Review | Dennis Churchill Dries – Crazy Is This Life

AORBLVD Records

I have always loved the voice of US-vocalist/bass player Dennis Churchill Dries. Ever since that legendary debut record of the band White Sister that was released in 1984, I was very impressed with his voice. It was a classy record but EMI America did not know how to market the band. After that the band signed with the very small UK-label FM Records to release ‘Fashion By Passion’ in 1986. ‘Fashion By Passion’ was not as good as the debut but still had some massive songs such as ,,Save Me Tonight’’.

Not long after that White Sister changed musical direction and changed the band name into Tattoo Rodeo, signing with Atlantic Records and recording their first album ‘Rode Hard… Put Away Wet’ with producer Ron Bloom (who later also worked with Dutch band Sleeze Beez). The music was different, a more bluesy sleazy rock approach that also was displayed on their final album ‘Skin’. Certainly not bad for its day, but with hardly any commercial success, although a few singles reached the charts. I believe that around 2008 there was a reunion and that was celebrated with a live-DVD.

SOLO-ALBUM

Dennis decided to go solo and released a very reasonable solo-album entitled ‘I’ in 2015. I have no idea what he did after that. But in January of this year he managed to release his second solo-effort entitled ‘Crazy Is This Life’. His main man for this album has been UK-producer/multi-instrumentalist Steve Newman. As it goes today Dennis did his bits (singing/bass/keyboards) in his own environment in the US while Steve added hits parts in his own studio in England.

INTACT

What becomes clear from the first song  ,,Angelyne’’ is that the voice of Dennis Churchill Dries has stayed completely intact. There is still that power, the range and that big feel for melody. His singing is like a fine wine. It has matured with the years. Listen to the emotion displayed in ,,We All Rise Up’’. This man can still sing like a nightingale. Unfortunately, not too many people are aware of that. The music on this record is a mix between heavy rock, AOR and mixed with some contemporary rock with the accent on really cool vocal arrangements that show how sublime Dennis still sounds. Steve Newman has certainly added some good guitarwork and the overall sound is pleasant to hear. Maybe not all songs are as good as each other perhaps, but in general the level of the songs is above par.

DENNIS CHUCHILL DRIES – THE CONCLUSION

It might have taken Dennis some ten years plus to finish and write this record, but when you hear this one, you realize that he has put his heart and soul into it. It is not easy for an independent artist to get noticed these days, but with this thirteen song album Dennis Churchill Dries proves that he still a force to be reckoned with. The album is on a small indie label and may not be so easy to find. It is on Spotify and YouTube features a clip. Check it out folks, the album is just too good to be ignored.

Release date: 30 January 2026