Posted on: April 25, 2014 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Beat the Odds is a raw and intense collection of songs that capture Dave’s wide array of influences. This means that Take Me Away has a CSNY meets America type of groove, while Rock A Bye Baby has a late sixties / early seventies sound that is reminiscent of Alice Cooper or Brownsville Station.

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On The Other Side is unique in the sense that Slinger comes up with a very timeless rock style while imbuing the track with hints of a progressive (Genesis, Yes) styling. The sizzling guitar work present on Always Ready for Love will immediately capture the minds and hearts of listeners, while the production ensures that the constituent elements of the act are able to stand on their own.

Stop Gunnin’ Me Down is another solid inclusion on Beat the Odds, as the additional elements (bongos, congas, and tambourine) are able to provide additional depth to an eighties rock composition. The track dovetails nicely with Letting Go, an earlier track that showcases the sheer breadth of Dave’s compositions. You’re in Danger is a track that will destroy listener’s assumptions about Slinger, as a saxophone line fights for dominance with the very blues-heavy guitar present.  I feel that Beat the Odds does successfully foster a cohesive identity for Slinger; the changes in style and overall content showcase that the band evolved and never was content to rest on their laurels.

Samples from Beat the Odds can be heard on the Slinger domain, the iTunes (https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/slinger/id541813162 ) and CDBaby (http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Slinger ). Keep an eye out for a possible long-form video capturing the various tracks on Beat the Odds. If you are a fan of solid rock that is never content with settling into a specific style, make sure to spin these tracks.

Top Tracks: Take Me Away, Always Ready for Love, Stop Gunnin’ Me Down

Rating: 8.2/10

Slinger Beat the Odds CD Review / 2014 Self / 13 Tracks / http://www.slingermusic.com/ / https://www.facebook.com/dave.slingermusic.5

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