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ANGEL - "Helluva Band"
(8/2004)
"Getting ready to scream and roar,
With a chug
and a thirst for more."
As these opening lines pierce
through your head, you can rest assured that they'll make their home
there for many years to come. Between the high-pitched dynamics
of vocalist Frank Dimino, and the ivory tickling expertise of
keyboardist extraordinaire Gregg Giuffria, this is one classic album
that has sadly been forgotten about.
Coming up to prominence in 1975
with their self-titled debut, Angel was a new sensation that was
poised to follow in the footsteps of Casablanca Records labelmates,
Kiss. Placing well on reader opinion polls in rock rags like Circus
and Hit Parader was common practice for Angel when this, their
second release, appeared on shelves. Winning Best New Group,
and Gregg Giuffria dominating the Best
Keyboardist polls, started to become a given. So,
what happened? Why doesn't Angel music live on in the
classic rock genre today? These are questions that will always
remain a mystery. Angel went on to make 5
studio records in the 70's; the first three, chock full of
hearty songs with great musicianship and charisma, and the last two
records were nothing short of abysmal. Why the decline in
quality for the last two records? Another mystery. Angel did go on
to cut a live record in that time also, entitled "Live Without A
Net", but this second record was their finest
moment.
"Feelin' Right" is the straight
forward rocker that kicks off the record; and it's a song that
utilizes the simple classic rock formula, while incorporating a
sharp and resounding vocal track to do the driving. The swirling
artistry of Giuffria's keyboards was really what Angel's existence
was based on though. Even on a simple straight forward rocker like
this opening track, Giuffria's presence is a constant. If it's
not trading licks with guitarist Punky Meadows on "Feelin'
Right", it's mesmerizing us with a four minute intro on "The
Fortune". Every song contains a large dose of over-the-top keyboards
from an amazing player. Speaking of "The Fortune".....it just
happens to be the second track on the lp. A personal favorite of
mine, "The Fortune" is a progressive masterpiece. A song that
transmits emotion at every twist and turn. An ominous
keyboard intro leads to a delicate acoustic guitar and voice
moment, which ultimately culminates in a menacing jam where we
hear from every member of the band. As the album progresses, we
see the classic verse-chorus-verse formula put into dramatic effect.
With songs like "Anyway You Want It", "Mirrors", and "Chicken
Soup" Angel utilizes every element at their disposal to make simple
classic rock songs sound like something special. The spark in these
songs is usually Giuffria's keys, and when it's not..... you can
count on Dimino's vocals to keep you entranced. The combination
of these two entities is best heard on the eloquent ballad
"Feelings". A soaring and passionate joining of a tremendous
vocal effort, underscored by a classical inspired piano piece.
Still, in my opinion, one of the most emotional and beautiful
rock ballads ever.
All of this talk about the
singer and keyboard player leads one to believe that the band may be
in need of a decent guitar player, right? Nah. Guitarist Punky
Meadows leaves his mark on these songs also. Tracks such as "Angel
Theme", which is for the most part a guitar solo, "Dr. Ice" and
"Feelings" all contain excellent guitar parts. This is a rare case
of a very good guitar player, sharing time with a literal genius on
keyboards. Angel made this situation work unlike anyone else.
And, finally, let's mention the rhythm section of drummer Barry
Brandt and bassist Mickey Jones. Putting a solid backbone on all
these tracks we lose sight of their important role here. With so
much going on in front of them, they need to lay a thick foundation
for all of these other elements to stand upon, and they do exactly
that. Bassist Jones stays simple and steady, while Brandt bangs the
skins with an intensity that stays consistent and solid. This record
was an all around effort by a band that had reached their
peak.
Angel attempted a reunion of
sorts in 1999, in which they released an album entitled "In The
Beginning". The record had original members Dimino and Brandt, being
visited by Meadows and Jones' 1978 replacement on bass,
Felix Robinson. The album saw no success, and the reunion effort
soon dissipated. The chemistry and magic was with Angel for a very
short period of time, and "Helluva Band" remains the best
of that magical time.
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