Rabin, Trevor: Rio

The first vocal led solo album from Trevor Rabin for just shy of three and a half decades, I must admit that I’ve sat on Rio for quite some time now, although, admittedly not the best part of 34 years. The reason being that with each subsequent revisit my estimation of this album creeps just a little higher. That, to be honest, isn’t maybe quite the endorsement it could seem to be, because when I first listened to this 10 track offering I found it almost a complete turn-off. Yes, all of the Rabin trademarks were there - hooks, choruses, drama, fabulous guitar playing and a bright sound that at certain points almost dazzles beyond belief. And yet there’s also no denying that on first encounter what I found the whole shebang to be lacking was songs - you know, great compositions that stick in the mind and demand that you come back for more. “Big Mistake� is indeed an ear-catcher, opening the album on the right foot as links to the man’s time with Yes are clear to hear but still never over played. With lots of space for those long awaited vocals, big guitar strikes fill the voids left in-between to give a broad stroke feel while still leaving a nuanced aftertaste. On the other hand “Push� pulls in maybe just too many directions. Don’t get me wrong, fans of Rabin’s guitar work will grin like a loon as he exercises up and down the frets, but too often the impression I’m left with here is that what we have are some exquisite pieces slotted together whether they really want to be or not.

With “Egoli� weaving some African themes into the melodies, there’s no little ambition shown across this album, with Rabin’s signature guitar-bending slotted in alongside the less expected aspects, sometimes perfectly, sometimes maybe not so much. Thankfully it’s an aspect that comes across really quite beautifully on the sprawling soundscapes of “These Tears� as its fragile pop sensibilities tumble gently forth against a truly fabulous vocal. However, for every completely spellbinding moment I find myself losing interest in the overworked but under delivering “Oklahoma� or unwelcome country twang of “Goodbye�, which I really struggle to get through in one sitting. In truth, you could also argue that those long awaited vocals arrive across much of this album with too many production bells and whistles for their own good.

For me that’s the issue with Rio. It’s an album that in spots - some that pop up within the songs, some that are full songs in their own right - offers utter brilliance, but too often what I’m left with are sections and songs that I feel I’m wading through to get to the good stuff. A welcome return nonetheless but not one I can see myself going back to often.

Track Listing
1. Big Mistake
2. Push
3. Oklahoma
4. Paradise
5. Thandi
6. Goodbye
7. Tumbleweed
8. These Tears
9. Egoli
10. Toxic

Added: November 4th 2023
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Trevor Rabin online
Hits: 815
Language: english

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