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| The songwriting team of Anthony Salvatore and Robert Anthony seems to consist of a formula designed for success. Even during Coldsweat�s live performances, I�ve rarely seen any instances of anyone in the band trying to outshine the other. They are a true �band� in every sense of the word. Whether it�s hard-core blues, soft rock ballads that retain a bluesy element, pioneered by the likes of Bad Company and A Foot in Cold Water, or a funky rhythmic shuffle, you can bet it�s all based on teamwork. Corporate Slave is stamped only sporadically with Mr. Salvatore�s trademark pneumonic vocals, but on this follow-up to their Nocturnal d�but CD, he has learned he doesn�t need to bellow out every song to get the message across. That ability would normally come with a strong sense of self-confidence or freedom, but the lyrics belie this theory. �Stuck in a Bottle� is a wrenching, emotional plea for assistance in keeping the demon spirits (alcohol) at bay. When he sings, �Everything in life has got its price, well, where can I pay it? Get on with my life�, you know he�s come to his own personal crossroads. In the romance department, there�s a defiant stance in �Let You Down Tonight� and �Illusions� that offsets the weary disappointment in �Let�s Talk About Love�. Ultimately, though, he is both ruled and empowered on the passionately feral �Junkyard Dog�, matched perfectly with soaring guitar leads, throbbing bottom-end (by original bassist Gary Boudreau alternating with Greg Plant) and the never-slack, rock-steady drumming by Rob Randazzo. �Illusions� is the weakest song on the CD, but only because the phrasing of the lyrics and the instrumentation don�t flow too well together. �Radar Screen�, one of the best tracks, speaks of another kind of bondage � rat-race dehumanization. The Yuppie vs. Hippie conundrum (�I�ve got everything, but nothing�s what I got�) has come full circle, evidenced by upcoming generations looking to get that �classic rock� sound spawned by the original protesters of corporate control. Coldsweat pays a bluesy tribute to its own classic-rock roots with The Beatles� �Lady Madonna� and a true-to-form version of �Bulldog� (except for that crucially menacing lower bass line). The listener gets relief from the outpouring of bitterness, clich�d heavily in �Bad Luck Child� (but spiced up, care of guest player Pat Carey�s saxophone work), with the tenderness of �Beautiful (There She Was)� and the homage to Salavatore�s deceased grandmother in �Burn So Bright�, on which Mr. Salvatore plays acoustic guitar. The ever-humble Robert Anthony (he goes back to the days of Downchild�s Hock Walsh) trades his fiery fluidity on electric guitar to perform an instrumental acoustic guitar piece, accompanied by subdued rumbling thunder. Named after his wife, Leigh, the song is uncluttered, soothing but unpredictable, with more than a hint of jazz to it � very nice! Anthony Salvatore and Robert Anthony took a big chance producing and financing this second CD themselves, while they are still, relatively-speaking, unknown, but I believe the gamble will pay off for them. Whether they end up trading day jobs for a different type of corporate slavery remains to be seen. In the meantime, enjoy this CD in the spirit in which it was made - it rocks! |
| CORPORATE SLAVE - COLDSWEAT (2004) |
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