Howard Gripp & Stinger
Walk Away
Statue Records

When I found this package from Iowa in my mailbox, I tore the envelope apart, being a little excited, as this happened to be the first thing ever submitted for review in Luna Kafé. Spotting the cover of the cassette, my mind dropped quickly back into the normal controlled mode. The Paintbrush-style Stinger logo added little to my expectations other than fear and loathing.

Gripp & Stinger travelled from Sioux City to L.A. to record this album, and they may have picked up some of the Californian musical vibes during their stay. Unfortunately, they didn't choose the good vibrations. The guitarist, Bob Peters, has an irritating Steve Vai-ish vibrato hang-up, inflicting great damage to every attempt to make decent arrangements. The songs are rather unoriginal, 2nd division AOR, and could have been written 15 years ago. The production is thin (maybe the CD sounds better?). The lyrics are mostly about women trouble, and almost funny, with Stinger as the "highlight":

Now when you walk in a room and the vibrations are strong
then you'll know my prescence is near
Yoy better run for your life because I don't want to find you here
 
'Cause when my fuse is lit I'm like a dynamite stick and I'm
ready to explode
 
So if you get too close, baby, I could overload
'Cause I'm a stinger when you're near
I just lose my mind, you better stay clear
I'm a stinger don't you hear me
So if you don't love me, run in fear

Building relationships in Sioux City sounds like a tough job.

Howard Gripp's voice isn't bad, and I have no trouble imagining him doing far better things. For instance, one of the songs reminded me of Elton John. At least for 15 seconds, before "Steve Vai" starts cumming all over the tracks. With more exciting and original arrangements and stronger production, some of the songs could end up as OK pop tunes.

Copyright © 1997 Knut Tore Breivik