Search - Bob Catley :: The Tower

Melodic Rock Masterpiece by Bob Catley and Gary Hughes

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 07/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released in 1998, The Tower is the first solo album from Magnum vocalist Bob Catley. The songs on this album were written for Catley by none other than Ten singer/songwriter Gary Hughes. While I might prefer the songs on a Bob Catley solo album to have been written by Bob Catley, you can't help but be impressed by what Gary Hughes has put together for the legendary vocalist on this album. Ten guitarist Vinny Burns is also on hand, and contributes some exceptional guitar work the album.



Bob Catley has an incredibly unique and ethereal voice that adds a sense of fantasy and grandeur to even the most mundane song (which the songs on The Tower are most definitely not). The guy could sing a straightforward love song and you immediately think of knights and princesses. Fortunately, Hughes understood this, and the songs he wrote suit Catley's voice to perfection. Musically, The Tower is very similar to Ten and Magnum, which should please fans of both bands. It's a melodic rock album that's equal parts ballads and dramatic rock numbers, all of which work together almost like a concept album would. The whole album is extraordinary, but the highlights are album opener "Dreams", "Deep Winter" and the epic title track, which has become one of my all-time favorite melodic rock songs. "Fear of the Dark" is also an excellent song, and serves as a precursor of sorts to Catley and Hughes's Middle Earth epic.



The Tower is a glorious and powerful melodic rock album that is sure to appeal to fans of Magnum, Ten, and melodic rock in general. It's a great debut, and is the first in a series of truly exceptional solo albums from Catley."