EP Review: Smith/Kotzen - Better Days

I was not expecting to get more music from Adrian Smith and Richie Kotzen this year. In the spring, they released their debut album, which was one of the biggest shocks of the year. And considering that Iron Maiden put out their new record this fall, and Richie has been writing again with The Winery Dogs, this project didn't seem destined for a quick turn-around. And yet, here we are a few months later with four new songs to prove to us their record was no fluke.

The title track leads things off with a bluesy riff and groove underpinning Adrian's vocals, before strumming chords take over and Richie sings the melodic chorus. Along the way, they both throw in some lead guitar licks, reminding us this is as much about having fun playing guitar together as it is writing songs. For once, I don't mean that as a criticism. They clearly enjoy playing off one another, but they always do so in the context of the song. They aren't interesting in playing for playing's sake.

"Got A Hold On Me" ups the tempo, fitting in with "Solar Fire" off the album. To me, that was the weakest song of the bunch, and this one follows suit. There's something about the way these two play and sing that doesn't quite mesh with the faster tempos. I won't say you can't have soul playing faster, but it doesn't come across as well on this song, that's for sure. It just doesn't feel as vital or important.

"Hate And Love" returns to their sweet spot, with a slinkier riff and a real sense of dynamics. When Adrian and Richie share some lines, it reminds me what's missing from this EP. There aren't as many obvious harmonies between the two, whether that's their actual vocal approach or the production burying them. That was such a key part of the album's sound, I have to say I miss hearing their voices blending together as well as they do more often.

Finally, "Rise Again" serves almost as a segue to the next chapter, as things make a dramatic shift towards a more technical style of playing. The bass opens with an acrobatic line, which the guitar later echoes, while the drums move along playing far more than on any of the other tracks. What I'm saying is that, other than Adrian's voice being included, this one sounds like a song from the next Winery Dogs album, not what we've gotten to know of Smith/Kotzen.

So while I appreciate these two releasing more songs this year, I'm not sure this EP is quite what I was hoping it would be. There's less focus here, and the sound the two had established on their album is put aside in favor of some experiments I don't feel worked out all that well. Two of the songs tell us they were not a fluke, while two tell us maybe they were. It makes for a bit of a disappointment, hearing them veer from the winning formula.