ANDY TIMMONS BAND – Resolution

Andy Timmons realized at an early age that if he wanted to play music for a living, banking on signing a fat record deal in a Rock ‘N’ Roll band was a longshot. Instead, he tapped into his broad tastes and made himself available as a session musician. As fate would have it, his band would be signed to a big label and Andy Timmons got to live out his wildest dream playing the Rock Star/Guitar god in Danger Danger. Although Danger Danger’s heyday was only two albums and two tours, they still are rated one of the top Hair Metal bands of their time. In 1993, the band was scattered to the wind due to legal troubles and “musical differences.” Since then, Andy has remained a constant on the guitar scene, releasing seven solo albums and working with everyone from Olivia Newton-John to Kip Winger.

With his latest solo effort, Resolution, Andy is sure to keep his “Top 20” ranking amongst the Japanese music rags. Resolution is Andy’s first new full length release on the Favored Nations label, where Andy keeps good company with other six string virtuosos like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Vernon Reed, and Eric Johnson to name a few. When ever the G3 tour rolls through the Dallas area, Andy is invited to share the stage with his guitar compatriots, where he slays the crowd with his dynamic fretboard feats.

The Andy Timmons Band is a three-piece powerhouse outfit consisting of guitarist Timmons, bassist Mike Daane, and drummer Mitch Marine. Daane and Marine lock into one another like Double Trouble’s Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton; very tight with a lot of groove. The songs themselves are very structured; despite a lack of vocals, there is definitely a sense of verse and chorus, which is a testament to Andy’s songwriting ability. The album doesn’t play like an excuse for the guitarist to just get out there and wail away, this album has a continuity to it, which makes every song and every note sound deliberate.

Opening with a strong Hard Rock number, “Deliver Us” makes you wonder what Danger Danger would have progressed into if Andy was still playing for them. The second track, “Hellpad,” also kicks it into high gear with its heavy-handed, thundering drums. “Gone,” which was written on September 11, 2001, is a slow and Bluesy tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragic attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93. Whenever Andy slows things down, the Stevie Ray Vaughn in him seems to shine with long, lingering notes. On the faster tempo tracks, Andy shows why he has been voted “Musician of the Year” by the Dallas Observer, with lightning quick licks that show a lot of taste and technique.

If you weren’t paying attention, “that guitarist dude from Danger Danger” may have slipped past your radar for the last thirteen years; here is your chance to catch up and find out what the Japanese and the Texans have known all along: Andy Timmons can Rock ‘N’ Roll, break-neck fast or sweet and slow. He is a musician’s musician with a lot of heart and soul.