· TONY SPINNER - LOVE IS THE ANSWER (GYR196) ·
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::T R A C K S::
01. SAME AS IT EVER WAS
FORMAT: Audio CD / 4 PANEL WALLET |
Outstanding tenth solo disc by this excellent blues/rock axeslinger from Jonesboro, Arkansas featuring 12 tracks of awesome, dynamic, soul-powered, retrofied, blues-based, guitar rock mojo that lands solid with endless amounts of musical strength, depth and maturity. From start to finish, "Love Is The Answer" is an essential, highly enjoyable, way-kool, Tony Spinner disc on Grooveyard Records that rocks the blues and shines bright with talent & excellence.
Tony Spinner is an authentic, legit modern day guitar hero who speaks the six string truth; a bonafide, all natural "old-school" guitar rocker with soulful vocals who is heavily inspired and influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, Duane Allman, Billy Gibbons and a host of countless other excellent classic guitarists who wrote the book of rock. Having recorded and toured for many years with Toto, Paul Gilbert & Pat Travers to name a few, Tony Spinner is a seasoned, world-class, professional musician who was born to rock & has devoted his life to musical passion.
Despite the troubled world we live in today, Tony Spinner has risen above to create & produce one of his strongest, most focused discs to date in the form of "Love Is The Answer" which sends out positive energy & vibe into the world with his music. Recorded in 2020 with his long-time rhythm section of Michel Mulder on bass and Alex Steier on drums from Holland who are both excellent, rock solid, seasoned musical brothers that lock in & lay down righteous grooves for Spinner to strut his good down home mojo. There is a ton of musical love, respect and admiration in the room which can be felt through the music on this disc. The true message from Tony Spinner is clear & pure like a warm summer breeze flowing through the air; The power of music universally brings us together and that ultimately "Love Is The Answer".
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01. SAME AS IT EVER WAS |
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· reviews ·
The 10th solo album from guitar master, singer and songwriter Tony Spinner, "Love Is The Answer" is a blast of fresh, blues-infused rock with a heavy dose of groove. Out on Grooveyard Records, the album features 12 original tracks of soul-powered guitar heaven. Add in Spinner’s smooth, soulful vocals and tight rhythm section, and you’ve got an antidote for troubled times. There’s plenty of killer guitar riffing and outstanding musicianship but there’s more than that to "Love Is The Answer"—catchy tunes. It’s his first solo release since Earth Music For Aliens (2013.)
From Jonesboro, Arkansas, Tony Spinner toured and recorded with Pat Travers, Paul Gilbert, and with the band Toto for nine years. He’s a world class, seasoned guitar player and singer, whose contemporary fingerprint on guitar-driven rock is branded with a sense of fun and playfulness.
On Love Is the Answer, the highly listenable tracks address social and life issues with a positive spin. Recorded in 2020, the album features long-time rhythm section composed of Spinner on guitar and vocals, Michael Mulder on bass and Alex Steier on drums. The record is innovative musically, spiked with mind-blowing guitar.
The album kicks off with “Same As It Ever Was,” a blues/rocker that opens with a tease of psychedelia, only to crack open the Tony Spinner groove. A song about how some people just can’t be enlightened as hard as you try, it’s a blend of incredible rhythm, rocking drumming and bass. It’s a perfect high energy album opener with dazzling guitar riffs, some wah-soaked, and interesting chord changes.
With a firm grip on rhythm, “Dizzy” is an energetic, funky gem. An upbeat mood boost of a song, with Spinner rockin’ it on vocals, singing about trusting the truth in the midst of chaos. Tremendous groove is the name of the game here, along with riffing magic and a sinewy guitar solo that’s punchy at the same time. Great song.
If you think you’ve heard it all with guitar-driven, blues infused rock albums, you haven’t heard "Love Is the Answer". Spinner has a unique style. Superb, rhythmic guitar playing with one foot in old school rock but another firmly rooted in the present. His music has a modern lightness to it, servicing the song with tasty riffs, expert drumming and bass. Have a listen to “UFO.” It’s fun with jazzy, funky overtones and effects that fit right in with the theme. Spinner is having a great time with this tune about seeing, you guessed it, a UFO.
The album is well rounded, featuring upbeat rock tunes, some with swampy flavors and slide guitar, others with shades of 70’s rock with harmonies not unlike The Doobie Brothers. There’s rolling rockers and a glittering instrumental with some fine guitar and bass playing. One beautiful ballad, title track, “Love Is The Answer” has Spinner’s magic touch on a melodic and graceful guitar solo to match the tone and message in the lyrics about trusting ones instincts. His smooth vocals peak on this track.
There’s more wisdom in the lyrics from Spinner, cloaked in old school soul and flair. This is uplifting music at a time when it’s needed most. If that isn’t enough to spring you out of your lockdown, the music and superb musicianship surely will.
Love is the Answer by Tony Spinner is no ordinary, blues-infused rock album. It’s as bright and contemporary as it is musically brilliant.
Martine Ehrenclou / Rock And Blues Muse (January 2021)
After nearly eight years since releasing his last album Earth Music for Aliens, Northeast Arkansas blues-rocker/guitarist extraordinaire Tony Spinner is back with a fabulous new record Love is the Answer. Spinner joins bassist Michel Mulder and drummer Alex Steier once again in the studio for this project which spans a dozen original tracks. Recording took place at three locations: The Farm in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Lil’ Heaven Studios in Arnhem, Netherlands and Chill Hill Studio in Italy.
Spinner introduces the opening track “Same as it Ever Was” in a spaghetti-western fashion. Then with a blast of mind-blowing guitar shredding, switches into full-on funk. It sounds great! His infectious groovy funk continues on with “Dizzy”, with Spinner waxing nostalgic in an attempt to escape the insanity of the world. I love his jazz-guitar ode to little green men in “U.F.O.”. It’s so fun to hear him play this one. With title-track “Love is the Answer”, Spinner sings a message of peace and love, making for a beautiful ballad. The slide blues that pours from “True Love” is absolutely great. Laden with a plethora of aural treats, instrumental “Chun-Key” puts a gigantic smile on my face. Boasting seven and a half minutes of southern funk, “Big River” is another favorite. This composite of Allman and Marley is out of this world, and surprises me at every turn. Spinner truly out does himself on this track.
This is the third Tony Spinner album I’ve reviewed over the years, and he never ceases to amaze me. Love is the Answer is a gem indeed and I highly recommend this record.
Phillip Smith / Philly Cheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews (January 2021)
Singer, lead guitarist Tony Spinner from Jonesboro, USA, who toured for years with Toto, Paul Gilbert and Pat Travers, released his debut solo album "Saturn Blues" in 1993 through Shrapnel Records, after which the following albums were released: "My '64 "(1995, Blues Bureau)," Crosstown Sessions "(1996, Blues Bureau)," Chicks & Guitars "(2005, Self-Contained)," Live In Europe "(2007, Grooveyard Records)," Rollin 'And Tumblin "( 2009, Grooveyard Records), "Down Home Mojo" (2011, Grooveyard Records), "Rare Tracks" (2011, Grooveyard Records) and "Earth Music For Aliens" (2013, Grooveyards Records). He made his album "Love Is The Answer", which contains 12 songs, together with the Dutch Michel Mulder - bass guitar and Alex Steier - drums and this was released on December 27, 2020 as a CD via Grooveyard Records.
The album starts with "Same As It Ever Was", in which Tony plays a beautiful uptempo blues rock song with an infectious danceable rhythm and this is followed by "Dizzy", an uptempo song with a funky danceable rhythm and subtle tempo changes. This is followed by "Pony Ride", a great swinging rock song with influences of blues rock, funk and the music of Prince, where sitting still is not an issue, "Someone To Bring Me Love", a great rock song with an average tempo and a recurring catchy danceable rhythm and "UFO", a funky rock song that sounds nice and swings like a train and contains subtle tempo changes. In "Caroline" Tony Spinner again presents me with a wonderful blues rock song, which has an average tempo and an infectious rhythm, in "Love Is The Answer" I hear a beautiful quiet pop song (listen to this song via the youtube link below the review) and in "True Love", a fantastic blues rock song with strong influences from Bo Diddley's music. Then follow "Honey Doll", an uptempo blues rock song with a rhythm that makes you dance and "Chun-Key", a beautiful funky song, where it is hard to sit still. Further follow "Big River", a great mix of funk and blues rock, which has an infectious danceable rhythm and "I Gotta Go", a great blues rock song with an infectious recurring rhythm.
"Love Is The Answer" by Tony Spinner is an excellent CD, full of blues rock and funk songs that catch your eye and I can strongly recommend this album to fans of these types of music.
Carry Munter / New Underground Music (April 2021)
Tony Spinner is definitely not the first to come up with the glorious idea of countering all adversity with a heavy dose of love. Naughty, somehow, but lovable and with all the desperation most likely the obvious answer.
The new album by the blond slap from Arkansas is unmistakably entitled "Love Is The Answer" and shines with a fine dozen blues-rock numbers that come along with lightheartedness and plenty of passion. Guitars galore. Blues rock in trio format, but not in the dull way, but tastefully with all sorts of verve and the not so easy to create ingenuity that this closely circumscribed genre allows.
The former TOTO sidekick has never disappointed with all of his solo albums in the last ten or fifteen years. Mr. Spinner has that special something. "Love Is The Answer" comes with the same heartbeat as usual, but the pulse beats healthy, steady and strong. This album is alive, so to speak, gives strength and joy, serves as a refreshing oxygen shower.
Tony Spinner's voice sounds as usual good and youthfully fresh, while his various overdubbing guitar tracks give the impression that we are dealing with a small, three or even four-man strong patrol. Guitar freaks will love it. Stratocaster rules. And if one or the other of them should be missing the right words, then we'll stick with Tony Spinner's new, absolutely recommendable album "Love Is The Answer".
Frank Ipach / Hooked On Music (January 2021)
The music and especially pop fans know Tony Spinner as the guitar and singing great of the super band Toto. He was part of this band for about ten years. A band he himself had mixed feelings about. He actually preferred the blues/rock side and was a clear fan of the Johnny Winter and especially Rory Gallagher genre (see the CD: 'My 64' which was dedicated to good old Rory; "lov 'ya, play on brother".
Tony Spinner, blues and rock guitarist from Missouri Arkansas, has released his tenth solo CD. And then you expect blues and rock, from the heavy work. However, nothing could be further from the truth. This has become a very varied and excellent CD that is full of surprise. Twelve songs in which the songs are beautiful and varied. Same As It Ever Was starts as a somewhat heavy song with some funky background. Dizzy, track two has a very strong funk rhythm with beautiful guitar riffs. Pony Ride, has something “experimental” and Someone To Bring Me Love reminds me of the Doobie Brothers with beautiful harmony vocals.
Comparing with other bands is always a bit difficult and I shouldn't do it. But all kinds of influences can be heard in this CD, from experimental to Southern Rock with slide. And the great thing is… it doesn't get boring. Lots of variety with great guitar work from Tony. And all this with a great rhythm duo from Dutch soil; his regular band Michel Mulder on bass and Alex Steier on drums. They put down the funk and the beat clearly and tightly and can do their thing on the song Chun-Key, …… nice bangs, and turn it hard. Big River is a 7.32 min track; happy start and just when you think: was it this, then he switches in a playful way to guitar work with bottleneck.
In short, a very surprising CD in which you hear all kinds of influences and you understand that he just wants to do his own thing. No blues, no rock “pur sang”. Ordinary, daring of everything. It is certainly not boring and is definitely recommended. Not for the purists among us, but Tony understands his trade and just plays well. But go see Tony and band for yourself when he performs in the Netherlands. He regularly performed in the Netherlands and Europe because he found his audience here. This CD therefore has Dutch roots with Michel and Alex. Hopefully again soon.
Johan Cox / Bluestown (December 2020)
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