The participation and collaboration list of this guy from Brooklyn, with great groups and artists, is endless. From 1984 till now there are rare moments that a single year passed without finding Jeff Scott Soto doing something.  Through his career, he has passed from bands like Yngwie Malmsteen's RISING FORCE, Axel Rudi Pell, TALISMAN, JOURNEY and has collaborated with countless artists. Beautiful Mess is his third personal album from Frontiers.

Do you expect to listen something like Disciples Of Hell here? Or something like Standing On Fire? Maybe something like Drowning, from his previous release Lost in Translation (2004)? Forget it! For the ones that connect the name Soto with RISING FORCE or TALISMAN, then Beautiful Mess won't be your cup of tea. The 21st Century which makes the start is the harder track of the album and then suddenly you think that a cosmic interference has turned on the radio. To be honest it is not my thing either, but I will try to be objective.

I do not mind that Soto in this album has turned to soul, funk, pop & R n' B lines, because I suppose that if this is what he wanted to do, then he has achieved it well, though the American pop crowd would put this release in the rock section! I do not mind the groovy Mountain. I do not mind the modern effects and loops. I do not mind the Lenny Kravitz influences in Cry Me A River, Broken Man. I do not mind the sweet and sour Gin & Tonic Sky.  I do not mind the funky Bring It Home. What I do mind is that Jeff Scott Soto doesn't use in maximum his vocal abilities.

The production is perfect for the kind of the album, and I am not surprised at all. I suppose that this release has been sent to Metal Temple for review, only because of the artist's and company's reputation, but given the present situation, there is nothing to rate.