CD/DVD Releases: Saracen Release ''Marilyn'' Sep 23
Life long pals Richard Lowe and Rob Bendelow formed their first band Lammergier during the mid 70s together with folk guitarist turned rock bassist Barry Yates. The name changed to Saracen in the early 80s, but the music remained the same; an ever growing repertoire of powerful guitar oriented rock, laced with lush keyboards and evocative vocals.
Escape Music have already presented you with the double CD Red Sky / Heroes, Saints And Fools (ESM124) which covers the band’s early years. The conceptual CD Vox In Excelso (ESM135) was released in 2006 to great acclaim
and has earned the band more and more respect.
It's 2011, and this latest release from Saracen is another concept album, carefully crafted around the life and times of that ultimate Hollywood icon – Marilyn Monroe. This opus charts her rollercoaster life, from young orphan to worldwide superstar ...and beyond. As with Saracen’s previous album (Vox In Excelso) the storyline does not shy away from the darker recesses of history; in this case Marilyn’s problematic life…and untimely death.
No less than five tracks on the album tell their story in Marilyn’s own words ... brought to life by the very special guest appearance of American songstress Robin Beck. Robin’s unique vocal style adds a dramatic new dimension to this rich collection of interwoven compositions.
Saracen’s symphonic-rock instrumentation has also been augmented for Marilyn with the inclusion of saxophone impresario Snake Davis. His evocative, soaring solos add greatly to the album's emotional journey. The layered vocal harmonies on Marilyn come courtesy of Saracen bass man Richard Bendelow and classical-turned-rock newcomer Karensa Kerr. The fusion of symphonic rock with choral-style vocal arrangements has produced an intoxicating mix.
Two more vocalists make outstanding guest appearances on this album - namely Norwegian rock sensation Issa and FM frontman Steve Overland. Issa handles the lead vocals on "Hold On," whilst Steve & Robin intertwine beautifully on "Who Am I?".
Marilyn is a beautiful recording, full of finely honed rock music, powerful ballads and passionate vocals, each song perfectly represents the stages in her life. In short: a masterpiece.
Line-up: Steve Bettney – vocals / Paul Bradder – keyboards / Richard Bendelow – bass, vocals / Paul Gibson – drums / Rob Bendelow – guitar / Snake Davis - saxophone
Release: 23. September 2011
Tracklist:
01. Norma Jeane
02. Whither The Wind Blows
03. Hold On (Issa)
04. Make This Body Work (Robin Beck)
05. Who Am I (Beck & Overland)
06. Love Like A Razorblade
07. Break The Spell
08. Not For Sure (Robin Beck)
09. Like Going Home (Robin Beck)
10. Unfinished Life
11. Marilyn (Robin Beck)
[Source: Connecting Music]
