Tal Bachman
Tal Bachman
Columbia Records

This CD is, by the definition in the liner notes, "...an explosion of exhilarating, hook-laden, timeless pop/rock..."

Take out the word exhilarating and it's a statement with which I can agree. Toward the beginning of the CD, his music has a rock of the 80's quality (think Journey). As the collection played on, it regressed into a 70's, McCartney post-Beatles thing. I liked it much better when Paul was doing it.

Tal's got a pretty voice. I could forgive it, if the music wasn't so pretty, too. He's got guitars and drums and keyboards and orchestration. That would be ok, if it all came together to form something really spectacular. Something kinda cool, even. Unfortunately, it's not even remotely interesting.

If heritage means anything at all, this guy's the son of Randy Bachman, former member of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. These are groups I liked. I still listen to The Guess Who when I'm at work, and feel a need to sing along with the songs of my past. I doubt Randy's son will be around much past next year, if that.

Our boy Tal apparently listened to U2, until "The Joshua Tree" and "Rattle and Hum" "terrified" him. Ok, Tal. Whatever. Discouraged with music, he ended up studying philosophy. I mention this because it was a passage from Plato that kicked him back toward music. He also gives a quote from Aristotle I find interesting: "Nothing which exists by nature can be changed by habit." Cool, huh?

Too bad the CD didn't hold the same interest for me as the liner notes. If you like "hook-laden lyrics," or "timeless pop/rock," knock yourself out. Otherwise, don't bother.
-Kate Rice

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