aaamusic | On 16, Nov 2010

Philip Sayce is a kind of a rocker-bluesman that I didn’t use to listen to, belonging to the golden age of Bryan Adams and the first period of Bon Jovi. He plays the pure rock ‘n’ roll, that kind of rock sometimes influenced by blues, sometimes melt with a rougher touch that brings it towards the hard dimension.
Philip lists his inspirations mentioning Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, but in Innerevolution, follow up of Peace Machine, I could hear a lot of Lenny Kravitz, a touch of red Hot Chili Peppers and a pinch of David Bowie as well. So considered as a whole it’s a great album, every tune has an own soul, I haven’t found any filler and it elapses leaving the listener with a great energetic charge.
Starting from the opening track Changes, I rushed into a world that is part blues part classic rock, enriched with a touch of sunny gospel. Philip is incredibly talented and versatile, he’s got soulful vocals and a great mastery in playing the guitar, indeed his inspirers are two of the best guitarist of all times, so these two elements would be enough to create a good album, and in fact they are decisive for the quality of his work.
Scars is introduced by a Pepper-esque guitar riff and is based on a funky rhythm that will get heads nodding while Bitter Monday remind something of the elegant glam rock made by David Bowie but filled with an impressive guitar solo.
Anymore shows Philip’s beautiful vocals and a musical style more pop than rock, it could be a tune by Maroon 5 with all those bells and a sycophant piano, but it’s clear that his music has American roots (Canada included) and the lyrics reminds me something of his fellow countryman Alanis Morisette. Take you away is a rock explosion, his vocals are enough aggressive to sing this powerful tune supported by mighty guitar riff and drum beats.
Daydream tonight is the right moment for a break, with this sweet ballad you can close your eyes and dream, like lyrics suggest, while My Pearl brings the listener back to reality starting with the weave of a heavy guitar with paced drums, suddenly replaced by a dreaming piano, it’s one the best tune because it’s unstably balanced between a ballad and a hard song.
Tennessee girl is a dark blues based on biting vocals a distorted blues riff which sounds absolutely as heavy as hell, especially thanks to the strong percussion.
Last three tracks  goes form the late Nineties sound of Are you ready to the strong Gimme some more that is a clear tribute to the best times of Lenny Kravitz, and I miss that period a bit, drums are as a heavy as hell and Philip adds a riff that could come back people from dead.
This extremely remarkable album ends with Little Miss America, an eight-minute track that is a sort of “summa” of his music, it starts like a strong blues to slip into a soulful 70s organ solo, and indulge into a chaotic mix of sounds in the end.
Can’t wait to see Philip performing live, I think he will kick up a rumpus everywhere he will play.

Author: Roberta Capuano