Lane, Lana - Gemini


Year of Release: 2006
Label: Think Tank Media
Catalog Number: TTMD-1051
Format: CD
Total Time: 56:45:00

More covers from Think Tank Media! Next to Erik Norlander's Hommage Symphonique, Lana Lane also leaves us a nice Christmas present, following her tradition of seasonal albums like the 2004 Winter Sessions album. But two albums filled with covers ... isn't that a bit too much? Well, I'll try to answer that question. When I started to work on this review, I went back to the review of Lana's Covers Collection, which I wrote for ProgPower Online in 2003. Since Gemini is also has a kind of implied subtitle of Covers Collection 2, I thought that would be a good point to start.

But frankly I wasn't all that happy with the first Covers Collection. It received a 3/5 score. Maybe because that one contained many well-known rock classics, I don't know. So what about Gemini? Before going to the songs, a quick word on the musicians involved: Lana was just in time to get Vinny Appice to play on the album, as he recently re-joined Black Sabbath, together with Dio. A new name is George Lynch, a guitar virtuoso from Dokken and Lynch Mob, who managed to get Dokken a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental! It seems both Erik and Lana always know to surround them with the best of musicians :-) He shares the guitar duties with Lane/Norlander mainstay Mark McCrite.

Gemini is the astrological sign for twins and this theme runs through the album, as Lana covers two songs from Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Foreigner, the Moody Blues and the band that is closest to her heart ... Heart. And as a magnum opus, she almost covers the entire first side of the famous Dark Side Of The Moon album by Pink Floyd. As mentioned earlier, Lana is surrounded by first class musicians, so we do not have to worry on inch about the musical side of the covers. Each song is performed excellently, with some standing out, like "Dream Of The Archer," originally by Heart. It is a simple song, but I just love the guitar parts here. And then the "Pink Moon Suite"! Wow, talk about a challenge. But Erik Norlander really looked at the details here, like the intro of "Time": the clocks. Very different than the Pink Floyd version, but surely very good. And what about "On The Run"? Again, different, with some sound effects that sound like those the original included, but still very good. And don't get me started about the guitar parts ... awesome. The only thing I am not too happy about is the effect on Lana's vocals on "Time." Other than that, a very good cover of one of the best selling albums ever.

Additional remark on the "Pink Moon Suite": looking at the tracklist, you might notice it includes the song "Johnny Moon." Of course that is not a Pink Floyd song, but this one is originally by Heart. When you listen to the "Suite," you'll hear how well this songs fits in, seamlessly. A nice touch, that works out better than I imagined.

Well, since the music on Gemini is all right, it all comes down to Lana's beautiful vocals. You could say she is not covering these bands, but more specifically their singers: Jack Bruce (Cream), Grace Slick (Jefferson Airplane), Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd, with both Mark McCrite and Kelly Keeling singing the Richard Wright parts in "Breathe" and "Time") and her own "idol," Ann Wilson (Heart).

So, what's the score? Well, some are quite easy. Ok, I'm not a huge fan of Cream, but Jack Bruce is no match for Lana Lane. Thanks to her, I listen to these songs again. But the rest all have a lot of power and charisma. But then again, Lana also has a lot of charisma to offer and I think she has done an outstanding job in bringing her spirit into the songs of the aforementioned singers. A few that I especially love on Gemini are "White Rabbit" (excellent version), "You Can Never Go Home" (Lana has put a lot of love in this version, it makes me dream away) and "Dream Of The Archer" (Lana's vocals fit this song very well, and, as said, I love the guitar arrangement). Do I really have to say I like the "Pink Moon Suite"? Well, I am a huge Pink Floyd fan, but Lana and Erik's version can do no wrong with me. Well done!

It may sound easy to record an album with covers, but Lana Lane does not try to imitate or copy the originals, but to add a part of herself in the songs, just as she does with her own songs. Over the years I have learned to appreciate Lana Lane for the wonderful singer and person she is. Maybe it is the choice of songs, but Gemini is a fantastic album, filled with beautiful songs that all have the Lana Lane atmosphere.

So, to answer the question I raised in the beginning of my review: Two albums filled with covers ... isn't that a bit too much? The answer is: No. If you enjoyed a glass of fine wine and you are offered another glass, would you say no? With Erik Norlander's Hommage Symphonique, you are offered an album filled with fine music, Lana offers you a second album with fine music ... Besides both albums are different in style and atmosphere, but share the same quality: excellent music.

If you are a fan of Lana Lane, you simply must add this album to your collection. If you are not familiar with her music, Gemini is a good place to start and then you can discover what a wonderful singer Lana Lane is.


Tracklisting:
White Room / White Rabbit / Long Long Way From Home / You Can Never Go Home / Pink Moon Suite: Breathe (Introduction) - Johhny Moon - Breath In The Air - On The Run - Time - Breathe (Reprise) / Dream Of The Archer / Starrider / Sunshine Of Your Love / Wooden Ships / Nights In White Satin

Musicians:
Lana Lane - vocals
Erik Norlander - keyboards
Mark McCrite - guitars, vocals
Vinny Appice - drums
Tony Franklin - bass
George Lynch - guitars
Kelly Keeling - vocals

Discography:
Love Is An Illusion (1995)
Curious Goods (1996/2002)
Garden Of The Moon (1998/2002)
Echoes From The Garden (1998)
Live In Japan (1998)
Love Is An Illusion 1998 Version (1998)
Ballad Collection (1998)
Acoustic Live in Tokyo (1999) (promotional release only)
Queen Of The Ocean (1999/2005)
Echoes From The Ocean (1999)
Secrets Of Astrology (2000/2005)
Ballad Collection (2000)
Project Shangra-La (2002)
Covers Collection (2002/2003)
Lana Lane and Erik Norlander - European Tour 2003 Souvenir CD (2003)
Winter Sessions (2003)
Return To Japan (2004)
Lady Macbeth (2005)
Gemini (2006)
Red Planet Boulevard (2007)
The Best Of Lana Lane 2000-2008 (2008)

Storybook - Tales From Europe And Japan (2004) (DVD)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: December 30th 2006
Reviewer: Marcel Haster
Score:
Artist website: www.lanalane.com
Hits: 6699
Language: english

  

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