Tag: This Ain't the Love

Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Essential Ballads’ (2006) – Album Review

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic84 Comments

Jeff has only had 3 solo albums up to this point, a couple E.P.’s and that is about it. Yet, we get an entire album of ballads from those releases. Yes, only from his solo albums which leaves out a bunch of great ones from other bands he has been in, but that is okay. This is more than enough. Now, I have no idea whose idea this was…maybe Frontiers Records and maybe Jeff’s which would not be a surprise since when he sang with Axel Rudi Pell, Axel put out entire ballad collections as well. Whatever reason, this is a lot of ballads to take in all at once.

The one good thing about this release is they did add 3 bonus tracks, 2 of which have never been released, so that is always a good thing. That is 16 songs…all ballads…did I mention that it is a lot of a ballads to take in all at once. However, there isn’t a ton of information on the background of this release, so that is all I have for you. As a result, we might as well go through all the songs.

First up from his latest solo release ‘Lost in the Translation’, we get “If This is The End”. It starts off with some slow tempo guitar picking and then Jeff’s vocals softly, yet smoothly float over the verses. Around the 2nd verse, the drums kick in and some electric guitar riffs tossed in. It does pick up a little on the tempo and when it hits that second chorus Jeff’s vocals soar to new heights. Not one of his best ballads, but I like it as it does have a decent solo and is more proof that Jeff can do it all.

Next up is “As I Do 2 U” from his E.P. ‘Believe In Me’. This track is a demo (one of two on here) from a project that never got off the ground called Three Kings. It had Jamie Borger (drummer for Talisman) and Goran Elmquist. It is an acoustic ballad and being a demo, it feels unfinished but it isn’t half bad. A little cheesy, but there are elements there that could’ve turned in to something nice.

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Jeff Scott Soto – ‘Beleive In Me’ E.P. (2004) – Album Review (The Jeff Scott Soto Series)

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2004 turned out to be a big year for Jeff Scott Soto. While at NAMM in January of 2002, he did a jam session with none other than Neal Schon and that turned in to a great little business relationship and would see the guys team up a couple times. But before we get to the first of the two projects for them, Jeff had a new solo album to put out on Frontiers Records, who had been really great to Jeff (proof in that partnership is still going strong today). Prior to the release of the solo album, an E.P. was issued for the lead off track & single on the album.

The E.P. was called the “Believe in Me” E.P. and contained only the one studio track from the album plus the video for that song. Then we get not 1, not 2, but 4 bonus tracks that are all previously unreleased demos from various projects of Jeff’s. As a collector, how cool is that!!! We will see how cool as we go through the tracks.

The first track and single is “Believe in Me”. It was co-written by Jeff along with Neal Schon. I told you they began a great relationship…fruitful already. And let me tell you, it could be a Journey song. Not a ballad either, one of the rocking tracks. The opening guitar riff is cool as Schon shreds it. Jeff’s vocals are so smooth and melodic and you know what, he would sound great singing Journey songs…maybe that will happen!! (maybe real soon). You had Glen Sobel on drums and Jeff on bass and everyone sounded tight and laid down a great rhythm. A totally stellar track and very radio friendly even though no radio around here played it!

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