STEVE HARRIS – British Lion (2012 EMI)
Add my voice to the chorus of people disappointed with British Lion, the debut solo offering from Iron Maiden’s visionary founder, Steve Harris. It’s not just because it doesn’t sound like Iron Maiden, because I wouldn’t want it to sound like Iron Maiden. It’s because Steve’s hired the most bland lead vocalist I’ve heard in many moons. Mr. Bland’s name is Richard Taylor, and he lacks any sort of grit, power, or character. I’m sure there was a method to Steve’s madness, and a reason he chose Mr. Bland to sing for him. I’ll be damned if I can figure it out.
Steve self-produced this album, with Kevin Shirley mixing, and sonically it sounds good, especially the final track: The lush “The Lesson” features strings and acoustics, and sounds great. Unfortunately a good sounding production can’t inject life into these dull songs.
I hate to use such harsh language as “dull” and “bland” where Steve Harris is concerned, but I’ve played the album five or six times now, and I still can’t remember most of these songs distinctly. There’s one standout: the pop metal “Eyes of the Young”, which has a catchy chorus and is instantly memorable. There are far more songs that are instantly forgettable: the single “This Is My God”, for example, and the aforementioned “The Lesson” despite its production values. “Us Against the World” isn’t bad, starting with keys and organ before some dual guitar harmonies kick in. But then Mr. Bland opens his mouth.
Steve’s trademark bass is more groove oriented and less rinky-dink, which is fine. He seems to gel well with the rest of the band, but unfortunately aside from some tasty guitar solos, the rest of the band is generic sounding and lack a distinct identity. I lay most of that straight at the feet of Mr. Bland. A really great singer could have injected some passion into these otherwise unremarkable songs.
A nice added touch: The CD comes with mp3 copies, so you don’t have to rip to your portable device. It comes in two forms: mastered loud, and mastered very loud!
2/5 stars
mikeladano.com 
Couldnt agree more with this review. Nothing more to add but concurring with your points. The album was a major dissappointment. 2 out of 5 is generous.
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Yeah it might have been generous. It’s not a total disaster, but it is very much a disappointment. I can’t wrap my head around this one, and it’s not because I haven’t tried. I played it enough times that something should be jumping out at me by now, more than just the one song anyway.
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Well Dude, I played the track you posted here. I don’t see any real problem with it.
Try this (I’ll quote you back to you, and comment underneath each part):
“Add my voice to the chorus of people disappointed with British Lion, the debut solo offering from Iron Maiden’s visionary founder, Steve Harris. ”
Well, therein lies the crux of your problem. You’re expecting him to be visionary. He’s not given any free passes (nor should he be), but you’re already loaded with expectation, going into it. He knew that, making the record, but still it’s a lot to surmount, ya know? Give the man a break.
“It’s not just because it doesn’t sound like Iron Maiden, because I wouldn’t want it to sound like Iron Maiden.”
But it still kind of does, at least that one song does. And if you REALLY asked yourself about it, I’ll wager you’d find you were hoping for something as cool as Maiden can be. Again, when you’re such a long-time fan of such a formative and huge band, a solo effort from an integral and irreplaceable founding member comes packed with HUGE expectations attached. On a much smaller, homegrown scale, it’s like hoping Paul Langois’ solo record would sound like the Hip. Not fair. Me, I liked the song you posted.
“It’s because Steve’s hired the most bland lead vocalist I’ve heard in many moons.”
The most bland since… since… since Blaze! See? There’s a precedent already set, in your own vaunted Maiden history. And (relatively) RECENT history, at that. They can’t all be Bruce.
“Mr. Bland’s name is Richard Taylor, and he lacks any sort of grit, power, or character.”
Ouch. Well, I’m only going on one track here, but he sang well enough, and with more range and grasp of melody than Blaze. With the song sounding a bit like a Maiden b-side, your ear was likely just expecting Bruce. You may say otherwise, but I’d bet it was and you’re just not admitting it.
“I’m sure there was a method to Steve’s madness,”
You’ll wanna believe it. He’s a very calculating, precise person when it comes to his music. It’s why he is where he is today. Has he done any press on the record, talked about his selection of vocalists for this album?
“and a reason he chose Mr. Bland to sing for him.”
Sure there was. You can bet he didn’t just pull in the first bloke that walked past the for sale sign on his house.
“I’ll be damned if I can figure it out.”
Well, consider my points. I’m sure there was a reason. I’m sure it was intended to sound that way.
And now, for myself, I need to hear the whole thing. Anytime someone comes down hard and dislike a record like this, I just know it would be one that I would enjoy. I’ll see if the whole thing is streamed on the youtubes.
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You liked that song? Seriously?
Listen to the whole album. You will eat your words. I don’t care who this album is by. It could be by Steve Harris or Joe Schmoe. This is just uninteresting, bland, thankfully I got it cheap in a “buy 2 for $18” sale with a Frank Zappa album. Otherwise I’d regret this purchase a lot more.
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You’re just a tough room to please.
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Quite the opposite! I’ve been accused of liking mediocre stuff just because I liked the artist in the past (VH III and Rob Halford’s Two being two memorable cases) but nobody’s ever accused me of DISliking something because I liked the artist before. This is actually a first.
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Oh yes Mike has been accused of liking suspect stuff in my opinion indeed. But in this case he is correct. Anticipation for this album was high and the finished product is disappointing. I would expect this kind of bland, uninteresting output from someone who is now on their own and trying to “sow their royal oats” so to speak. But this is Steve Harris. Iron Maiden is Steve Harris. 90 percent if not more of the intricate writing of Iron Maiden is completely Steve’s vision. I dont think this album has a vision. If Harris just wanted to lay down a mediocre rock album that is what he has done here. Mike’s criticism of this album is 100 percent justified. If this was a hmmm .. lets say a Don Dokken solo album (just an example) this would be excellent output. But when you have raised the bar in Hard Rock/Metal songwriting, you cant mamby-pamby it up without expecting people to be disappointed. Your breakdown of his review is impressively written .. but i dont agree with the content whatsoever.
and another thing .. you comparing it to Blaze only proves mine and Mike’s point even more. I think those albums suck. So does this album … No more than 1 out of 5 stars.
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Well to be fair I did like the Blaze Bayley records, but I also have some serious emotional attachment to both of them.
I think you nailed it with your Don Dokken comparison. It’s that kind of bland. That “mamby-pamby” kind of middle of the road Don Dokken blandness. But with an even more bland singer than Don Dokken.
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That’s just it, though. With you guys so demanding, there’s really no way he could win unless he made another Maiden record. At least he’s trying. You put out your solo record and see how it does.
And as far as mentioning Blaze, my point was that under the banner of Maiden, he was crap, it’s true, but just that this BL album is not the first time he has chosen an underwhelming vocalist.
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I don’t think it’s fair to accuse us of expecting too much. The whole Dokken comparison is apt, because Dokken is a mediocre band.
If you’re trying to say this is a 5/5 star Dokken album, then I’d say you’d have a solid argument. But Dokken kind of suck, so the point is moot.
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Also, look at Bruce’s solo career. He didn’t do Maiden albums, but look how many 4/5 and 5/5 ratings I gave Bruce.
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If Sidney Crosby goes out and shits the bed in this hockey season, people are gonna care cause they have expectations of him playing well. Its no different than this. Even the mighty Steve Harris cant spoon pablum into my mouth and try and call it steak. No different than the expectations for Dave Bidini to put out something relevant because of the brilliance of his work with the Rheos. Bidini has done that ..Martin Tielli put out relevant music as well. Steve Harris has not
Can you imagine just HOW MUCH Ladano WANTED to like this album? About as much as I did. I have spent two thirds of my life admiring Steve Harris’s lyrics, his bass playing, song structure etc …. I wanted to like this as well. But there really is not much to like … Unfortunately as sacrilicious as this may sound … And your defiance of the facts is forcing me to say this Ugly Truth. This could be a NIckelback record, if it were talking about banging chicks and getting wasted. Sad … but true
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You’re too deep into it to see it, I guess. You care too much, is all. Me, just hearing a lot of this stuff for the first time now, I have a different view.
As for Bruce? Apples and oranges. What one guy chooses won’t be what the other chooses. You have them all so wrapped up together.
It’s a shame you don’t like it. They can’t all be winners, I guess. And we can agree to disagree on it. Whether I like the whole record or not, I’m afraid you might be too deep and connected emotionally to every note they utter that you just can’t see it. Give it six months, play it again. You may feel differently. It can’t be a total waste.
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I couldn’t disagree more. If I’m too deep to see it, I may as well stop blogging.
http://drownedinsound.com/releases/17242/reviews/4145501
http://www.revolvermag.com/reviews/review-steve-harris-british-lion.html
http://thegreatsouthernbrainfart.com/?p=10256
Are we ALL that too deep into it? Or is it just a dull, boring, bland record?
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You have to admit that the possibility exists. Maiden has deeply invested fans all over the world.
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I stand by my review 200%. If I can’t stand by this, I may as well quit while I’m ahead. I sat on this album for two months before reviewing. It’s like they used to say on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire: “Final answer, Regis!”
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I’ll take your word on the Regis thing, I’ve never seen it. So, fair enough, you don’t like the record. My point still stands.
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I don’t think your point stands, it’s speculation that you think we’re just in too deep. Like I said, this could be by the Flying Spatula Band, and I’d still be underwhelmed. Nobody can get inside my head (and heart) and know how I feel about a piece of music. Nobody but me.
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Funny … you havent seen Who Wants to be a Millionaire .. but you will “take his word on it” . You also have not heard the record … but you wont “take his word on that”. So you somehow trust a Rock reviewer’s word on a television program? But you dont take his his word on reviewing a rock record? Very odd. Pretty much a Straw Man’s argument going on here.
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My point, Meat, is simply that I wrote the review as honestly and open-mindedly as possible. My integrity is sound. Whether somebody else likes it or not is not the point — if somebody else likes it, good on them. I don’t, and that is my HONEST OPINION. It’s not some jaded “Maiden Fan” opinion — I did the best review that I could, having given the record more listens than it probably deserved.
If anything, because it WAS Steve Harris and not Joe Schmoe, I gave it MORE chances than I normally would have.
I feel my integrity as a reviewer is sound, I will continue to review as I always have.
Keep on keepin’ on!
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I am curious of one thing though. If you admittedly have not even heard the record, how could you even have an opinion yet? Mike and I share the same opinion on this record, not from comparing thoughts on it .. but from us both actually hearing it several times.
What I am deeply connected to is what i like and what i am inspired by musically. I feel no connection nor any inspiration with this record at all. Is it based on high expectations? Well of course it is!!! George Foreman puts his names on those little grilling machines he plugs .. why? because they are good .. useful .. well made … etc. Steve Harris chose to put his name on something that just isnt very good. Listen to the whole album atelast twice and if you are a true Maiden fan, I just cant see how you wouldnt feel atelast some of the same disappointment.
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To me it’s not even about Steve Harris’ name being on it. If this was an album by the Flying Spatula Band, I still wouldn’t like it. Hell if it was Don Dokken album I still wouldn’t like it.
I
Just
Don’t
Like
It.
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And fair enough. So sell it off. Give it away on the street. Use it for a doorstop, whatever please you. My point still stands.
There are lots of records I hear that I don’t like. I’m not an apologist (Blaze would agree).
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I’m keeping the album “for the collection” and it’ll probably just get filed with the Geoff Tate solo album as one that only gets listened to when I want to remember why I didn’t like it in the first place. Or when I need a sleep aid. Either one.
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I don’t have to have heard the record to point out what you guys have done to it. It may be true that it sucks, and when I hear it I may agree. I’m only trying to point out the summary (even after “several” listens) judgement that’s been passed on it.
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How else would you pass judgement on something? By listening and not enjoying it? Seems like the only way TO pass judgement on anything musical is to hear it and say .. Yay .. Maybe .. or Nay. I say a very informed Nay. Would you have a problem if I reviewed a Brad Paisley album i didnt like. If I heard it and didnt like it I would say so … I dont think what Mike and I have written falls into the category of “What we have done to it” other than critique something that as art , is open to criticism. Why do people look at paiintings and go .. Wow .. i love this .. Or .. man i hate this? Because they have set their eyes on it and made a judgement. If you have a problem with this album being critiqued, why have you even read or written even one music review on this or any other blog?
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I’m listening to the record again, right now actually. And I still don’t like it. It’s a deeply flawed album, and the biggest problem is the singer.
This is what happens when you get some guy who is just your drinking buddy to be your singer. You lose objectivity, and I think Steve lost objectivity here by just making a record with his buddies.
The singer just plain ol’ sucks!
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Holy Crap I just got on my computer and there’s already 25 comments..hahahahaha…good bantering back n forth,guys are passionate about music and that’s awesome.
To me sure it could have been better but it could also be worse….look take out the Maiden factor and history of Harris in Maiden and basically this is Harris writing tunes along the lines of his influences as in mainly UFO.
So for that fact I can appreciate British Lion….now comparing it to Maiden nope not close but I also did say before that if u were to combine the two Maiden Blaze albums at the time u would have had one decent Maiden album,but I haven’t listened to either of those two Blaze albums in yrs and don’t intend to.
So this may be what happens to British Lion but than again with all the solid albums that DID come out this yr I mean this one takes a backseat for sure …
So I respect Harris in totally pulling a left turn with this record but I see Mikes and isaacanscops views …..
Good shit fellas!
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Hehe, sorry to get so far ahead of you Deke!!
I do prefer the two Blaze Bayley albums to this one. To me, this is sort of like the Adrian Smith ASaP solo album. It’s not great, it’s not bad, it’s just…I dunno…nice.
And yes I’ll get around to doing ASaP in the future, I have the album and two singles to talk about, so that should be grand!
And tomorrow is ZZ Top of course, so stay tuned…
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Yeah that comparison to ASAP is fair enuff ,man I don’t think I’ve listened to that one since 1989!
And yep i will be creeping the front page waiting for La Futura!
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Good stuff man! Lots of fun stuff coming in the days and weeks to come, including some hockey-related stories. You cheering for the Jets?
ASaP, I don’t really listen to that often, so it will be fun to revisit it for the blog. You know who the drummer was? Zak Starkey.
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