Reviewed by Mark Cribben

At six feet six inches Washington-based Riley could be considered something of a goliath and it seems fitting that such a big man would be naturally inclined to the rock end of the musical spectrum. Screaming guitars? Check. Guitar based riffs? Check. Guitar solos? Check. Cow bell? Check. So, it looks like the core ingredients of a decent rock album are in place. What stands out about commercially successful rock bands are not only the core rock elements but those elements are allied to strong, distinctive vocals and memorable, indelible melodies. Unfortunately, these are lacking on 'I Am Here'. It is all competently played. The production is good. The lyrics are earnest with a general absence of cheese or innuendo. But none of the songs stand out or linger in the memory and the vocals, while perfectly pitched, lack the charisma or character to grab your attention. "Blind", the opening track, well and truly announces that this is a rock album. The heavy, minor key tinged synth intro breaks into a soaring guitar frenzy of an introduction before the whole track settles down into a straight rock song. The second track "Catch Me" is probably the best track on the album while "Helpless" hints at the Red Hot chilli Peppers without ever reaching their passion.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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