Description
Review Highlights:
Schorr can sing ‘em. All husk and muscle, the operatically trained New Yorker makes you believe every stormy line of this game-changing album. – Classic Rock Magazine
I’m willing to wager you won’t find a better female-fronted Blues Rock album this year…Turn the Radio On’ and ‘Back to LA’ are sheer perfection. – Fireworks Magazine
Bottle the power of Grace Slick with the whisky doused warmth of Janis Joplin and the vintage vocal result is Sari Schorr who pours out her heart and soul on this classy release. – Express Mail
Anyone who has heard Saris 2016 debut album or seen her on tour will be well aware of her rich, rocky voice and consummate power-blues ability, which arguably puts her in the genre’s premier league. – Rock Society
Sari Schorr’s new album “Never Say Never” is a revelation. It demonstrates a remarkable talent that was only hinted at on her very commendable debut. – Powerplay
“Excellent second album from a lady with a true remarkable voice. If you love blue’s Rock you should definitely enjoy this album. My opinion, not a bad track on there.” – Amazon Customer
R. Muir via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars Soul stirring…
It’s fitting that New York blues rock singer Sari Schorr’s album Never Say Never, the follow-up to widely acclaimed debut Force of Nature, opens with a song where a soul is at the heart of the lyrical matter.
‘The King of Rock and Roll’ is a tribute to legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, who is said to have sold his soul to the devil for success.
Flash forward from the scene set on the powerful blue rock number (with suitably atmospheric opening and Sari Schorr on full vocal power and vibrato) to a soul not sold to ol’ Beelzebub, but one that is bared, lyrically and emotionally, across many of the songs that make up Never Say Never (the life trials and relationship tribulations of Sari Schorr).
The lyrical themes of the album are shaped and woven around songs that are both impressive and weighty (the heavy, 70s rock vibe carried by the majority of the numbers also benefit from an analogue production and a live-in-the-studio recording approach).
Second number ‘Thank You’ is a feisty and fiery, sarcastically clothed thanks-for-nothin’ piece of blues rockin’ venom that, in tandem with ‘King of Rock and Roll’ introduces Sari Schorr’s new band in big, bold, firing on all five cylinders style.
Backing the powerhouse voice of Sari Schorr on Never Say Never are guitarist Ash Wilson (a true talent of the British blues rock scene who delivered an excellent debut of his own in 2017 with Broken Machine), Nimmo Brothers bassist Mat Beable, ex King King keyboardist Bob Fridzema and sought after session and touring drummer, Roy Martin.
‘Valentina’ (Sari Schorr’s alter ego), rocks like the proverbial (as does Schorr’s vocal) as it tells the tale of how obsession can lead to missing out on the important things in life while the slower, rock ‘n’ bluesy roll of band composition ‘The New Revolution’ is both a nod to Martin Luther King Jr. and a driven statement of how we need to be standing up and taking heed of his message, now more than ever.
Lighter blues shades appear in the shape of ‘Turn the Radio On’ and ‘Back to LA.’
The former is a lovely AOR pop-blues with reflective what-if lyric (and a song Stevie Nicks will be raging she didn’t come up with first) while the latter is a melodic, country-rock blues of regret and moving on.
As strong as both songs are however they are eclipsed by the near seven minute blues ballad, ‘Beautiful.’
The best song Sari Schorr has yet written (one of seven co-writes on the album with long-time writing partner, and producer of the album, Henning Gehrke), ‘Beautiful’ is a lyrically self-effacing number that features one of Sari Schorr’s strongest vocal performances to date, matched and complemented by Ash Wilson’s outstanding guitar work (Wilson nearly steals the whole Never Say Never show, so highly charged are his solos and so tasteful are his expressive, melodic remarks).
‘Maybe I’m Fooling’ is a big slab of blues grooving rock (Bob Fridzema giving it the full Hammond in the background), as is ‘Freedom.’
The latter, written with Y Dream Studio’s composer-musician-producer Steve Wright, is a weighty musical plea with Sari Schorr in full vocal cry for gun laws to be given a full overhaul in Schorr’s US homeland.
Two covers complete the album’s eleven tracks.
The Mick Ralphs penned ‘Ready For Love’ became such a signature song for Bad Company and the soulful blues voice of the incomparable Paul Rodgers that there’s an argument for it being left well alone.
But by staying fairly close to the original (here featuring a delicate under-blanket of piano (and solo) from Bob Fridzema) and switching to the female perspective with a purposeful but never over-reaching vocal, it becomes the perfect song for Sari Schorr and Never Say Never.
The album closes with a cover of the late and great Ian McLagen’s soulful ballad, ‘Never Say Never.’
Sari Schorr’s tasteful interpretation is offered as a song of comfort and healing to love lost.
That Never Say Never should be such a strong outing is all the more impressive given that Sari Schorr’s original band, The Engine Room, slowly but surely dispersed during early recording sessions for the album. There were also a couple of recording processes initiated before settling in at The Grange Studio in Norfolk where most of the album was recorded (‘Beautiful,’ ‘Freedom’ and ‘Never Say Never’ were recorded at Superfly Studios and feature Holland Bennett on Hammond and drummer Neal Wilkinson).
But by rising to the challenge of those very events while navigating through what seem to be constant, on the road travels across the UK and Europe, Never Say Never has shaped itself in to an outstanding contender for blues rock album of the year.
Mandrek Larl –
5.0 out of 5 stars Full-on, blistering, powerhouse blues rock doesn’t come much better than Sari Schorr …
I caught the second half of Sari Schorr’s set at Weyfest 2018 and was blown away, this girl can sing; but a bit like that liqueur that sits at the back of the cupboard slowly evaporating ‘cos it never tastes as good as it did on holiday, I was concerned whether she could carry a studio album as well as she carried an audience; but I guess she was too and that’s why “Never Say Never” was recorded “live” in the studio, now there’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one.
So has she translated stage craft to the studio? Well just about; but Never Say Never doesn’t quite hit the extraordinary heights of her live live performance, the mix lets her down, and her amazing voice just lacks the edge she had when I saw her . But that aside this is a good showcase for her talent and her band, the two covers, “Ready For Love” and “Never Say Never” are well chosen and compliment the nine original songs proving not only can this girl can sing but she also writes great kick-ass songs.
Kicking-off with the blistering “King of Rock and Roll”, a full frontal blues assault, the band set out to show their tradecraft from the get go, and these journeymen know their stuff, checkout the guitar work and keyboards throughout. And the pace doesn’t let up after one song, next up is another rocker “Thank You”. The tempo drops a bit with “Ready For Love” but returns with the barnstormer “Valentina” (checkout the guitar solo) before heading via the (slightly) slower, but still very powerful, blues-rock of “The New Revolution” (further great guitar work) towards “Beautiful”, the album’s centrepiece which is just what it says. The second half dips a bit with a couple of Radio 2 friendly tracks, “Turn The Radio On” and “Back in LA”, but these sandwich the excellent “Maybe I’m Fooling” and are followed by the powerhouse rocker (and my current fave) “Freedom”, but the closer and title track, a cover of Ian McLagan’s “Never Say Never” is a tear-jerker and for me one of the album’s highlights, I just wouldn’t have put it at the end.
So despite my misgivings and picky grumbles about the mix, end-to-end “Never Say Never” is better than good, it’s five star very good; but if you get the chance to see Sari Schorr live grab it with both hands you will be in for a treat.
PS I’ve just popped “A Force of Nature” into my basket, I can’t get enough Sari Schorr right now.
Badger via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Brilliant album by an amazing female singer well worth a listen people
Adrian Corbishley via Amazon.uk –
Absolutely superb! Even better than Sari’s first album, I haven’t stopped listening to it since it arrived through my letterbox. With so many standout tracks, it’s difficult to pick a favourite, but Freedom and Maybe I’m Fooling are right at the top for me! Put together a great singer, brilliant musicians and excellent songs and this is the result – magic! Definitely one of the albums of the year.
Ole Ringsgaard Joergensen via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars Once again Sari Schorr has made a Perfect CD!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 November 2018
Mr Barzolla via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars Cd notevole Veramente brava, bella voce particolare e potente e in più accompagnata da un gruppo notevole, incisione molto buona, lo ritengo superiore al suo primo cd, per me consigliatissimo a chi piace sentire rock/blues con voce femminile !!!!
Amazon Customer via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic second album!!Excellent second album from a lady with a true remarkable voice. If you love blue’s Rock you should definitely enjoy this album. My opinion, not a bad track on there.
Marco M. via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars OTTIMO DISCO. Sari Schorr è un’ottima cantante e lo sapevamo, ma in questo lavoro è addirittura strepitosa!!! La band che la supporta è super; ottima la produzione. Un cd di avere (anche per me superiore al, pur eccellente, precedente lavoro). Da avere e da ascoltare, ascoltare e ancora ascoltare…è come il vino…passa il tempo e……migliora, migliora…..
tondraw via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars Sari Schorr just bought this album after seeing her and her band in Newcastle. Magical. If you get the chance see them live it’ll knock your socks off and do your ears a favour and buy these albums. Both five stars. Sari and her band will soon be massive.
CactusFatty via Amazon.uk –
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant blues,rock album What a voice this girl has. Saw her supporting King King in February, voice is awesome live. This is a great album, it will quickly become one of your faves. Not a bad track on jt
Mr. G. M Prince via Amazon.uk –
What a voice. What a voice this woman has real blues for the soul
The vinyl version sound clean and crisp
5 stars