Salvation is the London alt-rock, new wave band from the late 1970s featuring Ian R. Atwood (vocalist and primary songwriter), Mike Gatehouse, Nick Calvert and Chas Stoddard. Atwood appears to be re-releasing or at least promoting their album Ease My Mind.
Musically, the record is very much a product of its time, with a classic 1970s psychedelic-rock sonic aesthetic, like on the second track ‘Hey Mister’. This fairly hard-rocking tempo track features Atwood’s voice at a deep gravelly warble reminiscent of Lou Reed on The Velvet Underground’s ‘I’m Waiting For My Man’.
Opening song ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me’ has a pretty bangin’, almost doo-wop energy with a driving bass, sparkling saxophone and Atwood’s vocal accents (‘Ooooh Ahhhh’).
Interestingly, the aforementioned song is replicated twice more on the album. ‘Mix 2’ is much lighter than ‘Mix 1’ while ‘Mix 3’, closing the 12-song album, is a new take on the song altogether with the saxophone taking the lead, accompanied by what sounds like just bass guitar and drums – there is something a little bit cool about this version.
6/10
