Category:
Rock

Try if you like:
Foreigner, Genesis, Styx, Supertramp

The Ivory Tower Project's latest album, Red Hot, is something I wouldn't normally subject myself to. It's a retro rock affair that harkens back to the days of Foreigner, Genesis, Glass Tiger, Journey, Supertramp and so many other 80s bands. Red Hot starts out with "My Name", one that screams Supertramp or Styx. Then they take a weird turn on "Burning". It's got a big bass line accompanied by breathy vocals before they take a Foreigner-type chorus. The keyboards take a front and center roll on "Gotcha". And after only 3 songs I'm having weird flashbacks to watch videos after school in the 80s. "Way Too Late" is another Foreigner-sounding track that has one of those chugga chugga guitar riffs. Probably the best song of the set. How do they get the drums sounding like this? On "Guilty (You're The One)" they pull some weird effects with keyboards and drums (or drum machines). Then a sax? That's what you get on the power ballad "You Can See It In My Eyes".

And what happened with "I Can't Tell Him (Her)"? It's some sort of duet but it fails miserably. If I was Mark Regula I would have left this one off of the album happily. As it turns out, this song really drives down the quality of Red Hot. As well, why would they throw on an crappy quality Interview onto the album? The closing song, "I Think I Fell In Love With You" was missing a professional edge as well. It sounded like an Air Supply track. 

So honestly, only if you like old 70s or 80s mainstream rock should even try to find this album. And even then, you might be better off with the real deal. Mark Regula has a decent enough voice but the songs really need some work before this retro-rock is ready for primetime.