When Ken Hensley passed unexpectedly last November at the age of 75, the world of rock music lost a titan. A superior songwriter, singer, and keyboardist, Hensley was a triple threat. He’s best known for his output with the legendary Uriah Heep, but also recorded some amazing music with Blackfoot and W.A.S.P., among others. My Book of Answers stands as his final musical testament. And while Hensley’s death was unexpected, there’s an introspective and somewhat melancholic tone to this album that almost makes us believe the end was near.
My Book of Answers joins recent efforts by Ozzy Osbourne, Dennis DeYoung, and Fish in the “elder statesmen of rock looking back on their lives” category. As our musical heroes reach their sunset years, many settle for this approach because they never know which day could be their last. Also, let’s face it. Not everyone has the straightforward, “never say die” tenacity of Alice Cooper, but I digress. Ironically, as autobiographical as My Book of Answers comes off, the lyrics were not penned by Hensley. They were instead written by longtime fan and poet, Vladimir Emeli. Hensley wrote and performed the music.
The music on My Book of Answers varies, but the main focus is somber ballads. I have nothing wrong with a ballad here or there. Uriah Heep penned some of the finest ballads in rock history. My problem with the majority of this album is that it lacks the magic and memorability of those classic Heep albums. Plus, let’s say an album has three or four ballads. Is it really a good idea to stack them on top of each other? That’s exactly what we have here. “Light the Fire (In My Heart)” bleeds into “Stand (Chase the Beast Away)” which bleeds into “The Darkest Hour”. Granted, “The Darkest Hour” is redeemed by some melodic guitarwork, but the overall mood is just depressing.
The best moments on this album are the ones that tap directly into the Heep vein. I’m talking the hard, the proggy, the folksy, and everything in between. My choice cut is “Right Here, Right Now”, which happens to be a reworking of one of my favorite Heep songs, “The Hanging Tree”. “The Cold Sacrifice” is another favorite. It’s dark, ominous, and heavy, but with Heep undertones in the organs and melodic chorus. “The Silent Scream” is an unabashed display of Heep’s folk side, though with a modern rock twist. The chorus harmonies are heavenly and invoke memories of The Magician’s Birthday.
Unfortunately, aside from the few songs I mentioned and a couple brief moments of musical serendipity throughout, there isn’t much on My Book of Answers that resonates with me. If anything, it leaves me empty and even more depressed over Hensley’s passing than I was to begin with. Even as a Heep diehard, I’m not sure if I can see myself listening to this again. Instead, I’m going to head down to my basement, drop the needle on Look at Yourself, and lose myself in the ethereal organs of “July Morning”.
4 out of 10
Label: Cherry Red Records
Genre: Progressive Rock
For fans of: Uriah Heep, Kansas, Jethro Tull