sleepy Warm and Country Mile are two favorites of mine. Gillan singing love songs? Who would have thunk it? You Sold My Love For a Song, is another I haven't warmed up to yet, very bluesy. A Day Late 'N' A Dollar Short is AMAZING! I love this song. Another rocker with a great keyboard and guitar sound. Sugar Plum is interesting, he uses the lyrics to Cher Kazoo track Little Share of Plenty with a different backing. Anyway You Want Me is very sixties like. High Ground (a bonus track) is another GREAT rock track. Sleepy Warm (alt version) closes the CD.

     All in all, a fantastic CD. If I had to compare it to any one CD it would be Accidentally On Purpose, though they really don't sound alike. Just the feel of the album is similar. I can't wait to go back and give it another listen....

Brendan Johnston