{"id":68768,"date":"2018-05-25T00:00:31","date_gmt":"2018-05-25T00:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/?p=68768"},"modified":"2018-06-25T00:06:55","modified_gmt":"2018-06-25T00:06:55","slug":"album-review-ryan-roxie-imagine-your-reality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/album-review-ryan-roxie-imagine-your-reality\/","title":{"rendered":"RYAN ROXIE – Imagine Your Reality (2018) | Album \/ EP Reviews @ Metal Forces Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

RYAN ROXIE
Imagine Your Reality<\/strong><\/span>
\n\"\"
\nCargo \/ Bellyache (2018)<\/span>
Rating: 8.5\/10<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Best known for his work with Alice Cooper and Slash\u2019s Snakepit, American guitarist Ryan Roxie (aka Ryan Rosowicz) has emerged with his first official solo album. The record features a myriad of musicians, including a special guest appearance from Cheap Trick frontman Robin Zander.<\/p>\n

As one would expect from a talented axe-man, Imagine Your Reality<\/em> is a guitar-driven opus of hard, catchy melodies which are influenced by a number of styles ranging from punky vibes to straight up rock \u2018n\u2019 roll and pop sensibilities.<\/p>\n

The vibrancy of styles and influences is immediately evident on the uplifting, yet brief \u2018Big Rock Show\u2019 \u2013 an orgasmic, driving powerhouse which sounds like a suped-up Cheap Trick \/ Enuff Z\u2019 Nuff. Although the Cheap Trick influences are no real surprise and continue throughout the album, I\u2019m also hearing strands of British rock \u2018n\u2019 rollers Oasis too on this opener as it pulsates.<\/p>\n

However, the big shocker on offer here is the cover of Coldplay\u2019s \u2018God Put A Smile Upon Your Face\u2019. Coldplay are a band I detest, but this rendition unravels with soul before becoming a steady, almost Oasis-like stomp. There\u2019s something unrelenting about its rhythm and yet it reeks of subtlety with Roxie\u2019s dulcet tones. It\u2019s also clear evidence of his talent and is a perfect way to close the album.<\/p>\n

In contrast, \u2018Over And Done\u2019 is more of a straight up infectious rocker with a thematic plod as Roxie slurs: \u201cTake my money, but why you steal my soul… loving you is taking its toll\u201d<\/em>. The percussion here is a meaty stab, and the bass provides a nice bubble as the gang gallop their way through what is a delicious slice of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll swagger. Oddly, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club spring to mind, and again there\u2019s hints of Oasis but with a more American fatter Cheap Trick prod as the solo fizzes and winds.<\/p>\n

\u2018Nevermind Me\u2019 has a heavyweight grunge feel, and again there\u2019s that merging of Roxie\u2019s almost Donnie Vie (Enuff Z\u2019 Nuff) tones with a muscular guitar swagger.<\/p>\n

Another cover we have is \u2018California Man\u2019. The song was originally written by Roy Wood of UK rock band The Move, although most people will associate it with Cheap Trick after their 1978 hit version. So Robin Zander\u2019s appearance as guest vocalist on the track is no real shock, with the end result being a straight up fun-for-all jam.<\/p>\n

Fans of punky Joan Jett-styled glam will love the shuffling skid of 80s throwback \u2018(La La Land) To Live And Die In LA\u2019 with a riff that emerged during Ryan Roxie\u2019s time with Slash\u2019s Snakepit. Meanwhile, the sleazy \u2018Uh Oh Song\u2019 nods to the blues. It\u2019s a simple whiskey drinkin\u2019 design featuring smoky chords and an unsophisticated plod, before suddenly we\u2019re hit with an absolutely killer and unexpected uprising whereby Roxie\u2019s guitar wails and the percussion cascades like champagne.<\/p>\n

\u2018Me Generation\u2019 is a throbbing, snarling rocker mocking the weaker side of today\u2019s youth, The \u201cme generation\u201d, \u201ca bunch of little punks who need to take their medication\u201d because \u201cthey don\u2019t know what\u2019s right\u201d, \u201cspoon-fed… brain-dead\u201d is how Ryan Roxie perfectly sums up the watered down aspects of society. It\u2019s one of the best tunes on the album; a sizzling, sneering rock \u2018n\u2019 roll fist-pumper that grabs you by the scruff of the neck and drags you along.<\/p>\n

And the gems keep on coming. The Oasis \/ Beatles-esque mutation of \u2018Look Me In The Eye\u2019 also clutches at Cheap Trick \/ Enuff Z\u2019 Nuff flecks, with that Gallagher swagger throughout, especially with the initial tirade of musical fireworks as Roxie\u2019s guitar smoulders and swirls. And variety is the spice of life with \u2018Heart\u2019s In Trouble\u2019; a cool sassy 50s spook-a-rama vibe introduces us to what is such a catchy, breezy vibe. But pluck any track from this concise yet enthralling opus and you\u2019ll revel in Roxie\u2019s qualities, not just as a guitar player but as a rock \u2018n\u2019 roll vocalist too.<\/p>\n

Imagine Your Reality<\/em> fuses many styles, but above all showcases Ryan Roxie\u2019s love for rock \u2018n\u2019 roll music, cos\u2019 where would we be without it?<\/p>\n

Neil Arnold<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RYAN ROXIEImagine Your Reality Cargo \/ Bellyache (2018)Rating: 8.5\/10 Best known for his work with Alice Cooper and Slash\u2019s Snakepit, American guitarist Ryan Roxie (aka Ryan Rosowicz) has emerged with his first official solo album. The record features a myriad of musicians, including a special guest appearance from Cheap Trick frontman Robin Zander. As one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,3962],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68768","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-album-ep-reviews","category-ryan-roxie"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68768","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68768"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68768\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":68771,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68768\/revisions\/68771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68768"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68768"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.metalforcesmagazine.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68768"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}