A.S.A.P. (Adrian Smith And Project)
Silver And Gold

LA RECENSIONE

GENRE: AOR

We're talking about a real gem here. The Adrian Smith of the project in question is indeed him, the historical Maiden guitarist with the unlikely vests who in those years was insistent on cutting his hair like the best Littbaski. However, "Silver And Gold" is as far away from Iron Maiden's music as one can imagine, don’t be misled by our axeman’s background.

With this album, Adrian Smith returns to his first love, namely, hard rock with a slightly gritty USA influence, so much so that it’s his voice, hoarse and full of melancholy, that is the true star of the album. After all, melancholy can be considered the hallmark of all Adrian Smith’s productions, even regarding his compositions with the Maiden (his songs always have deeper and more mature tones and nuances compared to the standard of the group, just as his solos have always been distinguished by a very personal class and taste). The disc in question, however, as I pointed out before, is beautiful: it starts with "The Lion", an excellent track distinguished by a leading riff and an essential melody line. And it is precisely this essentialness that is one of the keys to this album (which would have deserved a higher level of production), which continues with "Silver And Gold", a track that slightly softens the pace and introduces us to a world tinged with melancholy. Once again, Adrian's voice scratches and leaves its mark. Even with "Down The Wire", the pace remains subdued and the song slides away along a track that is now defined very clearly. The album then takes a breath with "You Could Be A King", which opens the way to the central part of the album, compact and as always well-constructed.

The closing song, "Blood On The Ocean", must be highlighted, where Adrian's poetic melancholy fully manifests. The most fascinating aspect is that the more you listen to this album, the more you realize how essential the rhythms are: sounds and riffs so well constructed that at first listen they may seem almost invisible, so perfectly do they blend with the songs that have been built around them. A little curiosity: the album at the time (in 1989) went completely unnoticed, and I’d really like to know how many bought it (I had recorded it from a friend who had bought the original cassette... great Millo!).

In short, an album to listen to in one go, perfect for a solo road trip, those journeys where you set off not knowing exactly where you want to go but knowing well what you’ve left behind. (Almost) Poetic.