Thank You

Michael Schenker

Positive Energy Records, 1993

http://www.michaelschenkerhimself.com

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 10/16/1998

Among the guitarists that made their names well-known in the '70s and '80s boom of hard rock and heavy metal, there is no doubt that Michael Schenker is one of the most revered. From his days in the Scorpions to his stints with UFO and the glory days of his own bands, Schenker's work on the Flying "V" is still greatly admired among fans of the genre.

So what better way for Schenker to solidify his role as one of the finest guitarists ever than recording an... acoustic album?!? Originally a fan club issue only (at least that's what I understand from sites like Music Boulevard and CDNow), my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 Thank You is finally seeing the light of day. Good thing, too, 'cause even though an all scoustic album shows the weaknesses of the format, Schenker proves he doesn't have to be flashy to show his talents.

With the exception of a vocal overdub that Schenker delivers on the album's closer "Escape From The Box," every noise you hear on this album came from Schenker and an acoustic guitar. While such a project is ambitious and worthy of praise, I do have to admit that there were times that I wish the sound had been filled out with even something as simple as an acoustic bass guitar. This would have broken up the sound enough to give the album a little more texture.

Still, one would have to be a fool not to recognize and admit Schenker's talents as a guitarist. The opening track "Positive Forward" starts things going in the right direction, while tracks such as "Open And Willing" and "Endless Possibility" breathe new life into this style of music. However, if you're looking for Schenker to go wild on the acoustic guitars, then you are going to be disappointed. Fact is, Schenker realized that less is more in the case of acoustic music, and prefers to let the tonal work of the guitars speak for itself.

The only real negative thing that I could dare say about Thank You is that the format gets old far too quickly. It isn't that Schenker's playing on songs like "Acceptance And Forgiveness" or "Harmony" is bad; it gets back to a lack of variety in the instrumentation. However, I will admit that Thank You is a smoother album than many others I've heard in the same vein.

So, you're thinking, Chris has piqued my interest in this album. Guess I'll head down to Best Buy and snag a copy, right? Wrong. Thank You is still not an easy album to find (unless you use the source mentioned at the end of this review), but it will be well worth the search. It just might teach you something new about a guitarist you've undoubtedly been listening to for a long time.

Rating: B-

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 1998 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Positive Energy Records, and is used for informational purposes only.