The free-spirited nature of his playing, singing and image makes it impossible to separate the person from the art which is an achievement in its own right.

Swiss Rocker Luke Gasser is back at it yet again with his eighth album. Along with bassist Zack Prather and drummer Rudolf Halter, the trio charges through a dozen songs that harken back to the days of early AC/DC, Nazareth and The Rolling Stones. There is also a Punk, Stooges-esque attitude that gives Gasser and his cohorts the ability to capture the essence of their music and present it completely unfiltered.

Regardless of what he is singing about or what the band is playing, the music concentrates on emotion and conviction over the mere thought of pretension. Simplicity is the band's strong suit and they do nothing to get in the way of the song by overthinking their parts. Gasser's voice sounds as if it is always on the brink of implosion, yet somehow it carries through and never falters. He is also joined by Mark Fox (Shakra) on vocals for opener 'Stellar Queen', however, be certain to listen closely because their voices have similar timbres. Simple song forms in similar keys, lyrics delivered in strained, short bursts and backgrounds sung with a deliberate, desultory flare litter the album. Guitar solos are completely unscripted and bereft of intonation, yet they reinforce the organic nature of the music.

New to Gasser's sonic fabric is the glockenspiel. It is used judiciously on the title track as well as 'Twinge Of Sadness' and performed with a very loose rhythmic sensibility. 'Rooster On A Prowl' segues nicely into 'Winter Rest', both slow and somber compositions that would be fitting on a soundtrack for a Country Western movie. The limitations of his talent result in a somewhat monochrome sounding album, but the presentation of the music more than makes up for his compromised musicianship.

The free-spirited nature of his playing, singing and image makes it impossible to separate the person from the art which is an achievement in its own right. His mission is simple and that mission is to deliver a raw, back-to-basics sound that fully embraces what the term Rock 'n' Roll has come to represent. The principles by which Luke Gasser seems to follow sound and feel genuine enough, and 'Mercy On Me' is yet another example that reinforces his musical vision.

Brent Rusche