CD´s Reviews
Release Date: 21/03/2005
Line Up: Jeff Scott Soto - Vocals , Marcel Jacob - Bass , Howie Simon and Freddie Åkesson - Guitars, Jamie Borger - Drums
I was a bit critical of Talisman’s last studio release ‘’Cats And Dogs’’ I must have been having a bad day but was far more appreciative of Jeff Scott Soto’s solo outing the excellent ‘’Lost In The Translation’’ so I am so very happy to report that ‘’Five Men Live’’ recorded over two separate Swedish gigs shows what a very fine band Talisman is and what a catch Mr Soto is in the vocal department. Although a few of the songs are duplicated it’s refreshing to hear the difference between a club show and a festival show.
Disc one concentrates on the performance at Club Mondo in Stockhlom August 2003 and a very fine Hard Rock show it is. The songs are bursting and energetic flashes of well laid down Melodic Hard Rock coupled to that some excellent guitar work by the enigmatic pairing of Fredrik Åkesson and Howie Simon which really does push this album into first class territory. Soto’s voice is par excellence and constantly delivers throughout.
Highlights are plenty in fact there’s not a dud track on here. From the soaring hard edge swagger of ‘’Skin On Skin’’ to the commercial bite of ‘’Break Your Chains’’ and ‘’Mysterious’’ or even the inclusion of Europe’s ‘’Scream Of Anger’’ and bizarrely Seal’s ‘’Crazy’’ and a rip roaring cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘’I Don’t Know’’ doesn’t dilute a rockin’ good show.
On Disc 2 the formula is repeated to the high standard. A smaller set list for the Sweden Rock Festival June 2003 doesn’t disappoint with once again the band members pulling out some terrific Hard Rock.
All in all this is a very worth while release from one of the hardest working and longest performing Melodic Rock bands. ‘’Five Men Live’’ is a fitting testimony to their longevity.
And if that’s not enough there’s also a two disc DVD set available to coincide with the live CD release. Called ‘’Worlds Best Secret’’ disc one concentrates on the aforementioned live sets in Stockholm and at Sweden Rock where the skill and panache of a Talisman performance can be viewed in full colour. Disc two is jam packed full of promo clips and little seen Talisman bits and pieces. An absolute Pandora’s Box for long time fans and a worthy stand alone release in its own right..