Tamplin

Item: Tamplin
Author: Beth Blinn

(1993)

Reviewed by Beth Blinn

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Label Benson Music GroupThe LighthouseSeptember 1993

aor blues rock hard rock melodic rock

Ken Tamplin has been producing quality rock and roll in the Christian arena for a number of years now-with the group Shout, as a duo with Lanny Cordola under the name Magdallan, and as a solo act.

Well, he has now put together another band. Going by the name of Tamplin, the combination of Ken Tamplin on vocals and guitar, Robert Kent on bass, Scott Van Zen on guitar and David Raven on drums, the group was signed to Benson Records. Their self-titled debut is about to be released, and since Ken Tamplin wrote, produced and mixed the product, it carries many of the hallmarks that fans have come to expect from any project that he is involved in.

Layered vocals and cutting guitar work are common threads that are usually found in Tamplin's work, and this album is no different. It is straight-ahead, in-your face rock, that usually has a good hook that runs around in your head for a while. Tamplin possesses one of the strongest, richest rock voices in the business, and puts it to good use.

Lyrically, many of the songs dwell on the continuing deterioration of our world, and the moral decay that it is suffering from. Similar to some of the topics on Magdallan's release, Big Bang, Tamplin points the way to the final days when God will reclaim his handiwork on cuts like "When The Clock Runs Down" and "Mystery Train."

Tamplin also digs into history a little to illustrate points about the fleetingness of this life, and how people need to use their time wisely while they are here. On "In The Lap Of Legends," he lists many of the musical heroes from the past few decades whose lives were cut short for various reasons, and points out how their fame didn't do them any good after they were gone. "In the Lap of Legends, monuments of man/It's the state of the arts/With a tainted vision, get it while you can/On that crossway to the stars."

My only real complaint about this album is that some of the songs sounded similar-the tempo didn't vary too much. I also would have liked the sound to be a little bit more raw-but that's a personal preference.

A pretty solid release-especially if you like to rock.