Rippled Soul - DM3

Label:	Citadel Records Munster Records
Released:	1998
Highlights:	Lure Augustine Quicksand Dial 04 Josephine Last To Know
Rating:	8.5/10

Rippled Soul was DM3's third and final studio album. A darker and more varied record than previous releases, the tone of Rippled Soul is set by the second track and lead single, Lure, with its crunching guitar and sly come-on lyrics. Rippled Soul is more also guitar heavy than previous releases Dom Mariani's skillful ability as a lead guitarist has always been one of the main features of DM3?s sound and Rippled Soul is no different, except this time Dom has turned the guitars up even more and let his fingers do more of the talking. This is especially evident on Augustine, which is the albums slowest track. Where you would normally expect acoustic guitars, Dom has grinding power chords. Other songs like Better Light and Big Bad World are both in the same mould.

However, Rippled Soul still the classic pop songs that we have come to expect from DM3. Quicksand, Falling For You, Anyway That You Like and Dial 04 Josephine are all as good as anything DM3 have previously released. Quicksand (the first song that Dom ever wrote with Julian) is particularly impressive with its catchy chorus and probably should have been released as a single, not that anyone would have payed attention. Another one of the albums highlights is the Julian Mathews penned Last To Know, which has a neo-psychedelic feel thanks to some great Beatlesque keyboards and appropriate fuzz guitar. Perhaps the most interesting track is the Devo-like instrumental, Rippled Soul, which ends the album and is totally unlike anything DM3 have ever done before.

All in all, Rippled Soul is DM3's most varied album and although it doesn't match the heights set by the perfect Road To Rome, it still contains more than it?s fair share of timeless pop songs. Over the last decade DM3 have forged a solid reputation as one of the world's premier power pop bands and Rippled Soul should reinforce this view.

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