Halcyon Days - Alkaline Times

Wednesday 1st April 1998
Halcyon Days - Alkaline Times
Halcyon Days - Alkaline Times

STYLE: Rock
RATING 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 2635-511
LABEL: ICC ICCD23930
FORMAT: CD Album
ITEMS: 1

Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

Alkaline Times' builds on the success of their independent debut 'Sometimes' and shows a band making a major leap forward. Now with the backing of ICC, this new effort sees some buoyant Britpop immediately impacting songs mixed with some growers with a harder, almost psychedelic edge that demand a bit of work to get into. Less Alkaline' and more acidic in places yet producer David Lynch makes sure things stay interesting. Right from the opening "Please Don't", this takes no prisoners with some insistent songs that worm their way into your brain, choppy guitar from Gareth Black and a rhythm section that is tighter than Labour's spending plans. Singer Rick Johnston's lyrics have a powerful earthiness and righteous anger and a Christian world view not spelt out in cliches but in thought provocation. "Rocket Fitter" is a good piece of edgy, riffy rock'n'roll just the right side of angry! 'Too Much To Dream" is boppy magnificence; "Come What May" is built on the perfect beat with some deft touches of slide whilst 'Taberna" stretches the band to a limit with a wonderful wall of noise. It's another Johnston lyric which stops me short on the understated "Speaks My Name", almost a requiem for nowhere lives that have slipped away without Jesus. Tragically brilliant. Along with December Blue, there's clearly a Belfast beat developing with some of the hottest British CCM emanating from that city yet the bands remain largely under acknowledged. That deserves to change with this release because Alkaline Times' passes the acid test!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Reader Comments

Posted by Stephen Johnston in Comber @ 18:55 on Aug 28 2019

If I remember rightly the song you surround me was being played at a gig in the waterfront hall when the fire alarm went off. Anyone else remember this. ?



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