by Joe Wallace

Artist: Rise
Album: Posing As Human
Year produced: 2004

Many bands pass themselves off as eclectic; few truly pull it off well. Rise is one of those rare groups that show talent in a diverse array of musical idioms. The Scottish foursome's second album, "Posing As Human," begins with a strong cocktail of Dylan and The Sundays-influenced sounds. Singer Debbie Dawson's voice has a vulnerable quality perfect on songs like "Don't Stop the World" and "I Will Love You Always". The multi-talented Gerry Geoghegan's twelve-string guitar playing is both free-wheeling and precise; "The Gallows" highlights his skill with perfect timing with complex start-and-stop playing.

Slide guitar fans will appreciate the bluesy "Welcome To The Real World", and Debbie Dawson's voice works particularly well, especially when the song changes from the minimal blues riff to a fuller rock sound. Geoghegan takes a turn on the mic on some tracks. "I Will See My Love Again" and "Green Grow the Rashes-o" find him in good voice, especially on the harmonies. Geoghegan sounds very much like a peer of Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham; he is every bit as diverse and skilled with his song arrangements as the ‘Mac guitarist.

There is a traditional influence on this CD, but ‘eclectic' is the word of the day. Celtic purists may be a bit disappointed, but those who like a combination of blues, folk and rock should spend some time with this new release. On the technical side it's a well-produced effort with the singing and guitars expertly mixed-every note is clear and strong. There's some beautifully restrained keyboard work going on
in the background, giving some songs an ethereal quality while others get a slight gospel flavor.

Second albums are often difficult for any band, but Rise doesn't show any signs of what music biz people call the "sophomore slump". The group does well in capturing its essence on CD, but after an extended listen to "Posing" you'll find yourself wanting a live performance to catch Rise at its full power. A live CD would be most welcome; in the meantime, "Posing As Human" is one to put in the changer on ‘repeat'.


Buy the Album: Posing As Human

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Celtic MP3 Music Magazine writer Joe Wallace reviews music for many publications and writes both nonfiction as well as short stories. His nonfiction work includes articles for Korean Quarterly, Indie-Music.com, the Alternative Culture Guide, and Factsheet Five. Contact him through his website at www.freelance-zone.com.