
Ampendectomy
Artist: Resurrection Band
Label: Grrr Records
By: Tony LaFianza
Rez Band has joined the many bands with an unplugged review of their
past great records. Glenn and Stu pick up the acoustic guitars first for
"Lovespeak." The groove is there, and then Glenn and Wendi come in with
a gravelly, pure rock duet. Glenn and Wendi still sound choice after
twenty-five years and fifteen albums. The band has picked out some good
songs for this effort, including "Rain Dance," "Colours," and "So In Love
With You." Even with the years and the acoustic format to overcome, these
guys can still play like they mean it! For me, the energy level rises
when Wendi takes the mike--I wish there was more of her on this record.
The record starts out well but loses me in the middle where the laidback
tempos start to drag. I get back into it with "Irish Garden" and "Across
These Fields Reprise" when the band finally tries something new with the
arrangement and instrumentation, instead of just slowing down the tempo
and playing acoustically. Wendi comes back into the mix with "Right
On Time," then Glenn sings over an interesting string arrangement added
to the song "2000." The record finishes effectively with "Can't Stop
Loving You." Ampendectomy is a clever title and the packaging is
very cute, but another unplugged retrospective by an electric rock band
is not exactly jolting. The band claims that this record is for the more
mature fan who is now listening to a less power-driven buzz, but I like
the plugged in REZ better so I don't recommend this CD to anyone but the
REZ collector.
 
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