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Young Zoe rises to the demanding challenges majestically. She plays lead, second guitar, harmony guitar and rhythm too. No expense has been spared as Zoe is backed up by other guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, piano, organ, violins, brass and backing singers (not all at once you understand!!). Zoe's been spending a fair bit of time in the states recently.
Maybe that explains the thinking behind the track selection. I'm not an expert on the 80's AOR scene, but the majority of the titles seem to eminate from the Meat Loaf/Bonnie Tyler catalogue. Those Jim Steinman originals were towering mini - epics.
Thanks to superb arrangements and guitar soloing to match, they are now turned into grandiose instrumentals which really do work because of Zoe's exuberant commitment to the performances.
Girls with Guitars swings along nimbly in contemporary C/W - AOR mode, but it's not merely pastiche. Lots of deft touches and hints of Messrs. Marvin & Knopfler are in the playing too. Plus, any track that musically quotes Johnny B Goode, Smoke On The Water and Sunshine Of Your Love is fine by me. What's more, it's fun.
Read 'em & Weep - wow! This is a seriously 'big' arrangement with Zoe's poweful guitar sound sweeping all before it. Her playing conveys the dramatic structure of the original, which is no mean achievment. Great dynamic sense too volume and intensity rise and fall at appropriate moments. This 'heavier' style of playing means that you somehow don't miss Meat Loaf's histrionic vocals.
Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run also works really well as an instro, giving Zoe the opportunity to really rock out in competely different way.
Even Now is another rockin' 'n' riffin' tour de force.
It all sounds so effortless and fluid that you take the superb playing for granted. The backing is fantastic. Even so, everything else depends on the lead work - and it certainly doesn't disappoint.
Bat Out of Hell is so well known that tackling it as an instrumental could have been fraught with problems. No worries. The arrangement is outstanding and Zoe wades in with all the unhibited confidence that goes with youth. Steinman's vocal 'mini - opera' is transformed into an instro 'mini - drama'. Zoe's 'theatrical' and dramatic playing shines through in this thrilling performance.
At times, Zoe's 'axe attack' reminds me of the vastly underrated Tony McAlpine. An uplifting performance with Zoe cleverly holding back before hurtling towards the finale - a great skill in itself.
Total Eclipse of The Heart was a classic totured 'Torch' anthem as performed by Bonnie Tyler. A sense of stately grandeur is conveyed with young Zoe coaxing huge expanses of sheer tone from her Strat.Slow, smouldering phrases ignite into incandescent volcanic showers of sound. The arrangement has been very cleverly worked out and Zoe has the skill to realise the arranger's aural concept.
Holding Out For A Hero is simply wondeful. Again a powerful and dramatic arrangement.. It's a genuine 'plank spanking' out and out 'axe belter' from start to finish with Zoe's energetic twanging lead holding centre stage in glorious fashion.
The final track is really different as it's a vocal/instrumental duet between Al Steele and Zoe. A mighty fine performance and it's a possible future direction to explore. How many fifteen - year - old guitarists of this calibre do we have in the UK? To me, Zoe is a teenage guitar sensation. Guitar fans and guitarists, you won't be disappointed. I recommend this CD without hesitation. Congratulations to all concerned.
Rob Bradford
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