bd Gottfried

bd Gottfried

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/bdgottfried?lang=en

In 2017 – bd Gottfried is an edgy, uncompromised writer releasing his 8th solo album entitled: Through The Dog’s Eyes – produced by Juno Winner Siegfried Meier. With airplay in over a dozen countries he continues to work in an unrestricted style with lyrical depth that will always take you on a journey. Having a varied working background as a touring musician and session player. Working in the past with a vast array of artists such as Pino Palladino (Pete Townsend, John Mayer Trio). Breen Laboeuf (Celine Dion, April Wine). Greg Dechert (Bad Company, David Gilmour), to name a few. If to name a few more it wouldn’t matter because he’s an accomplished artist as it is, but if you look on his website you’ll see a who’s who of names in which to associate bd Gottfried. The album gets off to a blazing start on “Something You Weren’t” with a track that doesn’t relent much to speak of in establishing the overall energy and ambiance to be heard throughout the CD. This includes everything from interesting lyrics to incendiary guitar fills. You can hear within seconds why he’s been sought after as a session player. But you can also hear why he’s a solo artist.

“Crosshairs” sounds almost like more of the same but it makes enough interest to not dismiss it altogether, as it loses no steam so far. It goes on a little much but the music never dives at any point. It’s just not one of the greatest numbers among them. As where “Blame It On The Money” at least attempts to be a finished song because it’s short and sweet. There’s an essence of Bowie to be heard on this and a few other places but it’s just one of many he occasionally reflects the sound of. It’s just a better song and that is the point. But it doesn’t exactly smoke the means of what comes before it.

To get knocked to the floor as he describes in the words, asking for his fall to be broken says it all, and gives him his first spotlight on offer here. I think some key albums of the last five years have made way for another level of progressive rock to explore, and it sounds like maybe that is evident here to an extent. As well, with no need to mention any names or titles. I’m sure they’ve been used to describe Gottfried’s efforts anyway. “Eye Of Time” gets another high listing because of its prolific nature, which can’t be swept under any rug. It’s full of what is great about this album.

“Frequencies” also gets praise for taking it to another level with something mellow to sooth anyone’s pain. It makes all the right moves to win you over with the rest of the album. “Breakaway” is another strong track, as where the weakest one for me would be “Incantation” with its smooth jazz meets new wave combination that has just been done so much already. I did enjoy it, but found myself skipping it after the second listen. The album closes with a bang, so don’t miss “SOS with an IOU” because it stands as good of a candidate as an opener as it is an album closer.

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/b.d.-gottfried/id209039714

Alan Foster