Steven Seagal
Songs From The Crystal Cave

Yes, the Steven Seagal I'm talking about is indeed him! The one who kills 200 people with a sneeze in movies! I don't know if this record has been released in Italy, I bought it in France! I'm not a big fan of this album, but I thought it would be good to review it, since the cover might mislead the buyer. It would seem like some sort of blues album or something like that... nothing of the sort! It is a pop album with a thousand influences (rock, oriental folk music, and other bits and pieces).

The tracks are all pretty predictable. Some tracks seem entirely copied, but so far I haven't discovered any plagiarisms (also because I don't listen to this album often). It is a collage of pop clichés from the top of the charts, stuff you've heard over and over again though, you have to admit, it's performed and recorded amazingly! Yes, from a technical point of view, it's an excellent product! And then, unbelievably, good old Steven has an amazing voice (smooth and deep), I assure you!

The whole album is imbued with oriental mysticism and zen philosophy (inside the booklet I found a mini-poster with "All is love" written on it, just so you understand!). Continual references to pacifism and love among people, total trust in a cosmic order, reincarnation, love, etc. If the notes played on this album were transformed into words, it would result in a rhetorical speech full of clichés. However, the album is enjoyable to listen to! There is nothing original in it, but it is immediate and inspires a lot of serenity.

Amidst all this copying (which I insist, in my opinion, there has been!) there are some interesting ideas which, if properly developed, could have given us a lot. A missed opportunity, in short! However, I won't throw this work away, if for no other reason than it's an interesting collectible piece! I find it a bit difficult to describe due to its somewhat anonymous sounds (because they stem from the fusion of too many genres), but I can say that in many places it reminded me of Sting and in some fragments Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton (especially Clapton's "My Father's Eyes").

The album features soul choirs, melodic electric guitar solos, and ethnic touches (which I have to say do not hurt). Essentially, I recommend the album to lovers of light and catchy music, to fans of the aforementioned musicians, and, why not, to those who grew up with Steven Seagal's movies! I assure you it is very interesting to discover the man behind the actor! For better or worse, it's an album that anyone can appreciate, but I would advise against it for those who seek aggression and grit in music (stay away, hard rock friends!).