The Mob
The Mob

February 2006
Released: 2005, Frontiers Records/Atenzia Records
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Anders Sandvall

The Mob is Reb Beach’s new band/project. Reb is known mostly for his work with Winger, Dokken and David Coverdale’s Whitesnake as well his solo album MASQUERADE released in 2002. That album was also recorded for his current label Frontiers Records and when the label heard that he had written new material they encouraged him to recruit members and start a band. The first member to join was Timothy Drury (Ex-Eagles) who also has played with David Coverdale’s Whitesnake. Then came the question of who should sing in the newfound band. The choice came down to the lead singer of King’s X, Doug Pinnick who Reb knew from way back when he toured with Winger and King’s X. When that was arranged the band only lacked a drummer. Reb introduced his long time friend, bass player and producer Kip Winger into the band and he added the missing piece of the puzzle in Kelly Keagey (Night Ranger) who ended up handling both drums and b-vox as well as lead vocals on “The Magic”. Kip is not listed as a bandmember but plays bass on the album so I’m not sure if he’s a full member of The Mob.



Conveniently Kip has produced the self titled debut album by The Mob and he has done a pretty good job. He has left plenty of space for each and every member and put the main focus on lead vocals and a very varied and heavy guitar play.



Amongst the 11 tracks on the album we find one instrumental song called only “Guitar Solo” which is on 1:30, like the title it’s pure instrumental and everything evolves around Reb’s guitar playing. Another of Reb’s fine guitar moments can be found on the second instrumental track “Spaghetti Western” which is a more uptempo song where Reb really shows how a guitar should be played. The rest of the songs are with lead vocals and a few ballads are also featured like “The Magic” which is a semi-acoustic uptempo ballad, “Turn To Stone” is also an uptempo ballad. The last ballad is called “I Want To Live Forever” and that one is a pure slow ballad with acoustic guitar and keyboard featured.



The songs that stick out are “One Track Mind”, “I Will Follow”, “Never Get Enough”, Love Will Carry On”. I do think that the standard of the material is a bit too uneven to earn the album a higher score. The Mob would have had a higher rating if they have taken away the ballads because it is they that drag it all down. Otherwise this feels like a solid album that I’m sure is going to appeal to every fan of melodic hardrock.







More info about the band

http://www.rebbeach.com/mob

http://www.kipwinger.com



Label

http://www.frontiers.it

http://www.atenzia.com