GEOFF TATE
ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.......Sorry, where was I? Ah that’s right, listening to Geoff Tate’s second solo album, ‘Kings & Thieves’. Just hang on a moment while I pour a bucket of water over my head. Okay, that’s a bit better! I didn’t intend to go on about events, recent or otherwise, in Geoff’s career, other than to say that seeing Queensryche on the ‘Operation Mindcrime’ tour many years ago still stands as my second favourite gig ever and that album is rightly regarded as a genre defining moment. Unfortunately, some comparisons with his former band are unavoidable, and as the man himself spends a third of the accompanied press release telling us all about his achievements with them...well if it’s good enough for him it’s good enough for me!
What I have to do now though is tell you that ‘Kings & Thieves’ is one of the most tired, boring, repetitive and insipid albums that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. Regardless of Mr Tate’s ramblings on the press release, this album stinks and the man himself has lost the plot completely. Where once we had a voice that could stop you in your tracks with its brilliance, we now appear to have something resembling my neighbour’s cat being strangled! Where once we had songs that moved and inspired you in equal measure, we now get slow, turgid and endless compositions that would struggle to be passed fit as ‘Muzak’ and where once we had albums produced and mixed correctly, we now have a man, so seemingly self-obsessed with his ‘talent’ and ‘legendary status’ thinking all you need is to hear his warbling. For that you can blame ‘Geoff Tage’ (either an unfortunate spelling mistake, or an admission that he indeed cocked up the production as well!).
I see now that he owns his own vineyard and produces ‘Insania’ wine. This is a very apt name all things considered and perhaps a permanent change in career would be advised if he is to continue writing albums this dire. If this really was the best he was coming up with then it’s hardly surprising that the rest of Queensryche dumped him. I’m sorry to say, but this once bright star has faded beyond all recognition. Avoid!
What I have to do now though is tell you that ‘Kings & Thieves’ is one of the most tired, boring, repetitive and insipid albums that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter. Regardless of Mr Tate’s ramblings on the press release, this album stinks and the man himself has lost the plot completely. Where once we had a voice that could stop you in your tracks with its brilliance, we now appear to have something resembling my neighbour’s cat being strangled! Where once we had songs that moved and inspired you in equal measure, we now get slow, turgid and endless compositions that would struggle to be passed fit as ‘Muzak’ and where once we had albums produced and mixed correctly, we now have a man, so seemingly self-obsessed with his ‘talent’ and ‘legendary status’ thinking all you need is to hear his warbling. For that you can blame ‘Geoff Tage’ (either an unfortunate spelling mistake, or an admission that he indeed cocked up the production as well!).
I see now that he owns his own vineyard and produces ‘Insania’ wine. This is a very apt name all things considered and perhaps a permanent change in career would be advised if he is to continue writing albums this dire. If this really was the best he was coming up with then it’s hardly surprising that the rest of Queensryche dumped him. I’m sorry to say, but this once bright star has faded beyond all recognition. Avoid!
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Inside Out
Album
KINGS & THIEVES
Review by Rick Tilley
RUNNING TIME:
51:50
RELEASE DATE:
29th Oct 2012
TRACK LISTING
1) She Slipped Away
2) Take a Bullet
3) In the Dirt
4) Say U Luv It
5) The Way I Roll
6) Tomorrow
7) Evil
8) Dark Money
9) These Glory Days
10) Change
11) Waiting
2) Take a Bullet
3) In the Dirt
4) Say U Luv It
5) The Way I Roll
6) Tomorrow
7) Evil
8) Dark Money
9) These Glory Days
10) Change
11) Waiting
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
USA
"...this once bright star has faded beyond all recognition."
