It's funny you should mention these 2, as they are probably the 2 biggest disappointments of 2012 for me.
Jimi sounded exactly like I expected (feared) when it was announced his new album was an Erik Martesson project. Possibly my least favourite over-used writer that Frontiers seem to feel they have hit paydirt with.
Pride Of Lions are a band i've always enjoyed, and although i had been finding Jim Peterik's writing incredibly cheesey and schmultzy of late, I still held out hope. Then the lead single of Delusional was released. What an utter turd of a song that was.
Of the 2, I find myself listening to Pride Of Lions more, because I ripped every song bar Delusional to my iTunes, and there are some pretty good songs on there. Tie Down The Wind is excellent for example. Now if only Jim could write more songs like that, and never write songs like Delusional or When Rock Was King or That's Why God Made The Radio ever again, he'd be back on top form!
I hope that Jimi goes back to working with Tommy Denander, Jim Peterik, Fred Zahl, etc, and comes up with a solo album that really is a solo album for his next album. His voice is still so good, compared to alot of his contemporaries (Steve Perry, Lou Gramm, Bobby Kimball, etc), it would be nice to hear it making a great album of his own (like One Man's Trash, where he co-wrote every song) rather than singing on a Pride Of Lions sounding kind of album like Crossroads Moment or a European Survivor pastiche like Never Too Late.
Actually to contradict my last statement, I'd really love to hear Jimi do a covers album of classic British AOR, a bit like they did with the last Issa covering obscure AOR.
I'd love to hear Jimi singing some Walk On Fire, Strangeways, FM and finally hear those Atlantic covers recorded by Jimi properly, among others...
But still, a proper solo album in the future too!
Niv