Coloursound (Q Magazine: Valerie Potter)
21ST CENTURY RECORDS CLND001
Ex-Alarm man Mike Peters and Cult guitarist Billy Duffy’s first born.Coloursound’s debut album is a brightly produced piece of melodic pop-rock with more than a hint of the 60’s. Fountain Head has a Beatles-ish (and indeed, early Cult) feel while the rockier Alive shows a touch of The Who. Billy Duffy’s guitars sound superb and the band , completed by vocalist Mike Peters, the Mission’s Craig Adams (bass) and former Cult drummer Scott Garrett are undoubtedly a proficient unit, But while pleasant and accomplished it’s not ground-breaking stuff and though All Kinds of Wonderful takes a stab at the early U2 arena style epic, the songs are just not commercial enough to dent the charts. That said, success on the live circuit seems possible. **
Coloursound ( Kerrang!:Steve Beebee)
KKKK
Impressive return from former Cult guitarist. It seems that good things really do come to those who wait. Or, at least they have come for ex-Cult guitarist, Billy Duffy, a man who has been away from the limelight for the best part of the ’90’s. Duffy’s latest project, Coloursound, is helped in no small way by former Alarm frontman Mike Peters – a man with a voice big enough to punch through skyscrapers. Together they produce a righteous, full-blooded rock album with granite riffs and enough hooks to land the biggest catch since ‘Jaws’. Duffy sounds just as good as he ever did in The Cult but what’s really impressive about Coloursound is the quality of the songs. There’s only one track, (‘This Life’) which disappoints and that’s only because it follows the impossible-to-ignore ‘Alive’. Focused and hungry, ‘Coloursound’ is a real riot.
Coloursound (New Horizon)
Coloursound is the brainchild of Mike Peters (vocals and rhythm guitar), who was the driving force behind the Alarm, and Billy Duffy (lead guitar) of the Cult. They wrote all of the tracks as well as producing and arranging the album. These two are aided and abetted by the Mission's Craig Adams and Scott Garrett on drums. The album opens with 'Under The Sun' which gives an eastern kick to that classic Alarm sound – it's a pacey number with some great guitar parts. 'Fountainhead' leans much more towards the Cult's sound; a full on rock song with a quieter mid section – its driving beat supports a fuzzy guitar sound.A more laid back atmosphere infiltrates 'State Of Independence'. There's an eastern feel apparent in the jangling guitars, and a really nice vocal change in the middle eight. A simple guitar line leads into 'Heavy Rain' which belies the fact that this is a real rocker. Thrashed guitar riffs are interspersed with some great anguished axe-man breaks, all underpinned with fuzzy bass sounds and a heavy rhythm.'View From A Different Window' gives an entirely new perspective on Coloursound. It starts off gently with acoustic guitar supporting the vocals. This number is more vocal led than most on the album, but still has some wonderful guitar breaks. It's a great song – this and the next, 'Alive', are my two favourite tracks.Yet another side of Coloursound is apparent in 'Alive'. It's seven minute length encompasses several mood changes – and some surprising sounds. It begins fairly quietly with some spacey sounds and echoing guitars. Then the pace picks up and the sound becomes somewhat reminiscent of Hawkwind at their rockin' best. This is followed with a harder edged, sparser sounding section before returning to the more space rocking! What a fabulous number – I love it. 'This Life' takes us back to basics – and these guys can certainly knock out a good basic rock song. 'All Kinds Of Wonderful' is another laid back number with some more of the fuzzy guitar sounds and a wonderful vocal melody. 'For The Love Of' is the weakest song on the album with, perhaps too many sounds being thrown together. 'Where Do You Want To Go?' is another rocker with another great vocal melody and some wonderful guitar work. The last track on the album is another real goodie! 'Fade In Fade Out Fade Away' starts off with acoustic guitar accompanying Mike Peter's voice while, in the background, gentle electric guitar phrases sing out of alternate speakers. Then the sound gradually builds up, becoming much fuller and more bluesey, and the vocals become harsher before, sadly, the music just fades out …Now, I must admit that I have a fondness for Mike Peter's music (I still frequently play, and love, my Alarm CDs) and I guess that anybody who likes either the Alarm and/or The Cult – or indeed the Mission – will enjoy this album. Certainly, if you like guitar led classic rock music this should appeal to you.
COLOURSOUND “Coloursound” (21st Century Rec./Sanctuary Music) (On The Rock)
Tracklist: Under the sun, Fountainhead, State of independence, Heavy rain, View from a different window, Alive, This life, All kinds of wonderful, For the love of, Where do you want to go?, Fade in fade out fade away
Line-up: Billy Duffy (guit.), Mike Peters (voc., guit.), Craig Adams (bass), Scott Garrett (drums)
Producer: Mike Peters and Billy Duffy
What a line-up!!! Billy Duffy (THE CULT), Mike Peters (THE ALARM), Craig Adams (THE MISSION) and Scott Garrett (ex-THE CULT) are COLOURSOUND. The band plays fantastic and modern sounding rock music in the vein of U2 (“Achtung baby”), THE CULT (“The Cult”), THE MISSION (“Masque”) and BLIND FISH. The clear and melancholic voice of Mike Peters sounds very powerful and fits perfect to Billy Duffy´s brilliant guitar playing. Every song is melodic, but has always the right power to blow you away. Especially “Heavy rain” , “Alive” and “For the love of” are real rocking and proof, why Billy Duffy is one of my favorite guitarists. With “State of independence” or “This life” COLOURSOUND have written a few great rock songs with real hit potential. I also love the great ballad “All kinds of wonderful” Except “View from a different window” I like every song on this album. Friends of the named bands must take a listen to this great band!
Rating: 8 points
Coloursound (James Stewart)
When rock musicians of the calibre of Mike Peters (the Alarm), Billy Duffy (the Cult), and Craig Adams (the Mission) get together, great things will inevitably be expected. And listening to Coloursound's debut, the band's pedigree is clear as they effortlessly meld influences from the past three decades of rock music to create a very solid debut release. Coloursound's music is hard to pin down. One minute there are shades of classic rock, the next the early 80s sounds of U2 and the Alarm are apparent, and before you know it you're hearing shades of 90s revisionist rock. But while their influences may be divided by time, Coloursound's own music is consistently focused. Peters's vocals lead the proceedings, with a healthy dose of lead guitar from Duffy and a more than solid rhythm section in the form of Adams (bass) and Scott Garrett (drums). Possibly the most immediate track, "Heavy Rain" has an apocalyptic tone as Peters sings of the changing times we live in. The lyrics throughout are rich with imagery while the tone shifts from the hopeful striving of the opener "Under the Sun" through to darker tracks. The writing comes from the combined pens of Peters and Duffy and its desire to find that which is real and substantial is constant. Hints of Peters's Christian faith are spread through the album, but the band won't be pigeonholed because of it. The skill of these musicians, their passion and drive, combine to produce an excellent straight-ahead rock album. For those who like their rock to be meaty and well rounded, this is well worth a listen.
Coloursound (Steven Stuart Baldwin )
Legends in their own times, Billy Duffy, the axeman for The Cult, and Mike Peters, the front-man for The Alarm, have teamed up to create an album of full-throttle, guitar-driven rockers and melodic alterna-pop hits. Although this project was born out of mutual respect and friendship not ambition, their collaboration to reconquer the airwaves makes good marketing sense. Both of these blokes rose and fell from fame with a series of popular "alternative" albums in the Eighties and early Nineties, only to be left standing apart from their respective bands. Technically, The Cult's disbanding has turned out to be only a hiatus since they've recently reformed to tour and record another album, making Duffy's participation in Coloursound merely an interesting side-project between Cult gigs. The Alarm, however, effectively parted ways for good when Peters shook the dust off his feet exiting the stage during a show (let's just say he knows how to make an exit.) Although, Peters has maintained an impressive solo career for himself through a trio of acclaimed solo albums of impressive quality and high energy, he has not reclaimed his former and deserved radio air-play stature. With many projects to their individual credit neither Duffy nor Peters really needed each other, but the pairing of their talents sure does sound like a brilliant way to reclaim some of the spotlight they've been missing. They are helped along here by a tight rhythm section consisting of bass guitar player Craig Adams, formerly of the Mission, and Scott Garrett, formerly of many bands, including a brief stint with The Cult. As far as the shades of modern rock go, the colour of this collective sound is multi-hued and incandescent: modern rock that shimmers and shakes with high energy and appropriate rock and roll fury. If you are especially fond of guitar-driven anthems along the same lines these artists have delivered in the past, this project will be especially pleasing to you. Coloursound is the sound of a band that has not distanced themselves too far from their roots. Mike Peter's powerful caterwauling firmly recalls his former days fronting The Alarm. He still has an impressive set of pipes, whether he is shouting to the bleachers in the balcony or whispering a ballad. Duffy, by his own admission, is not one of the world's greatest guitar players, but he still knows how to crank out a catchy guitar riff. Fans of his work on Cult albums like Electric and Sonic Temple are treated to similar stuff here. Overall, the past and present collide to create the expected chemistry, causing great rock and roll moments to sound decidedly cool and contemporary. To be fair, there isn't a clunker in this cache of cuts. A dignified diversity of sound, effects, energy, and overall songwriting make for a memorable, enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, there aren't enough runaway stand-out songs like "Alive" and "Under the Sun," to sustain the magic. If you are looking to revisit some of the glory of the past, than this album makes for a perfect side-bar to your Cult, Alarm, or Mike Peters collections. Unfortunately, it also adds very little new or noteworthy to the annals of modern rock. Given the talent of both Peters and Duffy, fans might have expected them to reach greater heights of creativity. Despite their considerable efforts, however, Coloursound is merely "solid" and "recommended," when it could have been "brilliantly breathtaking."