Those five guys from Gotthard are out with their eighth full-length album called Lipservice. First thing first – after a quick look at the cover, it is clear that these boys from Switzerland are totally into the Rock clichés from the 80s, with a neon sign with a couple of naked chicks with big boobs on top… and the picture on the back of the cover shows that they are into black hair, leather jackets, and t-shirts too.
Their music also reflects towards the Melodic Rock scene of the 80s. The album starts promising with music that kicks some serious ass – Guitar Rock is back. Lipservice is a powerful CD almost the whole way, but sadly they have squeezed too many ballads into this 14-track album.
The band is definitively at their best when they are busting out the Hard Rock tunes like “Stay For The Night” and “All We Are.” How is it that that brutal, heavy music can seem so soothing and beautiful? This is ruthless, screaming, bloody, violent – all the bad things, but they also have songs that are tender and full of love and emotions. When the assault is timelessly performed and acted out with passion and intensity, they develop a swirling piece of art. Mostly, though, this album settles for what is needed to please the listener hands down.
The band members give an impression of a kind of bad kids image, especially in the track “Dream On,” which is filled with noisy drums and guitar, and a vocal filled with angry emotion. This song has got some serious hit potential, and hopefully it will get some radio time.
“Lift ‘U’ Up” is the first single out, and it is a kind of commercial song with a catchy melody and some light and fast refrain. The ballads on the CD are very similar to Brian Adams, so they are not among the most exiting tracks on this album. In fact, they border on being dull and boring.
Gotthard have been around for the last nine years, and they have sold over 2 million albums worldwide, receiving gold, platinum, double platinum, and triple platinum awards. To their credit, they also made the official Swiss Olympic song “One Team, One Spirit.”
Guitarist and songwriter Leo Leoni, and singer Steve Lee are the front men in this band. They are providing a great performance throughout this album. As for the music of Lipservice, Gotthard has created a solid CD. Although the production sounds a bit too “boxed in” at times, their straight-to-the-point style keeps a good flow and it sounds fresh. Lee proves himself to be a solid vocalist, even if he at some places lacks a distinct identity. Leoni shows his song writing ability too, so the result is a decent and varied collection of tunes.
Lineup
Steve Lee – Vocals
Leo Leoni – Guitars
Marc Lynn – Bass
Hena Habegger – Drums
Freddy Scherer – Guitars
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