|
Latest Review Summary
|
| Bon Jovi The Circle | Universal/Def Jam |
|
|
Bon Jovi have been pretty consistent in their releasing of albums since coming back into the scene with Crush. But they have also been consistent in confusing fans by being all over the place as far as direction. It seems they are not content or convinced in their role as an iconic 80s rock band still existing and staying popular modern times. We've had the career encompassing live album (fail), the mega-box set (average), the re-workings album (epic fail), the big rock album Have A Nice Day (higher pass) and most recently the country album (mostly fail). Now we have the “big rock album” that isn't a 'big rock' album at all. Their 'rock' sound has evolved into true contemporary setting, which worked for them well when mixed with their traditional sound on Have A Nice Day (mainly due to the quality of songwriting), but fails them here on The Circle. As far as I can see it, this is a pure Jon Bon Jovi album, with side-kick Richie Sambora relegated to do as he is told alongside the other members of the band (who are they again??) JBJ has dubbed this a 'big loud rock album'. Dear, oh dear…fail! It is a rock album, but it is nothing akin to the Bon Jovi of yesteryear and doesn't come close to the great (and still contemporary) effort Have A Nice Day was. I have given this album so much airtime waiting for it to grow on me, but it just doesn't. And it isn't necessarily the new modern pop/rock sound that doesn't work for me – I just think the songwriting here is second rate compared to the band's best. In my opinion the band - sorry, JBJ – is trying too hard to be something he isn't. Bon Jovi is (was) an iconic hard rock band. Jon – just accept that! You are not Coldplay and you are not U2! Producer John Shanks has to go. It is still ok to turn the guitars up, and it is still ok to have a pounding rhythm section. And it is sure as hell is still ok to sound like you did in the old days. Right now I just see too many other bands doing what Bon Jovi used to do, only better and here in the now (Winger, Kiss, Gotthard, Danger Danger). Track By Track: We Weren't Born To Follow is most likely a left over from the last few albums as it didn't cut the grade then, easily surpassed by It's My Life and Have A Nice Day. When We Were Beautiful is the worst offender for the band wanting to be Coldplay. I really like the possibilities here, but the vocals are whiney and the underlying guitars are tragically underutilized and should have exploded into the track. The song builds mood and suspense and then wastes it all by going nowhere. Work For The Working Man sees the band ripping themselves off with the bass line for You Give Love A Bad Name before disappearing into a bland chorus better suited for a John Mellencamp album. Superman Tonight has been heralded as the song of the album and it is a decent mid-tempo sentimental rocker. But personally, I don't feel that sentiment – it's all a little flat. Finally a hard rocker even if it is only mid-tempo. Bullet has a promising beat to kick things off before sounding like a rip-off of themselves yet again – this time Keep The Faith. The guitars kick in briefly, but the chorus just doesn't sound right at all. It sounds forced and is completely ineffective. Thorn In My Side is where the band sounds most natural on this record. Although filled with a modern tone, the beat kicks the song along nicely and the chorus is actually worth remembering. The mid-tempo breezy storyteller track Live Before You Die is a JBJ solo tune if there ever has been one. Typical JBJ themes of life and love and a replication of other songs included on each of the band's recent albums. Lush orchestration lifts the track beyond the standard ballad, but very safe generally. Brokenpromiseland has a cool name and I expected something cool from it. I was disappointed though when the song became another Coldplay/U2 modern rocker. And why is JBJs vocals really annoying on this record? I used to love this band and his delivery. Love's The Only Rule has a great beat and an in your face tempo, and is a more quality track, despite being a long way from the band's classic sound. But it also shows that no matter what the style, if you can deliver great songs, the rest will come with it. This album needed more songs like this. Fast Cars is a sappy Coldplay style pop rocker that does absolutely nothing for me and is a huge drop in quality after the last track. Happy Now tries to rock, but it largely forgettable and falls into the same tempo/vein as 4 or 5 other songs on the album. Learn To Love is another forgettable formulatic Bon Jovi ballad with a modern twist.
|
| Blackwood Creek Blackwood Creek | Frontiers Records FRCD438 |
|
|
Kip Winger is smack in the middle of a real purple-patch of quality songwriting. Fresh off the acclaim and glory of a killer new Winger album, Kip goes way back to where it all began and puts together his old childhood band that disbanded in 1980. As you would expect, Blackwood Creek have a slightly different sound than both that of Winger and Kip's more intense solo work. It features elements of both, but the band has its own straight ahead rock sound, uncluttered by layers of unnecessary effects (in this case), sticking to the basic premise of a great song delivered without fuss. Delivering the chemistry of a seasoned touring band, Blackwood Creek is driven by a hard edged guitar, pumping rhythm section and Kip's distinct vocals – in this case sounding like a mix between the grittier recent Winger style and his more melodic solo style. The urgent, uptempo Out In Outer Space has a great beat and strong chorus, sliding into the more acoustic driven Def Leppard melody of Nothing But The Sun. Your Revolution is another amazing song, the partnership of Winger and guitarist Peter Fletcher delivering some true quality songwriting and more memorable hooks. Dead Stung and Jimmy and Georgia feature a groovy modern vibe, while the dreamy acoustic ballad After Your Heart has sentiment in spades. The dual lead vocals on Albatross works well, the moody verse giving in to a hook filled chorus. The trio of rough and ready rockers - Rich and Greed, Joy Ride and Love Inspector get a little rawer and in your face and take the album in a different direction. Then things close with a 6 minute acoustic/electric experimental mood piece where the guys get to flex some musical muscle.
|
| Spin Gallery Embrace | Frontiers Records FRCD441 |
|
|
In many ways the new Spin Galley mirrors the story behind On The Rise. Several years since the debut, the band is now without key vocalist, songwriter and founding member Chris Antblad (pursuing a writing and solo career) and finds itself having to prove themselves all over again as a fresh project. But comparisons to the debut are always going to be made as the name remains the same. Chris wasn't interested in working as Spin Gallery again, nor was third vocalist Magnus Weidenmo, but Tommy and Kristoffer enjoyed working together and wanted to continue the name. The debut (recorded for Atenzia Records) was a wonderfully slick slice of contemporary Westcoast pop/AOR with that dual vocalist approach used to great affect. The new album is definitely a different affair. Primarily Tommy Denander on all instruments and programming and vocalist Kristoffer Langerstrom, Embrace continues the Westcoast style of the debut; with a strong Toto influence (Tommy's guitar tone and solos and the percussion arrangements in particular). There is credit to Glen Marks for 'Live Drums', but to my ear a lot of the album remains heavily programmed in the same style as other Denander projects as Radioactive, Los Angeles and AOR. Same goes for the overall sound of the album and Tommy's trademark guitar/keys/bass sound. You know what to expect there. I'm not blown away by the production – I think it is ok and is mixed well, but those not enamored with the Denander sound will find the same challenges here to overcome. And the quality of production does vary through the album. There are moments of high-tech precision and other tracks like Eyes Wide Open which sound rather low budget. Vocalist Langerstrom has one hell of a unique voice. While I think he sang beautifully on the debut album in conjunction with Chris Antblad, thrust into the spotlight here on his own, there is not as much variety on offer. The higher range and whispering approach isn't going to be for all. Those aspects discussed, there are some strong songs on offer here – the songwriting has again proven to be Tommy and Kristoffer's strong point. There is no denying the melodies and hooks within are numerous and some very catchy Denander style AOR is on offer here – Embrace, Just A Momentary Why (featuring Robin Beck in duet on lead vocals), You Do The Things You Do (marvelous hook, and featuring Dan Reed on sultry vocals!), Tic Toc (moody coolness) and the glorious chorus hook of Everything Fades are all worth checking out.
|
| On The Rise Dream Zone | Frontiers Records FRCD439 |
|
|
A mere 6 years since On The Rise's debut album comes the follow-up – Dream Zone. Some changes have taken place since the debut – not long after the release of the acclaimed self titled album, the duo of Terje Eide (lead & background vocals, guitars) and Bennech Lyngboe (lead & background vocals) split, leaving Terje as the lone member and driving force behind the name. The new album has familiar elements to that of the debut – the style is certainly the same – commercial, light and breezy 80s European AOR, but this time there is only one vocalist. The production style is also different – this album still has a consistent sound, but this time a more stripped back and less polished style. A little rougher and a little rawer. I prefer the slick sound of the debut, but that's ok. I'm enjoying this album for what it is – a classic style AOR release with a European flavor and there are some more fine songs on here. Lifeline and Lost Your Track are both terrific Survivor-esque tracks co-written by rising star Christian Wolff. Fly Away and Why Wait Another Day are also great melodic rock tunes with distinct chorus hooks. Why Wait is the third Wolff co-write and an album highlight. The moody and mellow Howling At The Moon is another highlight featuring one of the better harmony vocal displays. The closing bonus track Find A Way is maybe the best track of the whole album – not sure why it is relegated to bonus track status at the end of the album. Very cool Mecca style AOR. It between these highlights are some ok tracks, but I must say that those highlighted are all co-writes. Terje is a terrific guy, but perhaps he benefits most from working with a co-writer. Some of the tunes penned by himself struggle to flow as easily as the others and the chorus hooks are not as immediate. There is just something missing and I sense that in several places throughout the album.
|
| Mr. Big Back To Budokan | Frontiers Records FRCD427 |
|
|
How many times have they said it will never happen? Never say never – especially in this business! Best thing about this killer double live album is the chemistry clearly on display between the band members – dispelling any cynical conclusion that the re-union is just for money and not for the sake of making great music again and celebrating music already made. The band has an incredible catalogue of tunes and the best are on display here – live favourites and some deep album cuts in-between the obvious hit singles. And after several years break, it's great to hear how fresh the songs sound and how rocking these guys really are. Like many bands of the era, they got some stick from the uneducated for having a hit ballad to their name. Patooey! At the heart of Mr. Big is four rock music icons and rock is what they do best. I love this band with a passion, dating back to their debut album and even Eric Martin as a solo artist before that. Despite my geographical disability, I managed to see the band live on their Lean Into It tour – one of my favourite shows ever! And they are on fire again here. This is a lengthy set list that sees solos and improvisation sit alongside the regular songs with ease and although not a fan of solos too much per se, I really do enjoy them in this setting. Best tracks here is a subjective choice, depending on what your personal favourites are – but for me its Take Cover, Green Tinted Sixties Mind, Promise Her The Moon, Addicted To That Rush, Colorade Bulldog and their now classic cover of The Who's Baba O'Reily…just to name a few!
|
| Dare Arc Of The Dawn | Legend Records/NL Distribution |
|
|
Never ever count the years between Dare albums – it will only leave you frustrated and feeling old. But thankfully 2009 is an “on” year and Dare have returned with another accomplished dose of highly produced, super-slick British AOR to feast upon and keep your ears happy until at least 2012! Darren Wharton really is the master of personal lyrics and haunting melodies, wrapped in layers and layers of keyboards and guitar parts. Dare's sound is unique and unmistakable. And on Arc Of The Dawn, the band has not deviated from the formula that got them this far. I really love this band, but started feeling some frustration at the lack of variety and the ever softening structure of their songs over the last album or two. I'm thankful that Darren Wharton has turned that around somewhat and mixed up the tempo here and has also re-introduced guitar as the dominant instrument of most songs. There was some confusion if original guitarist Vinny Burns was to record guitar parts for this album and as soon as I heard it, I presumed he had. But I'm assured that time did not allow that to happen and the duties for this album were handled entirely by Richie Dews. Congrats Richie – you sound fabulous and the more prominent guitar takes me back to the excellent Calm Before The Storm album. Dublin and Shelter In The Storm really are stand out tracks of pure Dare brilliance. When likewise. And the huge ballad Still Waiting is just brilliant, with the guitar parts lifting the song into orbit mid-way through. The only disappointments I have to register here is the repeat performance of the songs King Of Spades and I Will Return (Return This Heart) from the debut album. I know the reasoning behind this, but I have those tracks already and they will never be beaten. The reworking of Thin Lizzy's Emerald into a moody Dare style track is more acceptable and really very cool. And another cover is included, with a fairly straight-forward cover of the classic Cheap Trick ballad The Flame. Some will love this, others not, but it's fair to say that the song fits Darren Wharton's voice and style to a tee and personally I rate it highly.
|
| Mike Tramp The Rock N Roll Cirkuz | Sony Denmark |
|
|
Mike's going to kill me for this. I've previously been painted as a Tramp fan-boy due to my very positive reviews and coverage of Mike's music. And I guess that is true to a point – I love Mike's solo work and I grew up on White Lion and rate Recovering The Wasted Years as one of the finest solo records of the decade. But here is proof that I will always call it as I see it – regardless of who the album review is for. And with The Rock N Roll Circuz, I feel that Mike has shifted into a direction I'm not as keen on and think that some classy songwriting has been affected by choice of musical direction. In part – the part where this album really works – Mike returns to the storytelling feel of his Recovering and More To Life Than This albums, delving into the Springsteen meets the more laid back White Lion approach that gives Mike his solo sound. Lyrically Mike sticks to his familiar theme of life, love and doing it all for Rock n Roll. Songwise, the one minute intro track is of little consequence, but the opening All Of My Life is just golden. Everything I love about Mike's work and about rock n roll in general. Back To You has a more modern approach, but is still 100% Mike and another winner. Come On is the first sign that other musical elements have crept into the music, with a slight mid-west country feel in play. Still, another memorable song. Anymore is a heartfelt ballad, with acoustic guitars driving the song and strings bringing that country feel to the forefront. Highway is another uptempo sing-along favourite – not as prominent with the acoustic influence and rocking along nicely. Elsewhere on the album is the mid-west/country tinged ballads of The Road and Wiseman; while Rockabilly gets a run on No Tomorrow and Sunshine; and John Mellencamp gets a nod with Between Good N Bad and Lay Down Your Guns. More traditional Tramp fare comes in the form of the haunting orchestral ballad When She Cries, featuring a wonderfully heartfelt vocal.
|
| Los Angeles Neverland | Frontiers Records FRCD437 |
|
|
I was pretty kind to the debut Los Angeles album – despite featuring the worst CD cover in living memory. Glad that has improved this time around… The album also features a better production effort from Fabrizio Grossi and a majority of original songs co-written by lead vocalist Michele Luppi, rather than covers. Tommy Denander is back in full flight as lead guitarist – so you know what to expect there. So, good guitar playing, decent production (although it does sound a little sterile at times) and some good song choices. So why doesn't it quite all come together properly? Great question and one I'm not sure I can fully answer, despite giving this album a lot of attention prior to writing the review. I think that at the heart of it, the CD just doesn't flow very well. This sounds more like a collection of songs rather than a record crafted from start to finish. And despite being quite fond of Italian vocalist Luppi's vocal tone (and undeniable power), I can't help but get side tracked by the extremely poor pronunciation on these songs. In places the pronunciation is among the absolute worst I have heard from any European singer attempting to sing in English. It's very obvious – especially where he tries to cover Richard Marx (Noting To Hide) and Wait For You (another Martin Brothers gem) that it sounds horrible. Shame to make a point of that and I didn't mention that issue when reviewing the debut, but here I find it very distracting. I think there are some great songs here, but it is the delivery of them and the fact I don't think the album flows very well that effects my enjoyment of the album as a whole. Highlights as they stand on their own two feet are the ballad Promises; the aforementioned Wait For You (accent aside); the feel good AOR anthem Higher Love and Welcome To My Life. Special mention must go to keyboardist Eric Ragno who is all over this record and makes it that much better for his involvement. The keyboard fills throughout the album really are a joy and are beautifully mixed in within the layers of the songs.
|
| 101 South No U-Turn | AOR Heaven 00039 |
|
|
Another incredibly hard review for me to write as founding member, songwriter and keyboardist Roger Scott Craig is a wonderful guy and a strong advocate for musician's rights and anti-downloading laws. And between the bands Fortune, Harlan Cage and 101 South, he has recorded some world class AOR music that to this day I still enjoy. For me the pinnacle was Harlan Cage's Forbidden Colours. The side project from HC was 101 South, featuring vocalist Gregory Lynn Hall. The two albums preceding this one featured a slicker, softer sound than Harlan Cage, but with that same moody overtone. The new album No U-Turn keeps that style in tact, but falls a long way short of its predecessors due to seriously below par production quality. End Of The Game, From What You Know Now and When You're In Love are prime examples of what could have been with a better sound. The vocals are up front in the mix, but Hall sounds a lot rougher than I remember him being. Very raspy this time around. Musically, the instrumentation lacks punch and the drums are really placid, rather than being the driving force behind the music. There are still some highlights on offer – the seriously good classic moody, mid-tempo AOR of Lonely Heart for one. Just wish it had a bigger sound behind it. What Are You Gonna Do Anyway could have been pomp anthem of the year if given the full production treatment previous albums received. Yesterday's Gone is another uptempo track with comparisons to Harlan Cage, but the programmed drums and the guitars buried in the back of the mix just destroy it. The great Chris Thompson takes over lead vocals for the haunting ballad Blue Skies, which is one of the stronger songs of the album.
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
| Mastedon 3 | Frontiers Records FRCD432 |
|
|
I haven't had any prior experience with Mastedon – just one of those bands you miss from time to time. But I love John Elefante's voice! Who can forget his incredible Young And Innocent track from the St. Elmo's Fire soundtrack, his other more melodic Elefante project and of course production work with Petra and being a two time member of Kansas. Mastedon in 2009 is a fair distance from the two hard rocking albums from nearly 20 years back. Mastedon 3 is more reflective of an artist that has matured and takes in all of Elefante's musical influences over the years. This is one mighty fine record that is a little traditional AOR, a little pomp and a little progressive. The end result is a superb sounding record with some epic moments, some breathtaking arrangements, big harmonies and a brilliant vocal performance from John. The album impresses on a number of levels. The production and crisp mix are spot on and John's vocals are just heavenly – power and melody at the same time. The organ soaked melody of Revolution Of Mind is just about everything I love about this kinda of music – genius stuff. The 6 minute Nowhere Without Your Love is epic AOR with one of the year's biggest and most passionate chorus harmonies. Truly immense and glorious to the note. A definite Kansas influence here, but nowhere near as much as the 10 minute true epic that follows – One Day Down By The Lake. This tune is absolutely classic 70s rock and classic Kansas, even featuring Kerry Livgren on guitar. The heart pumping Water Into Wine rocks, while It's About Time offers another true vocal highlight of 2009. Then another highlight in You Can't Take Anything. Great lead guitar courtesy of Dave Amato and another sensational vocal that wraps around the harmony of the song and strengthens it. Lying is yet another winner, making this one of the most consistent records of the year. That's What You Do is another feel good melodic rocker with a punchy verse, but melodically blissful chorus. Closing the album is a really inspired, haunting cover of the Kansas classic Dust In The Wind. Magic!
|
| Blanc Faces Falling From The Moon | Frontiers Records FRCD431 |
|
|
The La Blanc Brothers delivered a strong classic AOR themed debut album three years back. A little too much time between records, the legacy of Blanc Faces hinged on the duo delivering an album to prove the debut was no one-off and they were capable of continuing to deliver. Well, Falling From The Moon does deliver. There are no surprises here and nothing we didn't hear on the debut, but that's ok. The formula remains intact, but this time around everything has been done better. The production is much stronger and the super crisp mix (from Dennis Ward) gives every layer room to breathe. The performances are terrific – especially the vocals and the songwriting. The album delivers some highly catchy commercial American AOR. You don't get much better than the opening duo of I Come Alive and Falling From The Moon. The vocals have a little Mecca/Joe Vana feel to them, letting emotions come to the fore in the ballad Everything. It's All About The Love showcases the extreme commerciality of the record, with 80s keys giving the album its poppiest moments. It's here and a few times elsewhere that things tend to get a little cheesy, but that is outweighed by the gems like the moodier Deep In The Heart. That's where I'd like to see the guys take their music – the punchier side of things, such as this track, Don't Take It Away and I Come Alive. The Survivor-esque ballad Light Of The World is another superb moodier track and I Will is like Glass Tiger goes Midwestern AOR. The big ballad Fly is another Mecca moment and closes the album in style.
|
| Markonee See The Thunder | Escape Music ESM199 |
|
|
This is one of those albums that needs repeat listens to appreciate. I didn't get into it at all first couple of listens, but over time it does reveal its charms. See The Thunder is what you would have to describe as a fairly straight forward hard rock release from this Italian outfit. The album is self produced, but mixed and mastered by Beau Hill, so the sound is pretty tight. It is one of those to the point, no frills affairs. Not the catchiest material ever, nor the best musicians ever, but overall very neat and tidy and something that is going to appeal to fans of European hard rock. The vocals of Gabriele Gozzi need a little getting used to. When he's at his best he sounds a little like Little Angels' frontman Toby Jepson – and the band has that melodic guitar/bass/drum sound that Little Angels had. The punchy hard rocker Shores Of Another Sea best illustrate this, as does the following sleaze rocker The Big K. There's some good rock n roll highlights in The Cross Between The Lies and the more melodic Brand New Day and the keyboard lite Cherry Blossom. Closer I Believe In Father Christmas has nothing to do with Christmas at all, but still manages to deliver a good strong chorus and closes the album with a punch.
|
| Angel House The Gun, The Love And The Cross | Escape Music ESM200 |
|
|
Angel House has been around several years and this is their second full length release. Based in Birmingham, UK, the band centers their sound around traditional British hard rock and a dash of bluesy free flowing sleaze, a la The Almighty and AC/DC. I must say that I have tried and tried, but I'm still struggling with this album. I just don't see it having the wider appeal of some other titles released this year. Rough and gruff vocalist Pete Easthope is one issue – I don't feel his voice is strong enough to make any kind of impact. The music itself is ok – but very loose, very raw and very underdone as far as production. The energy of the record is undeniable and I imagine these guys would sound much better live. But on record it falls a little flat and is missing that sonic impact required to elevate what are some decent songs into another league. Lots of guitar here and a loose, energetic feel and definitely designed to be played loud.
|
| Kings Of Modesty Hell Or Highwater | Escape Music ESM |
|
|
A strong debut here – made more credible no doubt by the several years of playing together the band has under their belt. Kings Of Modesty are a big, loud in your face rock band from Finland – specializing in the style of melodic metal that has made big names out of Leverage, Nightwish and Jorn Lande. There are strong melodic ties here – lead vocalist is Jason Flinck of Brother Firetribe (Bassist) and the album is mixed by Leverage guitar wizard Torsti Spoof with Jari Mikkola. The sound is obviously big and the tempo matches. This is an at-times furious, kick drum fuelled assault on the senses, with soaring vocals, huge guitar riffs and solos plus a pounding, relentless rhythm section. But all the while the vocals of Flinck keeps things melodic and flowing. Never Touched The Rainbow may be the boisterous opener, but Hourglass is my pick for melody driven metal. What I like about this album and others that I've rated well over the years, is the band's ability to really deliver some heavy tunes, but always produce a memorable hook and chorus to come back to. The keyboard friendly Staring Eyes is a great example of that. In between some melodic numbers are true metal epics like Hell Or High Water and Miracle. The only slower numbers are the moody Once Upon A Time and the closing ballad Two Hearts Collide.
|
| W.E.T. W.E.T. | Frontiers Records FRCD434 |
|
|
It has been more than two years since I handed out a perfect score. I don't do these things lightly. But there is no doubt in my mind that this album represents the highest quality possible – the songwriting, performance energy, production are all perfect in my eyes and most importantly, I feel that this album pushes the melodic rock genre forward. Without forward movement we are all doomed to do nothing but reflect on past glories and we can't do that forever. Albums like this are exactly what is needed to keep the genre fresh and invigorated. I have had the advantage of having this record since June, so it has well and truly had time to sink in and grow on me. I have been listening to it almost continually since then and still want to keep putting it on over and over. I have different favourite songs from week to week and haven't tired of one track on here. If the 700 news blurbs have escaped your attention, W.E.T. is Robert Sall (songwriting) of Work Of Art representing the 'W'; chief brains trust and multi-instrumentalist/guitarist/producer/songwriter Erik Martensson from Eclipse representing the 'E' and songwriter/vocalist Jeff Scott Soto representing the 'T' as in Talisman. The band evolved from an idea out of the Frontiers Records office, who had the continued desire for JSS to deliver a melodic rock record, when the singer wanted to expand his solo name into other styles. Eclipse and Work Of Art were two of the bands of 2008 – both of which delivering critically acclaimed albums that were also snapped up by hungry fans. With the project line-up settled, demos were commenced and it wasn't long before genuine chemistry developed and the project become a band. The songwriting here is nothing short of brilliant. Chief writers Erik Martensson and Robert Sall along with Miqael Persson with have assembled an amazing array of songs. Performing the songs, you get the very best of Jeff Scott Soto's power and passion, and the master Erik Martensson is simply on fire. The Eclipse album was a monument to melodic hard rock craftsmanship, but he's gone one step further here. What I love is that the album contains moments of AOR passion, but isn't restricted to just being an AOR release. There are some truly heavy moments here, which are made more commercial and catchy by the team involved. And this isn't an old-school release. Erik's ability to update that classic sound and drive it into the future with powerhouse rhythm and production effects makes this an equally classic and contemporary release. Track By Track: Invincible starts off very calmly and builds…sounds very melodic…then bang! We're underway. Great sounding guitars, powerful rhythm section, vocals right up in the mix and JSS sounding more melodic than he ever has. More so than Eyes, more so than Prism. He's back into that higher range and really pushes his vocals to the limit, yet it sounds absolutely natural and 100% engaging. And you know you can't help but sing along – in fact, to the whole album. I'm always tired when I get to the end of this record from singing along. One Love is simply brilliant. Pure melodic rock songwriting brilliance. The verse features some memorable vocal lines, but the chorus soars higher than ever expected and goes right over the top – all layered in harmonies. Brothers In Arms is – like most of the tracks here – another glorious slice of harmony drenched melodic rock in the finest tradition of the genre. The chorus is immense again and the mid-song bridge/instrumental passage is powerful, moody and hard rocking, all within the same two minute setting. And the final chorus just blows the lid off everything to date. It is time for a chance of pace and Comes Down Like Rain is just that. A soft, sultry vocal whispers over some subtle instrumentation. The first chorus is almost not there – it sends chills up your spine and it isn't until 2 minutes into the song that things blow up. And what a heart wrenching chorus it is. Things turn heavier with a big guitar solo before going completely soft again – brilliant songwriting again in play. Running From The Heartache is pure Steve Perry/Journey, or pure classic AOR at any rate. Smooth, mid-tempo keyboard drenched AOR with another killer bridge/chorus arrangement and harmonies through the roof. After smooth American AOR of the previous track, the urgent I'll Be There has a more European feel to it, but is equally melodic. And yes, another bloody huge chorus with a big soaring JSS vocal, reaching into those higher than high ranges again. The latter half of the song is filled with solos and gets heavier, leading perfectly into two of the heaviest tracks on the album. Damage Is Done just rocks. The sound isn't far from Eclipse and represents another European twist. The straight ahead rocker is a definite 'album track', but is placed perfectly to make the flow of the album just brilliant. Then…it's The Who….no its Whitesnake! The intro to Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is is just pure energy and the verse vocal is stamped with authority. The chorus isn't as big as some earlier tracks, but the tempo and direction of the track makes it equally infectious. The last part of the album goes heavy, melodic, heavy, melodic…and One Day At A Time is the track to take a breather on. Holy shit does this song get to me. This is the big power ballad of the album and features a chorus with harmonies to high I never thought I would ever hear JSS sing like this. This is noting short of stunning and one of the great ballads of the last few years. Time to rock again and the heaviest track on the album is the double time rhythm of Just Go. With a pumping riff kicking it off and a raspy vocal throughout, the song powers along, albeit with a prominent keyboard riff joining in. The chorus is furious and the drumming outstanding. My Everything sees the guys step back into pure American AOR, in a similar vein to Running From The Heartache. More layered harmonies, backing vocals a big chorus make it yet another winner. This breathtaking album closes with one of the songs of the decade. If I Fall is W.E.T.'s very own Don't Stop Believin'. Clocking in at over 6 minutes, this is pure feel good, uptempo AOR gold! It starts slow and builds with a Neal Schon-like guitar riff, piano, drums and then that vocal. Steve Perry is back and singing his lungs out. The song sounds like it could have come from Trial By Fire or Perry's For The Love Of Strange Medicine, but the chorus is pure Escape! Harmonies, layers of vocals, a feel good lyric and JSS' monster voice. Even better the regular song structure winds up at about the 3 minute mark and guitars take over. JSS sings the hamonies over an extended Journey-esque lead guitar break that runs until the song closes. What a stunning way to finish the album. This song is a huge middle finger to Journey – as if to state – 'hey, you wanted the heritage sound, here it is…' Soto has never sounded so soulful and powerful as he does here. Steve Perry goes metal…
I have only ever handed out perfect scores on 7 previous occasions and the last was 3 years ago! (Danger Danger x 2; Harem Scarem x 2; TNT; Toto; Mecca). That's how much I believe in this album.
|
| Winger Karma | Frontiers Records FRCD429 |
|
|
It was the amazing Pull album that had me thinking Winger were truly an underrated band and it was Kip's solo album Thiscoversationseemslikeadream that convinced me that Kip was a genius at capturing moods and emotions and was always going that one step further creatively in order to create a masterpiece. Winger's comeback album IV provided fans with something more to chew on, although some didn't like the taste as much as the band's earlier work. But on Karma, the band comes full circle, retracing the uptempo stadium sounds that influenced the first two albums, and mixing that with the intensity and darker mood of Pull, plus a little of the contemporary vibe of IV. The result is a highly contagious and engrossing record that should please fans of every era of the band's history – this truly is one album for the fans. Karma is a tough, gritty hard rock record, with more emphasis placed on guitars than just about any other Winger release. It also features Kip almost growling into the mike on occasion – reinforcing a tough, 'live in the studio' feel that the songs resonate. For the record – there are still plenty of Kip's silky smooth vocals too and some passionate balladry, but for the most part, this is just a great, in your face, loud rock n roll record. The opening riff-tastic salvo of Deal With The Devil and Stone Cold Killer are two of the hardest rocking Winger tracks to date and really get the heart pumping. Big World Away is one of those modern/meets melodic tracks that could have fit onto Winger IV, but has the melodic chorus of something off Pull. Kip's verse vocal is almost a rap/shout – only he could get away with this! The song has an amazing late bridge guitar solo that further demonstrates the dominance of guitars on this record. Come A Little Closer is another astounding track filled with production effects, layers of vocals and melodies. Another moody old-meets-new rocker. Pull Me Under just flat out rocks! The chorus is melodic bliss and the dual finger shred guitar solo is breathtaking. After a series of rather short songs, the album finds its first epic in the 6 minute Supernova – a slow and sultry song that takes a while to hit its peak. Always Within Me is another moody, slow starting track that could easily have come from either of the last 2 albums, with the added bonus of an amazing chorus. Feeding Frenzy is dark, heavy and gives the album a hard rock hit before closing with two more reflective, intense epics. The first being the 6 minute ballad After All This Time – an earthy, organ filled slow rock ballad with some classy soloing throughout. Then the 7 minute kicker Witness. Wow! What a massive haunting musical landscape with lush vocals, layers of instrumentation and then a beyond massive guitar solo from Reb Beach – the guy can seriously play. One of the best solos in recent memory here. Closing the album is a two minute piano instrumental First Ending.
|
| Jaded Heart Perfect Insanity | Frontiers Records FRCD430 |
|
|
On their third studio album with new singer Johan Fahlberg, Jaded Heart has once and for all ditched the sound that made them popular to start with. Gone is the melodic rock/melodic hard rock sound of the Bormann era. They have gradually stepped into a heavier arena and with Perfect Insanity the transformation is complete. Jaded Heart is now a melodic metal outfit, competing with the likes of Edguy and Yngwie Malmsteen. There is a surprising amount of shredding on this record (in a good way), but also not enough emphasis on killer hooks for the choruses. The unfortunate thing here is that no matter how good this album might have been, it will still divide the fan base as some of the melodic rockers will simply not want to hear a metal outfit. The album needed to be an absolute classic to bring in new fans and I don't think it is convincing enough to do that. Perfect Insanity is a monster sounding record – the production really is quite special. And the guitars are world class, ear damaging quality. And Johan's vocals do suit this new direction. There is a lot to appreciate on this record. But at the end of the day, the band fall short (once again) on the songwriting. The first half of the record kicks ass, but then it kinda runs out of steam. That's if you are still listening due to the style change. Love is a Killer is a terrific big heavy anthem with the necessary harmony in the chorus to make it a winner. Fly Away is about 2 minutes too long, but still remains a solid metal track. Blood Stained Lies is another good double-time rocker with decent chorus and some harmony vocals. Tonight is the band doing it slower, while retaining the heaviness. It works ok. Freedom Call is a classic Yngwie shred fest, which those fans will love. One Life One Death is the big ballad of the album, but I just don't feel the sentiment coming from the band here. The last couple of tracks struggled with melody and hooks and from this point it just gets harder to keep the attention on the songs - Hell Just Arrived being the exception.
|
| Salute Toy Soldier | Escape Music ESM195 |
|
|
What a great pairing of artists! The ever raspy, yet passionate and powerful vocalist Mikael Erlandsson (Last Autumn's Dream, Solo) has joined forces with the super producer/guitarist Martin Kronlund (Dogface, Gypsy Rose, Overland, Radio Silence) to produce a glorious rocking AOR album. In place is the busiest production team in the business – the Kronlund Choir I'll call them – making this a solid and perfectly balanced recording, making one of the year's best and most powerful AOR albums. The opening uptempo bliss of Lost In A Dream and Cheated are two of the best, most energetic AOR/hard rock anthems of the year – just glorious! Running Away With You and I Am Your Prisoner are tougher, slower and more direct, while I Really Want You In My Life is kind of in-between as far as style – a straight forward melodic rocker. Toy Soldier is a terrific mid-tempo and moody rock ballad that connects well to the more urgent, but equally moody Steel Desire. Be A Star and Dynamite roll along at a reasonable pace – not album highlights but not fillers either. Yesterday Always Been Gone picks up the tempo again and features a strong chorus and nice riff. It's My Time is a cool mid-tempo AOR track with another strong chorus and the album closes with the passionate and epic mid-tempo rock ballad Follow The Sun – another terrific song and lead vocal.
|
| Overland Diamond Dealer | Escape Music ESM198 |
|
|
Steve Overland is becoming the wandering gypsy of melodic rock. From The Ladder, to Shadowman, to his duties back with FM, to his own solo brand Overland. He's a man on a mission after several years in the wilderness. The first Overland release was a partnership with Grand Illusion's Anders Rydholm. The style was heavily driven by Ander's own Grand Illusion pomp quirkiness, but was a good, if not different fit for Steve. Now for the second Overland release we have a completely different team on board and we find Steve Overland back into his comfort zone, producing, straight forward soulful British AOR. The primary writing and performance partner here is the much respected Norwegian rocker Tor Talle. Tor handles all guitars and keyboards and co-writes the material with Steve Overland. And for the remaining backing band and production - yes, it's the Martin Kronlund production team yet again! But you really can't argue with the quality they deliver and Martin always makes his records sound great – even when moving across different styles. As stated, Diamond Dealer is a more traditional British AOR record. The first Overland was quite confronting and heavy in places, but the name of the game here is….smooth! Yes, smooth vocals…smooth songs…lush production and majority mid-tempo songs. The quality is unquestionable and Steve sounds in perfect voice – really solid. The only issue I confront from time to time during the album is a slight lack of variation in the pace. Minor point. Highlights from the album include the Bon Jovi-ish groove of Train, Train; the glorious AOR of You Lift Me Up (one of the best Overland sung songs in a long time); the smooth 80s influenced Where Is The Love; the soft ballad Brave New World; the uptempo City Of Dreams, which features a great chorus; the supper slick I'm Still Breathing; the anthemic AOR of Hearts Don't Lie and the big closing ballad Coming Home (featuring some great guitar work).
|
| Kimberley Dahme Can't A Girl Change Her Mind | Escape Music ESM197 |
|
|
Kimberley Dahme is best known for popping up into the Boston camp and being part of the band's current touring line-up and the poorly received Corporate America record. Her biggest offence was being responsible for the awful country track that featured mid-way through that album. Completely out of place and style. That song appears again here – on Kimberely's own solo album. Not as bad this time around as at least it is in the correct setting. For her solo album, Kimberely doesn't disguise her style and nor should she have to. But no matter how much she is painted as a girl that likes to rock, or how much this album is described as a country rock album – I don't buy either description. First and foremost - this is a country record. It may have some pop tendencies and an occasional uptempo song that features some “rock” guitars, but it is still country. Much of the album is layered in acoustic guitars, southern twang and even one track with no musical accompaniment at all. Think Bonnie Raitt without the grit or Shania Twain without the Mutt. The guest list is as long as the CD itself, with such names as Gary Pihl & Tom Scholz (Boston); Glen Burtnik (solo and Styx), Dave Uhrich, Timothy Gaines and many more. For what it is – the album is very well recorded and sounds well mixed. The instrumentation is well balanced and Kimberley's vocals are likable. The album is fairly slow in pace and I can't seem to get past the first few tracks on any given listen. On the times I have spun it through for review purposes, I couldn't wait to get done with it.
|
| Foreigner Can't Slow Down | Atlantic Rhino / WalMart R2 521324 |
|
|
This is not the record I expected from the band. After the release of Too Late a year or two back, the band's first new tune in years and one that sounded as if it came straight out of the 70s, and after several years of solid touring, I figured a new Foreigner album would be pretty hard rocking and reminiscent of their earlier works. Not so! But that isn't a bad thing; it is just not what I expected. Instead, the new album is an ultra-smooth collection of slow and mid-tempo numbers that features an immaculate production and some fine performances. Some 15 years on from one of my Foreigner records ever, I see this album as a natural successor to Mr. Moonlight. Track By Track: It's evident from the first 10 seconds of the new album that this is a high-tech affair and not just Foreigner sticking to a retro theme. The rocker Can't Slow Down is a blast of energetic melodic rock with an anthemic 80s feel, yet delivered with today's best production effects and layers of instrumentation. The guitar stands high in the mix, yet not so much as a hard edged tool, but rather as a lush layer of melodies. But the true highlight here – as it is throughout the album – is the vocals of singer Kelly Hansen. He has fronted the band for several years now, touring continuously and sounds amazing here – bringing his own style, but the familiarity of a close Lou Gramm tone to the album. In Pieces is a moody slow to mid tempo ballad with a sultry verse and an emotional chorus with an immaculate vocal. When It Comes to Love is another ballad – and the first single from the album. It especially reminds me of the acoustic driven style of the Mr. Moonlight album and a little of the tempo of Say You Will off Inside Information. This is another great tune and one you can't help but sing along to. Nice to hear the Foreigner horns in play – they also feature prominently through the record. Living In A Dream is my pick of the album. A more guitar driven tune, the song has a sultry base, and a great guitar tone. Kelly sounds amazing as he lifts the song into orbit for the bridge and verse. A high-tech rocker with horns, guitars, harmonies. Perfect stuff! Yet another ballad kills the flow of the album a little here. 3 ballads in the opening 5 tracks knocks the album off balance a little. Definitely a little too laid back. Still, I Can't Give Up is a different kind of ballad. We've had moody, light and breezy and now we have the big, emotional piano ballad. Another strong and really well produced song with amazing vocals and a nice guitar solo riding under the last part of the song. Thankfully the tempo heads into high gear for the tech-rocker Ready. Mick Jones has an interesting tone and style throughout this album – not as riff based as previously has been the case. Case in point the solo during this track. Again Kelly makes his presence well known with some effect filled vocals in the verse giving way to a burst of high range melody. Give Me a Sign is a mid-tempo guitar fuelled rock track that again sounds like Mr. Moonlight in places. The laid back verse bursts to life with a jazzy rock feel and horns blazing through the chorus. I'll Be Home Tonight is another ballad and perhaps one of the album's best. This is a slow to mid-tempo number that features a slow verse but more rousing chorus. This is a real 80s style rock ballad. The song Too Late has been around for a while now and has been routinely played in the band's live set. This classic 70s rocker in vintage Foreigner style was how I expected the album to sound like, but rather the guys took a more contemporary approach. For that reason, this now sounds a little out of place, but there is no denying the class of the track and Kelly's ability to hone in 70s Lou Gramm. Lonely is another one of my favourites from the album. Kicking off like a lost track from the 80s, the song glides along until the chorus kicks into high gear. Not a huge hook, but something that simply can't be erased from your mind. As Long As I Live is yet another ballad – this album really is dominated by the slower pace. But of course…another classy song. I just wish this rocked a little more than it does. Still, the tempo of this ballad is above that of the others and the passionate vocals of Kelly are a joy. Angel Tonight stars relatively laid back, but has a wonderful more rocking chorus with a higher vocal and instantly memorable hook. The song picks up as it goes along and features one of the better guitar solos of the album. Another highlight for me. Fool For You Anyway is – like Too Late – a little out of place stylistically. The only studio remake to make this set is a more laid back, blues and jazz kinda remake. Kelly sounds amazing of course and the production is perfect, but to me it closes out the album on the wrong note.
The music though – that's top notch stuff. Foreigner fans have to be happy with this album. Some will complain about the lack of rock on here – me included – but the performances and immaculate production are nothing short of sensational. I could say it is the band's best album in years, but it is their only album in years! Welcome back guys.
|
| Kiss Sonic Boom | Kiss/WalMart |
|
|
Kiss are back! Well…they have their first studio album in many years at least. It is hard to declare Kiss 'back' when they never really went away. Kiss Inc. has kept fans busy with tours, merchandise and an ever-constant media presence. But this is the first look at new material for fans after solo albums from Stanley and Simmons in recent years plus a range of archive DVD collections. Kiss has done precisely the right thing here – they have made an album for the fans and for themselves. No towing any record label line and no attempts to follow a particular trend or update their sound unnecessarily. Mind you, if there is any trend developing, it is one towards being cool for just being yourself and for more organic classic rock records. So Kiss under the command of Paul Stanley set about making a classic Kiss record for the ages. I think they have achieved that too. Importantly this sounds like a real band record and everyone gets some time in the spotlight. The production, while not the crispest ever, has a big sound and is authentic in that it captures the energy of the band and songs and reflects the style of the band through the ages. The triple pack release adds value for money for casual and die-hard fans alike, but the real interest for all is the new material. Track By Track: Modern Day Delilah is the single we've all heard – the tune that reintroduced the band to the world. Tough, uncompromising and both contemporary and classic at the same time. Catchy without even trying. Russian Roulette features Gene singing as well as, well…as well as Gene “sings”. And I love the guitar tone on this one. Unmistakably Kiss and nice and clean. I prefer the double time bridge that leads to the chorus, which plods a little, but still a very good straight ahead rocker. Never Enough to me sounds like 80s Kiss without the tinfoil production. Paul sounds in terrific form here and the chorus is pure anthemic pyro-inspired rock n roll. One for the live set list surely? Gene is back to front the dirty 70s rocker Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect). This is the best example of 70s Kiss on the record I reckon. Self-indulgent lyrics, an instant chorus and a tasty guitar solo in there also. Stand is another 80s style song with a more 70s inspired production. Anthemic arena rocker with classic Kiss traits. Gene and Paul duet through the track, but you have to love the chorus. Hot And Cold features yet more Gene lead vocals. Curious that his role in the album is so prominent given that Stanley apparently had full creative control. Not the greatest vocalist in the world (or anywhere else), Gene still manages to carry the integrity of the song – more 70s inspired dirty rock n roll. Not to be taken seriously lyrics are the name of the game. All For The Glory is a track I really dig. More bombastic 70s rock here and a big over the top chorus. Absolutely love the dirty guitar tone here (and killer solo), plus the faster tempo. Eric Singer sings his heart out and puts his hand up for future vocal duties with a strong performance. Danger Us is another really strong rocker that features more inspired guitar playing and a strong Paul Stanley lead vocal. More silly lyrics that seem to work (this is Kiss afterall!). The latter half of the album proves to be delivering the goods more than the opening half. Despite being one of the heavier rockers on the album, I'm An Animal is one of the album's totally duff tracks I'm sorry to say. The band delivers a massive 70s groove, but Gene's vocals aren't overly appealing and the chorus for me is completely forgettable. When Lightning Strikes is much better. Digging this one still – featuring Tommy Thayer on vocals. His tone fits the band well and sounds very comfortable. A good commercial chorus ensures this feel good rocker works. The album closes with Say Yeah – another uptempo rocker featuring Paul Stanley. I see this tune as old meets new, 70s meets 80s and classic Kiss all the way. Love the chorus – one which could easily have been included on Stanley's very good solo record.
It's not the perfect record or the second coming. Nor I don't rate it as the best Kiss album in 30 years, but I do rate it as one of their best. It is a true statement from the band that they are still very much relevant; still capable of kicking ass after all these years; and can still write and play their own music! Now, if only today's immerging bands could be forced to take a few lessons from these veterans, we might all be better off.
|
| Lita Ford Wicked Wonderland | JLRG Ent. |
|
|
Lita Ford returns from her island retreat to unleash her own special brand of high energy girl power rock n roll upon the masses. Not quite. An album like this may have made a few waves in 1998 (not among the long time fans though), but in 2009 someone should have told Lita that it is ok once again to make music from the heart and just be true to who you are/were – for a while there, Lita was the Queen of melodic hard rock. For me the trio of releases Lita, Stiletto and Dangerous Curves were the pinnacle of her career. The days of having to sellout to trends is over – the music industry is on its ass and the remaining loyal fans that still buy CDs just want their favourite artist to be themselves. To rock out like 20 years has never passed. You know, everyone is getting older and bands seldom make more than one album every couple of yeas, so why are artists pissing away valuable time trying to be something they aren't? There was a time during the mid-late 90s where just about every stadium rock act tried to step out of the box and cash in on the trend of going modern. But how many bands actually recorded something credible or worthwhile? I can count on one hand the ones that worked. The rest stood out as turds amongst roses. In recent years common sense has finally prevailed and most bands have realized that it is better not to piss off what fans you have left and instead try and cater to those fans by delivering the music they want – the music that made these bands great in the first place. How could Lita Ford not be aware of this? Maybe she had to make this record just for herself. My biggest gripe here is that this is not a Lita Ford album. Seriously – she is barely heard on some tracks. Instead, this is a Jim Gillette vanity project. Jim is Lita's husband and the former frontman of indie metal act Nitro. Now, had the album been credited appropriately or given a project name, you could forgive the pair for getting self-indulgent and doing whatever they like. Fans could then like it or lump it. But under the Lita Ford banner, there are expectations. Long time fans are expecting classic Lita and that is simply not delivered in any way. Regrettably, she talks through many of the songs, let's Jim handle the majority of the choruses (which in some cases are almost non-existent) and barely manages to remind anyone of how she used to rock. This is one heavy record mind you – the heaviest Lita has ever sounded, but it ain't classic rock. The other issue I have with this album is the lyrical content and inspiration behind the songs. It's cringe-worthy. The ultra-sexual interplay between Jim and Lita is way over the top and the nature of Jim's creepy vocals just makes it sound ever more strange. This collaboration may be great therapy for their relationship, but it is the fans that will be left needing therapy to recover from listening to this. You can almost hear them having sex while writing and recording the album. Track By Track: Crave – a barrage of tin drums and samples with spoken word vocals over the top before Jim Gillette's Neolithic vocals destroy an already bad chorus. Piece (Hell Yeah) – Lita speaks more than sings once again until Jim takes over with a really whiney vocal that make Axl Rose sound like a Rhodes Scholar. Patriotic SOB features more horrible whiney vocals, but at least Lita sings for a bit. Scream For Me features some heavy grunge inspired guitars and a horrible programmed drum sound. One of the more reasonable choruses where Jim stays out of it and Lita sings. Inside – utterly horrid. Lita barely appears on this track, leaving Jim to “sing” about having sex with his wife. The vocals really are appalling. Wicked Wonderland – More or less just heavy down tuned guitars and effects. Or just noise to these ears. Terrible chorus…tuneless. Indulge is one of the worst tracks I have heard in years. Effects filled vocals and programmed effects that make no rhythmical sense. Love – more tuneless noise – almost the exact same song as Patriotic SOB! Betrayal – more noise. Bombastic rhythms and muffled vocals – especially from Jim. Sacred – slower, but utterly tuneless again. A ballad that just drones on. Truth – hate the modern style, but at last a song where Lita takes control and actually sings during the chorus and gives us a small glimpse at who she used to be. Everything – total mess. Nothing but shouting and computerized noise. Bed – yet more of the same programmed effects and muffled vocals. As for the lyrics? Spread them baby? Lick my fire??? Garden – it is the same songs over and over on this album. Sounds like a punk/grunge version of SOB again. Push – “You're so hot…the way you do it I lose control….push push…feels so tight…you'll get yours after I get mine…” No further comment necessary.
I don't mind updated and fresh sounds coming from any artist, but it has to make sense. I needed to hear more of Lita singing and much less of Jim's vocals….fewer effects and computerized "enhancements" and more melodies – heavy or otherwise. So long without a record and now a real out of character return – this could prove to halt any comeback before it ever gets started. And for fans, that's a real let down.
|
| Night Ranger Big Life | Yesterrock Records |
|
|
After three albums with producer Pat Glasser, the band made a conscious decision to move on and teamed with the super-slick Kevin Elson for album number four – which would prove to be even more commercial than the band's already platinum catalogue. Big Life featured more keyboards and a huge arena sound. And while I love every single album this band has ever made – this is the one I'd pick out for my desert island stranding. The utterly immense and cocky title track Big Life is a monster in itself, but the orgasmic hard rocker Color Of Your Smile is pure perfection. Carry On and I Know Tonight just make the album even better – how can one album feature so many anthems? Add in the brooding epic Rain Comes Crashing Down; the lush mid-tempo AOR of Love Is Standing Near and the heartfelt ballads Better Let It Go and Hearts Away and you have the perfect melodic hard rock album. And to round things off, the single best movie soundtrack anthem of all time – Secret Of My Success. Heaven! My only issue with the album is that it was never long enough! This 2009 re-issue has been remastered in Germany and sounds great. While it doesn't quite match the 24-bit Japanese remaster of 2008, rarely anything can. It is still louder and punchier than the original CD release and given the far cheaper price over its Japanese counter part, offers great value for Night Ranger fans. |
| Night Ranger Man In Motion | Yesterrock Records |
|
|
Man In Motion was the counter-action album to Big Life. Heavier and more guitar driven, it was the band's attempt to insure they didn't get pegged as a pop/rock act after the success of Big Life.
Minus Alan Fitzgerald for the first time, this hard rocking album is another gem – albeit in a different way to that of their preceding albums. The opening trio of anthems – Man In Motion, Reason To Be and Don't Start Thinking are three of the best ever tunes to open any melodic rock album. And think about it….no band aside from maybe Giant in their prime could match these anthems. More urgent in nature and featuring only two slower tunes – I Did It For Love & Restless Kind – this is Night Ranger at their aggressive hard rocking best, with Gillis and Watson trading swirling licks back and forth. The rest of the album isn't as concentrated on choruses as the opening three tracks, but there are still melodies everywhere. And Woman In Love still kicks my ass after all these years. The 2009 German reissue matches the quality of Big Life and certainly packs a much bigger punch than the original 1988 disc. |
| Think Out Loud Think Out Loud | Yesterrock Records 5318650 |
|
|
Think Out Loud is one of those must have releases for fans of 80s Westcoast/AOR and high-tech pop/rock. Featuring the acclaimed talents of Peter Becket and Steve Kipner, the album features high profile guests such as Steve Lukather, Paul Jackson Jr, Randy Goodrum, Bob Marlette and Michael Landau. Heavy on keys, synth and programming in the same way as many albums of the mid/late-80s were, the stars of the album are the dual vocals of Beckett and Kipner. One sounds a little like Starship's Mickey Thomas, the other more in a John Parr/Fee Waybill vibe. Musically the album touches on Chicago style Westcoast and John Parr/Starship pomp rock, with a Mr. Mister high-tech programming feel. Not traditional straight ahead AOR as such, but some great song moments. Generally fairly laid back in approach and leaning towards pop, a fine album for its time (1988). |
| From The Fire Thirty Days And Dirty Nights | Yesterrock Records 10073 |
|
|
This 1991 release passed me by at the time and I admit to not eve having picked it up since. So this Yesterrock re-issue is fresh to my ears, but still sounds pretty damn good. Produced by Jean Beauvoir (Crown Of Thorns) and featuring his bandmate Tommy Lafferty (guitars), the album has a strong production and a mix of 80s hard rock and early 90s melodic hard rock/AOR. In fact, it sounds not unlike several albums that pop up on indie labels still today. Highlights include the opening track Hold On and the big arena style rock ballad Tears Cried In The Rain. Only 9 tracks and 37 minutes here and a couple of fillers, so it isn't as essential as some other re-issues, but due to the personnel involved remains an interesting part of r'n'r history. Recorded in 1991, it sounds its age, but compared to a lot of albums reviewed here, still sounds fresh enough. We've all heard it before, but that's not to say that this isn't still a decent album in its own right. |
| Clif Magness Solo | Yesterrock Records 10074 |
|
|
We all know Clif Magness the song writer – in recent years churning out work for Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Hanson, Amy Grant and The Urge. His debut solo album originally came out in limited numbers in 1994 via Empire Records Sweden. This Westcoast/high-tech AOR release features co-writers like Steve Kipner (Think Out Loud), Martin Page, Jay Graydon, Glen Ballard – who also all guest on the album. Clif plays most of the instruments and handles programming (the album is another example of how good programming can work). He has a great voice – shame there hasn't been more solo work from him. Ballads It's Only Love, Hold Me Lee Anne, Only You and What's A Heart To Do are all great examples of the genre; while pop/AOR anthems Footprints In The Rain and One Way Out are classic AOR. One Way Out was previously covered by Eric Martin for the movie soundtrack Caddyshack 2. The majority of the album is smooth Westcoast/pop. The 2 quality bonus tracks are both uptempo melodic rockers and sound like previously unreleased tracks with less polish than the rest of the album. |
| Blvd. Blvd. | Yesterrock Records 5318744 |
|
|
I have the band's second album Into The Street, which contains some outstanding and near perfect AOR and a couple of my favourite songs ever. Because the debut was overshadowed by that release I hadn't given it much time until this remastered re-issue hit my desk. Since then I have rediscovered the charm of this album and got to know the songs better than I did originally. The vocals of David Forbes is what drew me into the band to start with and same goes today. He has one of those pitch perfect AOR tones that just eats the melodies alive. A heavily programmed slice of commercial American AOR – the debut Blvd release features the utterly brilliant AOR anthem Dream On, the soundtrack friendly Western Skies, the bombastic In The Twilight, the good fun When The Lights Go Down and the frantic closer You're For Me. Not as consistent or as legendary as the second album, but absolutely necessary for all collections with a missing gap next to Into The Street. The true definition of American 80s AOR. |
| Ted Poley Greatestits | Indie/Ted Poley |
|
|
Danger Danger front man Ted has always kept himself busy and it has, at times, been hard for fans to keep up with his many guest appearances, given that some of these appearances have been on records not widely released. Here, Ted does a great job rounding up many of these appearances to appear on the one release alongside his favourite songs from his own solo albums. You get the best tracks of solo albums Collateral Damage and Smile, plus tracks from his band projects Poley/Rivera, Melodica, Bonemachine and Prophet. Then there are songs from the guest spots on such albums as Pleasuredome, JK Northrup, Jack Frost and Jun Senoue. Then there is the added value of two new 2009 demos and an out of print Christmas tune, plus an original Smile demo. 33 tracks over 2 CDs – chock full of the larger than life Mr. Poley. Essential I dare say! So in closing – yes, Ted Poley does indeed have the Greatestits of any frontman I've seen! |
| Jeff Scott Soto Prism | Frontiers Records FRCD403 |
|
|
Jeff's second solo album Prism is all about the AOR baby. His most commercial and 80s sounding album in his catalogue, the album is filled with melodic rock gems – not too heavy, not too light. It was the first album to really launch the JSS solo name and introduced the world to Howie Simon and Gary Schutt. And it hasn't been the same since! This special edition re-issue features 6 bonus tracks – The soulful Good Love and 2012 (from a shelved project with Ricky Phillips), the acoustic Journey cover Send Her My Love and 2 cracking live rock tracks – Again 2 Be Found (from the Humanimal project) and Stand Up (from Rock Star). Bonus tracks conclude with the Prince inspired soft soul of 4 U. One for those that prefer it pink and fluffy. |
| Jeff Scott Soto Lost In The Translation | Frontiers Records FRCD404 |
|
|
Lost In The Translation was a tougher and heavier record, written and recorded after the JSS Band had been touring extensively and had gelled as a unit. I still don't like the uptempo AOR of Believe In Me as the lead track – it sounds nothing like the rest of the album, but was an attention getter due to Neal Schon's guest appearance on the track. It sounds much better about 3 or 4 tracks into the album. The rest of the album is superior and a truly great hard rock record. More contemporary in its approach and feel, yet as melodic as ever. A powerful, hard hitting record. 5 bonus tracks available here – the gritty Turned The Page, left off the original album; the feel good mid-tempo ballad As I Do 2 U; the haunting and vocal rich This Ain't The Love; a rock ballad Lonely Shade Of Blue and a raw, live acoustic version of Soul Divine, featuring Jeff and Howie. Terrific value for JSS fans and a complete package for those yet to take in this great, contemporary, yet commercial melodic hard rock record. |
| Allied Nation Touch And Go | AOR-fm 0905 |
|
|
This 5 piece US hard rock band hail from the Bay Area of California and feature a no-nonsense hard rocking approach that fellow Bay Area bands as Y&T possess. These songs were demoed from a period of 1986 through to 1991, before the band disbanded in 1993 – no doubt giving up all hope of a deal once grunge killed rock n roll. They were attraction attention at the time and were popular amongst European fanzines and underground press. Keyboards mix with guitars and the very melodic voice of singer Jeff Nation makes this an easy listen. The only problem – the production is horrible. Yes, they are only studio demos, but the quality is not such that this can be cranked to the volume it should be. The tracks are polished as much as possible, but they are hard on the ears at times. Great songs here…but sadly the band never had the chance to make a proper great sounding record. |
| Thrills Front Page News | AOR-fm 0803 |
|
|
US pomp rockers Thrills recorded this, their 2nd album in Los Angeles in 1981. The band came back into the limelight a few years back with Rewind/Song Haus Records re-issues, but this album comes courtesy of UK archive label AOR-fm. There are no notes about remastering, but the transfer from original tapes sounds pretty clean to my ears, with the band's authentic sound kept in place. Fans of 70s AOR and early 80s pomp rock should check this out, or better still, those already with Thrills records in their collection have the chance to upgrade here. The album hasn't dated too badly considering how old it is. A worthy re-issue from a talented band. |
| Liberty & Justice 4 All: The Best Of | Versailles Records |
|
|
Christian rockers Liberty & Justice are formed around founder and bass player Justin Murr, who has an incredible ability to draw in some supersized special guests to complete the line-up for each record the band has put out. There's been 3 previous albums featuring the likes of Lou Gramm, Kelly Keagy, Jamie Row, Michael Sweet, Sebastian Bach, Tony Harnell, Ted Poley and Kelly Keeling to name a few. The style of the album is hard rock/alt rock – all with a Christina theme – and a strong dose of contemporary sounds and some left of center experimentation. Not every track is a winner and some of the experimentation is anything but what a hard rock fan might want to hear. But Justin has learnt as time goes by and the new album due soon should easily be the best to date. Some great individual performances and songs here, but the production is truly mixed – from the good to the almost unlistenable. Most are fine though and the band has improved with every release. This is the best of the 3 albums to date and 4 new tracks – released late last year – but I believe the best is still to come. |
| Danger Danger Revolve | Frontiers Records FRCD424 |
|
|
They're back! Whilst seemingly always never far from our minds, it has been a staggering 9 years since the last all-new Danger Danger studio album - Return Of The Great Gildersleeves.
We've had the long lost Cockroach release, Live & Nude and Rare Cuts to keep us occupied, but everyone wanted to see if Danger Danger could still bring the magic with Ted Poley back in charge of the mike. Was there ever any doubt? Bruno Ravel has developed into a truly great producer and it is a wonder we don't see him behind the desk on more projects. I hope we will. He brings his magic to the new album, which sonically sounds about as good as you could hope for. With the knowledge that a new record was always going to sound great, it was just waiting on discovering if the band would favor the sound of the Ted Poley fronted debut and Screw It, or lean towards the darker Paul Laine era, which included two of this genre's best ever albums in Four The Hard Way and Gildersleeves. Wisely, the band have opted for a mix of both era's, with the fun and the easy going nature of the first two albums combining with the more contemporary production style of the last 2 studio albums, not to mention that compelling, understated darker edge. It works great for the band. There is nothing unexpected here – which in this case is good, just more classic Danger Danger material. So the album sounds a million bucks, the guys are all playing their hearts out, but of particular note are the lead vocals of Ted Poley – he has never sounded as good as he does here. The added production bells and whistles brings the band up to date, but at the heart of the album is classic D2 – albeit perhaps a little more laid back than 20 years ago. Track By Track: With an ear blasting thump we are away. What we get is the same powerful production and deafening rhythm section from the last album's with Ted Poley's classic AOR vocals riding over the top. That's What I'm Talking About is a typical feel good anthem with a soaring chorus and tasty guitar solo. Ghost of Love is a driving rocker with a slightly darker feel and a catchy fast paced chorus and a thumping bass line. Killin' Love is a great dark and moody rocker. A little slower and more intense, but I love this side of the band and Ted sounds fantastic singing in this moodier range. Hearts On The Highway is simply a classic Danger Danger hard rocking anthem and one of the best songs for 2009. Love that chorus…love everything about this track. Perfect. Time for a ballad. The acoustic driven Fugitive is sentimental, melancholy and thoroughly enjoyable. Another great vocal from Ted too. Keep On Keepin' On steps backwards into old school D2 style. This sounds slightly different in style to most of the other material. I wonder if this song isn't an unused track from the past? In any regard, it's still a solid feel good rocker, which fans of the debut will love, but not a knockout. Rocket To Your Heart really gets my attention. A moody and somewhat contemporary ballad that turns heavier during an anthemic chorus. I could hear this being part of the last couple of albums too. Very cool song. Time to relax the seriousness for a moment with a typical mid-tempo D2 tongue in cheek rocker in F.U.$. Great verse, great chorus and a good fun track. The mid-tempo rock track Beautiful Regret is one song I'm still struggling with a little. It just isn't as instant as some other tracks and one of the least catchy songs of the album. The rock ballad Never Give Up is much better – full of class, full of emotional and another great lower register vocal from Ted. A perfect chorus. The best way to end a Danger Danger album is with a classic old school party rocker and Dirty Mind is just that - classic D2 and great hard rocking attitude.
And the production – wow – if only all records sounded this good. The only downside to a new Danger Danger release is the knowledge that Ted Poley will likely be up to Greatestits Volume 4 before we see the next D2 album. Keep the momentum going lads!
|
| Gotthard Need To Believe | Nuclear Blast |
|
|
Maintaining their reputation as one of hard rock's most consistent and reliable bands, Switzerland's biggest ever rock band Gotthard return with another crowd pleasing album of anthems and emotional rockers. When any band has been around some 17 years, each release will cause some debate amongst fans that have a particular allegiance to a particular album. I am of the opinion that these guys can pretty much do no wrong. While their pinnacle was the amazing Lipservice album, the follow up Domino Effect was almost as infectious, if not as commercial as its predecessor. Need To Believe fits somewhere in between. It has the song strength and anthemic qualities of Lipservice, but retains some of the darker, more contemporary slant of Domino Effect. One thing is for certain – the production is amazing, the band sounds brilliant and once again the album is chock full of songs that draw you back for repeat listens, time and time again. Track By Track: The heavy retro Led Zep riff of Shangri-La sets up the album in that tough and uncompromising way, but the soaring chorus was an immediate hit with me. The faster tempo of Unspoken Words is to me classic Gotthard – powerful, hard hitting and Steve Lee's raspy vocals, all building to a massive chorus. Perfect hard rock. The slow and moody, yet hard rocking title track Need To Believe makes it 3 for 3 as far as great choruses go. Unconditional Faith eases up on the intensity, with a mostly acoustic driven pop rocker. I Don't Mind rocks with a heavy hand and that Gotthard intensity. A decent chorus yes, but more so in that 'album track' vein. Break Away has a certain hard rock swagger before a big commercial chorus bursts through. Another great song. Don't Let Me Know is the first real ballad of the album and features the emotional intensity and killer chorus that we expect from this band. Right From Wrong is just a great hard rocker with a big riffing chorus. I Know, You Know is another solid album track with yet another original chorus and leading guitar riff. Rebel Soul rocks hard and fast. And another great chorus makes this a real hard rock album. Tears To Cry is a big rock ballad to close the album. The style that starts slow and builds to a flurry at the end.
I stated this album slotted in between the last two studio albums and that's exactly where I rate this, although I will forever regret not giving Lipservice a higher score when originally reviewed. I just though the last 2 or 3 songs killed the momentum of the album as a whole. Here though the band don't out stay their welcome and 12 tracks makes for a very tidy and hard rocking release. The angst and attitude of Domino Effect, but with the choruses and melodic sensibility of Lipservice. Great stuff!
|
| House Of Lords Cartesian Dreams | Frontiers Records FRCD426 |
|
|
After two albums in quick succession that followed the same winning formula, House Of Lords frontman James Christian sought to infuse some fresh blood into the songwriting process for the band's latest album – enlisting the help of long time friend and collaborator Mark Baker (House Of Lords, Mark Free, Signal). The result is an album that follows in the footsteps of acclaimed albums World Upside Down and Come To My Kingdom, yet deviates more so than either of those two records, mixing up the approach of the songs and removing any possible predictability without losing the feel of the last two records. The band remains the same – so the guitar and rhythm section retain the same sound as the last two records, but the songs here are more varied in pace, less obvious when it comes to the choruses and more original as far as stepping 'outside the square' with changes in tempo and song structures. Mark Baker has given House Of Lords a fresh coat of paint, helping the band continue their legacy and bring back a couple of missing elements. It was needed in order to deliver 3 albums in 4 years and remain in the forefront of fans minds. Cartesian Dreams is more dramatic and progressive than the last two albums, but retains the big sound of those albums and the classic HOL sound that Power & The Myth is now infamous for abandoning. Another interesting extra ingredient here is the more prominent role played by Christian's wife, singer Robin Beck. Robin supplies a lot of the album's backing vocals and also mixes in with James' vocals to supply some of the higher range notes within songs. It is a very subtle change, but if you listen carefully – it's definitely there. She also duets with James on the song Repo Man. The choruses here are less obvious and rather than being in your face on every track, such as they were on Come To My Kingdom, this time to have to listen harder and get to know them as the albums becomes more familiar. Tommy Denander also brings his melodic credentials to the party, co-writing and playing on Sweet September and Never Never Look Back. Track By Track: The thumping and dramatic mid-tempo title track Cartesian Dreams has an almost progressive feel to it and delivers a powerful, rather than over the top chorus to set up the album's intentions. Born To Be Your Baby retains the cheesy girl-crazy lyrics that I was hoping would disappear, but you can't argue with the raspy lead vocal here, which sounds as fresh as the band's debut. A big riffing bridge and catchy chorus makes it an anthem worth appreciating. Desert Rain is raw hard rocker with guitars everywhere – acoustic and electric. A fast paced verse slides into a moody chorus with an instantly likable anthemic vocal. Sweet September is a terrific big rock ballad with soaring vocals and harmonies everywhere, sliding from soft and slow to big and bold. Bangin' features some truly questionable lyrics, but you still can't help but like the hard rocking approach, the thumping rhythm section and a catchy bridge into chorus arrangement. A Simple Plan features a heavy groove and a commercial chorus. The moody Never Never Look Back is a very heavy track featuring layers of swirling keyboards and vocals in an almost progressive setting. Not an instant chorus, but I love the arrangement and the fact it is different. The Bigger They Come is a fast moving big classic House Of Lords anthem in the style of the last 2 albums with a monster chorus. Repo Man is another change of pace, this time featuring a heavy, yet laid back groove. Robin Beck joins in during the chorus for a unique duet style delivery. Saved By Rock is about as cliché as it comes lyric wise, but the way it is performed here, you can't help but feel the guys believe every word of it. All in all, it remains another catchy song. Joanna is one of the main tracks to remind me of the Sahara album and older House of Lords. This is one for long time fans and features another strong catchy chorus. The Train is a laid back acoustic driven rock ballad, with a great lyric and a sentimental heart. A nice way to close the album.
|
| Europe Last Look At Eden | earMusic |
|
|
In my reviews for the two Europe albums released since the band reunited, I have really found a few sensational songs on each record that I would rate amongst my favourite from the band, but also some true filler. Both albums rated ok due to those songs and the fact that I found the band's move into a contemporary sound quite credible, vs. some other acts that have tried and failed. Some fans have not liked the new direction and I can definitely appreciate that – those probably won't like this album any more than the last two. The band keeps it close to the formula of the last two albums here, maintaining that contemporary down-tuned style and some ultra heavy riffs compared to what they used to deliver. But at the same time, they change this up just enough to make it stand on its own. Last Look At Eden features a more 70s driven retro sound, heavy on orchestration and big rootsy, blues grooves. While I still prefer several of the standout tracks on the last two albums; I do think this album is the best of the three and certainly the most consistent. I think the fillers here are minimal and the highlights plentiful. The only thing I would ask for is more emphasis on some big melodies and a few more instant hooks. There are a couple of instances where the song stops for a more melodic interlude (Gonna Get Ready the most obvious), where the melody itself seems almost at odds with the rest of the song and the slide in and out of the interlude doesn't seem natural. More attention here would make a perfect Europe album closer to reality. As far as this album goes – intense is the best description. It's so heavy in places and the guitar riffs rule this record. Simply a monster guitar sound! The Beast being a prime example of just how powerful! The title track Last Look At Eden is probably my favourite track here – a melodic chorus used to great effect. Gonna Get Ready rocks hard; Catch That Plane, Only Young Twice and Mojito Girl are all pure heavy groove; and the ballad New Love In Town is a really cool example of a contemporary rock ballad. I love the orchestration and intensity of No Stone Unturned (should be a single) and In My Time is a 70s Zep style ballad. U Devil U and Run With The Angels are perhaps the weakest point of the album for me.
|
| Lynch Mob Smoke And Mirrors | Frontiers Records FRCD425 |
|
|
The unfortunate thing with pre-release hype is that it can sometimes steer fans in the wrong direction – something that where I am personally involved – I take great care with. This album was hyped as the natural follow-up to the band's critically and fan praised debut Wicked Sensation. I don't see that at all. Besides having original vocalist Oni Logan back in the fold, I don't see the comparisons. The style is far more contemporary and features less sleaze than Wicked Sensation did and even Oni is signing a little differently these days. Now, that said – it isn't necessary for this album to match the debut in style, just be aware, that contrary to reports, it doesn't. But Oni - the guy is a natural star and his vocals are always engaging. The album itself is quite varied in style and still misses that certain edge that the debut had. Much of the album is very uncommercial and takes repeated listens to get anywhere close to knowing the ins and outs of each tune and just where the melodies lie. 21st Century Man is a strong opening track that sounds as close to Lynch Mob as you'll probably get in 2009. Interestingly, the following two tracks are slower and more bluesy in style. Closer perhaps to Oni's solo record. It then not until the slow and bluesy Let The Music Do The Talking that I get truly inspired again by the material. And this is mainly due to a fabulous slow solo during the song. The hard rocking The Fascist is another winner and Where Do You Sleep At Night is another strong vocal track and decent chorus. We Will Remain rolls along at a good speed with a bluesy rock base. Before I Close My Eyes is also a good anthemic rocker that reminds me a little of Gregg Fulkerson.
|
| The Poodles Clash Of The Elements | Blistering Records BR028 |
|
|
Their debut Metal Will Stand Tall was a sensational, attention grabbing slice of melodic hard rock Scandinavian style, but the heavier follow up Sweet Trade lost a little of that magic, although still got played almost as much as the debut. Clash Of The Elements sees the band back on top with an album that blends the best of both worlds – a heavier, punchier sound, but equal attention paid to the quality of the song writing and making sure those choruses really deliver. My one problem here is that the band kicks off the album with a really poor choice of song. Too Much Of Everything hasn't got the punch or the quality of the rest of the album and in my view, the attempt here to be commercial up front fails the album as a whole. Second track Caroline is a far superior track and a true ass-kicker. Its monster beat, monster chorus and contagious spirit would be a perfect album opener. I skip track 1 each time this CD goes on. And Like No Tomorrow is the perfect follow-on from Caroline. Less intense, but another huge chorus and immediately likeable. One Out Of Ten is a monster ballad as most will know by now, followed up by another ear crunching rocker in I Rule The Night. Elsewhere on the album Give Me A Sign is as good as anything off the debut – perfect commercial hard rock with an anthemic chorus; the moody ballad Can't Let You Go follows 3 individually diverse album tracks; and then the best track of all – the absolute monster anthem that is Don't Rescue Me. Brilliant! The album closes with a double shot of hard rock and then another anthem ballad Wings Of Destiny, which features some fantastic vocals and harmonies. Another killer track from an album that already delivers several classics. The new general release version of this album from Blistering Records contains an acoustic version of the track I Rule The Night and two additional video clips (I Rule The Night and Like No Tomorrow).
|
| Altaria Unholy | Escape Music ESM193 |
|
|
Unholy is the Finnish band's forth studio album. They have come a long way since the debut album Invitation (2003). This time around the style has changed slightly, less metal than the last couple of albums and more straight ahead guitar based hard rock. There's a little less of the dark overtones and the gothic influence and more effort placed on rocking and rolling. Alterior Motive is a really enjoyable faced paced hard rocker; while Warrior stays heavy, but eases back on the juice a little. Unholy Invasion makes it 3 winners in a row to kick off the album – flurries of guitars and that gruff Paul Sabu like vocal weaving around each other. The Lake is a dark acoustic based rock ballad with that Alice Cooper theatrical feel. Danger Zone is another solid hard rocker and Steal Your Thunder is quite remarkable – the pop/rocker sounds like it came from 1985, something very different for these guys. The fast paced Wind Beneath My Wings (not a cover thank God!) is pretty commercial again as is Never Wonder Why.
|
| AOR Journey To LA | Escape Music ESM194 |
|
|
Journey To LA is the latest all-star vehicle for French musician Frédéric Slama (guitars, keyboards) – teaming again with his long time buddy Tommy Denander (all instruments) and a string of special guests who appear for various solos and of course to supply lead vocals for the songs on offer. This time around we have Philip Bardowell, Steve Overland, Bill Champlin, Fergie Frederiksen and Dane Donohue on lead vocals. Other guests include: Steve Lukather, David Williams, Eric Barkdull and Bruno Levesque (Guitars) plus David Diggs and David Getrau (Keyboards). Journey to LA features some really good vocal performances, none better than from the primarily vocalist on the album Philip Bardowell. Phil handles 8 or so lead vocals and it is his material that sounds the most convincing - more Lou Gramm styled AOR here from him. Steve Overland produces the goods for the opening track Waiting In The Darkness and Fergie Frederikson does his own vocal best on Desperate Dreams – one of the album's more energetic tracks. Most of the material is straight forward AOR/melodic rock – very good straight forward AOR! The majority of the album could easily fit onto any Radioactive album or indeed, the last AOR release. Never Surrender is a challenging 8 minute melodic rock epic that stands out from the crowd and the forgettable style detour Westcoast/jazz of West Into The Sun is at the other end of the scale. The big problem with this album is that some great songs and great vocals get lost in a jumble of bad production and predictable instrumentation. This is straight out of the Tommy Denander 1999 production handbook, with programmed drums and that particular guitar and keyboard sound. I don't like to slight Tommy or any hard working musician, as I realize there is no budget for this style of recording. In the past I have made allowances for that. But it is 2009 and this style is now sounding really dated – unless it's done really well and with a big budget.
|
| Reece Universal Language | Metal Heaven MHV00074 |
|
|
Interesting album this. I wasn't sure what to expect – whether it was to be an all in metal album or hard rock. The result is something in-between, with heavy moments probably outweighed by more straight ahead hard rock numbers, but always those raspy Reece vocals shines through. This is a lot less intense and screamy than the recent Gypsy Rose album and more in line with the vocals of Bangalore Choir than Accept. The album opens with a big chunky rocker in Before I Die, but the mid-section of the album is quite laid back – more a groove dominated style. Flying To Close To The Flame and Fantasy Man have good choruses and strong vocal performances. There are some acoustic driven tracks in Rescue Me and Once In A Lifetime before the album starts to rock hard again with the excellent We Were Alive. More acoustic guitars mix with electric on the equally catchy Flesh and Blood and then dominate the ballad Queen Of My Dreams – featuring one of the best vocals of the album. Yellow closes out the album the way it started – with a big groovy riff.
PS. Utterly without question, the worst cover art of 2009 so far.
|
| Crash The System The Crowning | Frontiers Records FRCD418 |
|
|
Crash The System is a new project featuring song-writer Sören Kronqvist (keyboards, rhythm guitars, and bass) and drummer/producer Daniel Flores (Mind's Eye)(drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, strings and backing vocals). The album features some of the best vocalists in the business – a who's who of the Swedish rock scene – Göran Edman (Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum, Brazen Abbot), Mats Levén (Yngwie Malmsteen, Infinite Mass), Thomas Vikström (Talk Of The Town, Candlemass) and Björn Jansson (Ride The Sky, Tears Of Anger). The album features some wonderful straight ahead AOR tracks and grittier melodic rock numbers, with the vocalists in question the stars of the show here. But the whole album does sound like a project release rather than an established band as the production quality is quite varied throughout – from tight and balanced to loose and varied in volume. Plus at times the songs sound like they have been recorded in different studios and pieced together. That may or may not be the case, but that's what it sounds like to me. The drum sound in particular sounds thin and programmed at times, which surprised me given the considerable talents of Daniel Flores. Highlights from the album include the Mats Levin sung rock anthem All Because Of You; the poppy feel good I Still Believe In Love (Thomas Vikstrom); the utterly wonderful Mysterious sung brilliantly by Goran Edman; and the punchy Angel Of My Heart. The Goran sang Broken Glass is also another great melodic rocker, but the chorus kills it a little, with an annoying keyboard riff attempting to replace the word “ass” in the line “simply just kiss my…” Not that cool.
|
| Outloud Outloud | Frontiers Records FRCD 421 |
|
|
The first I heard of this band is when vocalist Chandler handed me a CDR backstage at Firefest 2008 after his performance with Talon. I respect Chandler's abilities and thought he did as best a job as he could with Talon, but the fit wasn't quite right. I wasn't sure about what the CDR would contain, but gave it a spin upon arriving home. I was completely and immediately blown away from the first listen and was so impressed I did everything in my power to sign them to Angelmilk before things there disintegrated. Thankfully the fine folks at Frontiers Records felt exactly the same way and this, the band's debut album, is now to be released shortly. Simply put – this is one of the finest debut albums I have heard in sometime and my love of the album has only increased over the months that I have been playing it. American Chandler Mogel joins forces with Firewind keyboard/guitar player Bob Katsionis with his band mate drummer Mark Cross along with Jason Mercury (Bass) and Tony Kash (Guitar). Outloud deliver a hugely energetic and stylish hard rock album with one foot firmly planted in the best of the 80s, but the other foot right here in the present, using the best recording gear to make a monster sounding record – smartly using Tommy Hansen's genius ear to bring it all together in an earth shattering mix. There is just so much power and energy within this record, you can't help but to sing-along, tap-along…whatever…and feel utterly exhausted by the end, only to want to crank it all over again from the start. Outloud match the sleaze of Lynch Mob with the balls of Skid Row and mix it with the individual style of bands these guys are otherwise known for – Talon and Firewind. But in my mind this surpasses both those bands and has become an absolute favourite of mine for no shit ballsy melodic hard rock. Track By Track: What I Need is a frantic double timed hard rocking track that Bang Tango or Lynch Mob could easily have delivered in 1988. Catchy as hell in its own right, but surpassed by the brilliance that is the anthemic stadium rocker in waiting We Run. Utterly glorious! The old time piano/guitar dueling on yet another uptempo rock Tonight proves that these guys aren't just getting lucky with a couple of cool tunes – they know how to write consistently memorable tunes. Another wonderful chorus, layered vocals and a stomping beat. Search For The Truth continues the energetic run of rockers and I can't recall a recent album that had 4 back to back gems of this quality to open proceedings. But let's not stop there. This Broken Heart is a wonderful acoustic ballad that gives the listener a minute to catch their breath. Chandler's vocals here are just wonderful and more emotional than anything on the Talon record. Breathing Fire starts fast and gets faster, with that storming rhythm section again at the fore. Another strong chorus here on a song that's just different enough not to repeat anything already done on the record. Wild Life is another old school hard rocker with a 80s heart AC/DC style riff. A very simple song with a simple chorus, but again…different than any song before it. This album has variety and consistent fusion. A rare trait. The riff rocker Broken Sleep is a classic album track – not immediate, but still welcomed each time it comes around. Out In The Night sees the tempo cranked into double time again. No big chorus here – an energetic hard rocker and more a glorified 4 minute guitar solo with lyrics! Lovesigh is another chance to take a break from the sonic onslaught. This is another emotional acoustic ballad with some passionate vocals. Interesting that the two slower tracks on the album are both acoustic ballads. Very old school and very much appreciated here. Outloud is simply a balls-to-the-wall hard rocker with riffs, screams and a double kick drum onslaught designed to completely drain the listener of any energy left remaining and destroy ear drums. Sensational stuff!
A fabulous debut album from a band that has a real future ahead of them. Expect to hear a lot more from these guys.
|
| Stryper Murder By Pride | Frontiers Records FRCD 422 |
|
|
Prior to this I only owned two Stryper records. In fact, I also own the two Michael Sweet solo records as I think he is a very engaging vocalist. But Stryper were always a little too over the top for me. It was their Against The Law release that got my attention and their comeback album of 2007 – Reborn – was quite something. I viewed it as one of the few older bands that updated their sound with full credibility in tact. So now I own three Stryper records and I think I have the best 3 of the lot. I think Murder By Pride is a fine record and sees the band retracing old steps without giving up too many of the steps taken forward on the last release. Once again for me the biggest appeal is the voice of Sweet. This is a pretty diverse record, but I think it ticks all the right boxes to satisfy long time fans of the band. The opening track Eclipse Of The Son certainly didn't give me a sense that the band were returning to anthem rock – this punk rocker is a little messy and might have been better suited elsewhere within the album. 4 Leaf Clover and Peace Of Mind are more fitting – the latter being a true to form cover of the Boston track featuring guest Tom Scholtz. Other highlights include the aggressive and contemporary sound of title track Murder By Pride; the mellower and more melodic duo of Run In You and Love Is Why; Alive and I Believe are both very fine ballads – the latter being heavier and the former being more passionate – but both cool tunes. The closing track My Love My Life My Flame is a haunting piano ballad with another superb vocal. Elsewhere it's a little give or take….the production here is rougher and rawer than on the Reborn album and the style a little lost between two worlds.
|
| Cheap Trick The Latest | Big 3 |
|
|
Cheap Trick for me, are bouncing between almost nailing it, and falling considerably short. Of the last 3 albums – Special One hinted only occasionally at brilliance, but missed the mark due to inconsistency, while the very impressive Rockford was almost that classic you know the band are still capable of. Unfortunately on The Latest we get the reverse bounce again and end up with another Special One – again in places demonstrating absolute pop brilliance, yet elsewhere failing to deliver and even worse, some tracks simply don't go anywhere at all. On the plus side, for me it doesn't get any better than the opening tracks. In fact, 4 of the first 5 tracks are all gems. The slow haunting Sleep Forever is an unsuspecting intro to the pulsating melodic rock of When The Lights Go Out, which is anthemic Cheap Trick at their best. Following the band's love of all things Beatles, Miss Tomorrow mirrors the psychedelic sounds of the 70s, wrapped in that unforgettable slick power pop the band are famous for. The punk/surf-pop of Sick Man Of Europe has been featured prominently in the launch of this album and I still can't figure out why – utterly horrid in my opinion. These Days is a lush Moody Blues style 70s pop ballad and another highlight. Here is where the album loses the plot a little. An uninspired ballad is followed by a frantic rocker that might appeal if it was longer than 1.20! Another surfer rocker in California Girl doesn't interest me at all and then it's another lackluster ballad in Everybody Knows. The whole second half of the album swings back and forth between brash pop rockers and ballads, but I really don't find anything of lasting value here to want to come back to. The closing ballad Smile is pretty nice and at least has a solid chorus.
|
| Howard Leese Secret Weapon | Frontiers Records FRCD 420 |
|
|
I became an instant Leese fan on discovering Heart in 1985 – on the back of their monster comeback album for EMI. I was one of the second wave of fans to jump on the bandwagon as they moved through their commercial hit maker stage. Leese was the cornerstone of a hard edged guitar attack along with Nancy Wilson. Since departing the band in the 90s, Howard has kept busy touring with Paul Rodgers/Bad Company. Plans for his solo album were being talked about as far back as 2002, so it is fair to say I was expecting a pretty groovy record. Unfortunately I am left very disappointed by this release. I just find that it lacks the spark I expected from such a great player. That doesn't imply Howard lacks anything as far as his talent and the guitar work laid down on this record. I just feel the songs lack energy and that takes away from his playing. The mixture of styles here and the swapping back and forward between vocal tracks and instrumentals makes it a very disjointed record, never flowing with the ease an album should. Plus the overall laid back tempo makes it a very slow record indeed. I expected a blues based rock record, but what rock we get is a very slow 70s bluesy set of songs mixed with eclectic instrumentals (that remind me of Mark Knofler soundtrack compositions) and reflective acoustic driven pieces. The record fails to get out of first gear and at 50 minutes in length there simply is not enough power to impress. Of the vocal tracks the opening smoldering rock n blues of Alive Again featuring Joe Lynn Turner has a decent riff but never gets going; The Vine is another pleasant rock ballad featuring Jimi Jamison; In These Eyes is another slow but appealing blues track features Keith St. John on lead vocal. Just where is that guy the rest of the time? I've Been Leaving You (Andrew Black) and Hot To Cold (JLT and Deanna Johnston) just fail to leave any impression at all. The highlight for me is the blues ballad Heal The Broken Hearted featuring a sensational Paul Rodgers soulful lead. The instrumentals run from 48 seconds to four minutes, but there isn't any I am likely to play again now this review is complete. Rada's Theme is probably the best – Mark Knofler meets Kenny G here.
|
| Geff Land Of The Free | Metal Heaven 00073 |
|
|
Geff is yet another project I had lined up for Angelmilk Records and I am appreciative that Georg at Metal Heaven found the guys a home. If there could be a Swedish supergroup of session guys, you'd have all these guys on the short list – Mr. Everywhere Goran Edman (Vocals)(Glory, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Norum, Street Talk, Kharma); Per Stadin (Snake Charmer) – Bass; Anders Johansson (Snake Charmer, Hammerfall, Yngwie Malmsteen) – Drums and Mats Olaussson (Yngwie Malmsteen, The Ark, Evil Masquerade, Kamelot, John Norum) – Keyboards. The glue holding the band together is guitarist/songwriter Ralf Jedestedt. He put the band together and is already holed up working on album number two. Geff perform a blend of classic Scandinavian hard rock and unconventional melodic metal with a quirky twist. It isn't progressive, but it sure isn't straight forward. It's not metal, but it's heavy enough to damage ear drums. Confused? Don't be…as pulling the whole affair together to appeal to the masses is Goran Edman, whose vocal brilliance again shines through here – lead and harmony vocals alike. I don't think there are any filler tracks on here, but there are some that stand out a little from the pack. The fast and frenetic opening Xtacy is surely one of them – the very best of Edman on display and a great expo of keyboard fills too. Living Generation is a rock solid groover of a song with a simple riff, but big harmonies and a rich organ. Land Of The Free is fast and furious and almost impossible to keep up with the drum beat. This harks back to Goran's work with Yngwie. Crusaders features a brilliant vocal and an urgent melody and is just that little bit quirky…an interesting track! Grey Goo was so utterly perfect I asked the guys to include it on the MRCD5 compilation. Simply stunning and a chorus that can't but infect the listeners mind.
|
| Radio Silence Whose Skin Are You Under Now? | Escape Music ESM192 |
|
|
With all the great hard rocking releases around at the moment, it is hard to find something more soothing to give my ears the occasional rest they need. Plus I'm not always in the mood for melodic metal at 9am. My first love has always been AOR, so with fewer soft/AOR releases around at the moment, I am even more appreciative of the new Radio Silence, which hits on that true sound of genuine British AOR. Radio Silence is basically the project name that vocalist Alistair Gordon uses. The line up from the first album has been replaced by Swedish producer Martin Kronlund's production team. But that's not a bad thing - what makes Radio Silence great is Martin and his band's ability to switch gears from the hard rock they have normally deliver, toning it down here to deliver a high-tech 80s styled album. And Alistair sounds great – the melding of both talents and some very catchy songwriting makes for a compelling listen. There are some really intelligent songs featured on this album and it isn't AOR by numbers at all. There are rockers, ballads and in-between, but all delivered in that relatively laid back British AOR style. Hand To Mouth is a very smooth and sultry opener while Mosquito is just about perfect uptempo catchy AOR at its commercial best. Wall Of Silence harks back to the mid-80s with it's keyboard presence the primary factor – not to mention the great chorus. Staring At The Sun is another slice of moody melodic bliss, almost a ballad, but not quite. But it doesn't stop there – the tunes keep coming and the following trio of tracks are all worth individual honors. Another World is a stunning moody AOR track that reminds me a little of 80s Glen Burtnik, while Shotgun Love picks up the tempo a little, adding a bluesy vibe to the album. Anyway The Wind Blows is another first rate ballad. The only track on this album that is anything less than essential is the acoustic cover of the Beatles track Hide Your Love Away.
|
| Mind Key Pulse For A Graveheart | Frontiers Records FRCD 419 |
|
|
Italian prog-metal is definitely not my strong point, most often due to a wayward vocalist or overbearing accent in the delivery. I can't even recall the band's debut album now, which isn't a good thing, but there is no way I will forget this, their second album. New vocalist (or returning vocalist) Elio Fierro Jr. is someone the band has worked with previously, but never on record. He has a tremendous voice – big booming vocals along the lines of Jorn Lande and Ronnie Dio and simply rules this record. He turns some long and complicated prog metal numbers into something palatable for the listener, providing the needed melody while the other guys do their thing. And believe me – they can play. Boy can they play. The songs range from 2 minutes to over 9 minutes in length and run the complete gamut of progressive metal 101, with a more melodic twist on the chorus melodies and vocal hooks. You can't go past the opening twisting rocker Sunset Highway for progressive melodic brilliance. The more commercial hard rock of Crusted Memories is a nice break in pace and sounds very Jorn-esque. Graveheart is also a standout track with another monster vocal and metallic beat. Eye Of A Stranger is a more commercial track before the epic Now Until Forever turns experimental/fusion, mixing Toto with Dream Theater. The semi-acoustic New Generation rounds out the record.
|
| Constancia Lost And Gone | Frontiers Records FRCD 417 |
|
|
Just who is Constancia? Another one of these Scandi gems, is who! Featuring former Scudiero/Token keyboard player Mikael Rosengren in partnership with guitarist Janne Stark and vocalist Andromeda singer David Fremberg, these guys play their own brand of Scandinavian melodic rock/hard rock with a ton of keyboard fills, big heavy riffing and a thumping rhythm section. The style is heavy and almost progressive in places, but the melodies and the choruses are pure melodic rock. The punchy hard rock of Fallen Hero is an ideal way to open the album and set up the record. It is commercial metal at its catchy best – these songs getting better and better after each listen. Blind is no better example – heavy and aggressive, yet the chorus is short but glorious burst of pure AOR. This reminds me a little of Jorn Lande in his early melodic/prog rock days. Dying By Your Flames is another spirited track wrapped in swirling keyboards and attacking riffs, smoothed over by some powerful, yet soul-fused vocals. Save Me is one of the more dramatic tracks on the album, driven by a dark and dirty riff, vocals providing the necessary melodic hooks. Noone Like You is more commercial and lightens things up a little; while Life Is A Misery is a dramatic and hard hitting melodic metal ballad. Wish I Could Fly is another glorious melody filled track with progressive leanings.
|
| Steel Panther Death To All But Metal | Island |
|
|
Steel Panther is the latest name for Ralph Saenz and his party hair-rockers formerly known as Metal Skool. I'm guessing they are trying to widen their appeal past their residency on Hollywood's Sunset Strip. On this album they set about to offend just about everyone with expletive laced lyrics about partying, heavy metal, sex, girls, lust, drinking, playing loud and more sex.
It's like Motley Crue, Skid Row, Whitesnake, Def Leppard and Van Halen all rolled into one with the lyrics of Kiss and the sleaze of LA Guns. Performance wise, there is no faulting this. It is energetic, engaging, filled with killer riffs and monster vocals and a huge rhythm section. Not to mention the money spent on the production. Yes, it is a joke, but it is done so seriously you can't help but get caught up in the energy of the record. But the lyrics do wear thin quickly and there is stage where some songs get skipped as they are just too over the top for repeated listens. If you can turn off paying attention the lyrics, then you might get more mileage out of this. On the first few listens the lyrics are utterly hysterical and are truly art in their own right. And this really is a great sounding record – amazing even – and the way the band rip off the genre in every way possible, yet still make it sound original is a true sign of genius. However I can't help but pause and wonder how good a record these guys could really make if they weren't about taking the mickey at every chance and really tried to do something in this vein seriously – sort of like what Wig Wam and The Poodles have done in Europe. The Saviours of American rock n roll? No way – no band taking the piss this much is ever going to resurrect the rock n roll scene, but next party I have will feature this disc prominently. In its proper place this is a lot of fun, but not for many other occasions. |
| Simple Minds Graffiti Soul | Sanctuary |
|
|
I had to go back and research the quote from frontman Jim Kerr prior to the release of this album as I couldn't believe my ears. He is quoted as stating: “Stylistically, this is a truly vibrant rock 'n' roll album that's bursting at the seams with quite possibly the most ballsy pop songs we have written in years.” What a load of utter codswallop. Not only does this album fail to deliver anything remotely rock n roll, there is less vibrancy here than a dildo with flat batteries. I'm convinced Jim Kerr has lost his voice as he spends most of this album whispering his vocals and seldom raises any of the passion found on classics such as Once Upon A Time, Street Fighting Years and Real Life. There is some guitar fire present in the first three tracks, but seldom elsewhere. It pains me to say, but Kerr is the weak link here. His vocals are just flat and boring. The general instrumentation throughout is lush, filled with programmed effects and layers of overdubs, but the sense that the song is in control is gone. Rockets has a decent hook and at least Stars features some classic Charlie Burchill riffs. But the rest….I just can't see myself playing this album again – and that comes from someone that wore out the cassette of Once Upon A Time. These guys were one of my favourite bands 1986-1995. Emotional songs, inspired lyrics and a sense of purpose that made every record an anticipated event. But of the last 3 albums I can't recall one song I've gone back to. I'd go as far to say I might include Rockets or Stars in a self-compiled Best Of, but the rest….no chance. Time to get passionate guys….or give it up. |
| Chickenfoot Chickenfoot | Edel |
|
|
If I still had to explain who Chicketfoot are, then I would suggest you were reading the wrong website! So I will pass on the history lesson for hard rock's newest “supergroup”, but it is safe to say that they are, by pedigree, truly deserving of the term. To say the hype machine was in overdrive for the debut album from Sammy Hagar, Chad Smith, Joe Satriani and Michael Anthony is an understatement. Thanks to some savvy advance marketing and some bizarre statements from the likes of Hagar, who stated the group could rival Led Zeppelin – expectations were high. I'm happy to say that for my opinion those very high expectations have almost been met, which equates to a pretty damn good record. What the album lacks in knock-them-dead songwriting, it more than makes up for in groove. There is a definite avoidance of big chorus hooks here, but groove is the order of the day. I'm not blown away by every song but boy…the electricity of the performances here is second to none and you can't help but be drawn in by the amazing energy emanating from the record and the individuals involved. When I play it – I play it loud and love every minute of it. But at the same time, it's not an album I'll play every day. Hagar sounds as good as I have heard him in recent years and back to his Van Halen best. Michael Anthony proves why he was the missing element on the VH-Roth reunion with some fantastic backing vocals and screams and his bass playing is phenomenal. What was Eddie VH thinking in ever dissing the man's talents?? Chad Smith forms an unbreakable bond with Anthony to provide the biggest, baddest, fattest rhythm section in rock n roll. Joe Satriani proves that he is indeed one of the finest guitarists in the world in any genre and gives EVH a true run for his money. Each puts in a career defining performance and it is all captured absolutely magnificently by producer Andy Johns. I can see why Hagar used the Zeppelin analogy. Andy John's signature Zep vibe and the retro sounding loose rock n roll of the material here definitely has that classic rock 70s feel. Perhaps if Led Zeppelin hadn't already done everything possible previously, this record would be regarded as more groundbreaking. Today it isn't, but it still sounds fresh and invigorating. I had some reservations that the overall tempo of the album was a little plodding, but the groove is just so infectious. If you look at the debut Mr. Big album, as good as it was, it has the same feel – a group of musicians getting to know each other's groove. But on album number two, after extensive touring and living together – getting both tighter and looser at the same time – the band exploded into brilliance and perhaps that will be the case with Chickenfoot's sophomore release. Right now though, Chickenfoot's debut certainly doesn't play by the rules. The dark and intense opening track features a very subdued chorus almost undefined to the rest of the song, but some amazingly intricate guitar parts and a sense that you could almost be there in the studio with the band as they laid down these tracks. The closing soloing is outstanding. The power groove of Soap On A Rope is intense and the interplay between the guys in the last minute of the song is something special. Sexy Little Thing, Oh Yeah and Runnin' Out keep the groove momentum going with some catchy moments before the semi-instrumental Get It Up sees the guys really let fly. Down The Drain is one of those very special moments in music that allows the listener to witness a very special group of musicians just jamming away and you can literally feel the smiles on their faces as they go about it. My Kinda Girl is the feel-good uptempo number of the album and Learning To Fall is the serious and sentimental moment. I'm not so much into the extreme retro vibe of Turnin' Left or the funk/boogie of Future In The Past, until the second half of the song turns more intense. The bonus track for the LP and the Japanese release is the semi-acoustic, loose blues rocker Bitten By The Wolf. An interesting track showcasing a different side of the band, but definitely worthy of being a 'bonus track' and not on all forms of the album.
I will say though - the packaging although a novelty - is absolute shit. If you are going to do something special, make it look a little better than a piece of cardboard with a CD wedged in-between.
|
| Magnum Into The Valley Of The Moonking | SPV 306810 |
|
|
Few bands are definitely worthy of the tag legendary, but UK pomp/rock/AOR outfit Magnum definitely fit the bill. With a history dating back to the mid-70s, the guys are well and truly part of British rock history. This is the band's forth release since reforming earlier this decade. The three releases preceding this have had both plus and minus points. There has been some fine additions to their song catalogue, but also some filler moments and in places a lack of the band's classic sound. Of biggest concern has been the lack of pomp choruses and a seemingly repetitive slow or mid-tempo plod. Into The Valley Of The Moonking fixes a couple of those problems, but at the same time sees the band dealing with a new problem – a below standard production and mix. Worst offender is a completely intrusive and annoying programmed cymbal sound that appears louder than everything else, while singer Bob Catley's voice comes across as underdone and low in the mix. As has been the case in recent years, the track sequencing is questionable again here. I would not have opened with the very familiar mid-tempo plod of Cry To Yourself, despite it being an enjoyable song in itself (cymbals aside). It would have better fit coming after the more energetic All My Bridges and Take Me To The Edge. Second track - the very 70s sounding All My Bridges - pretty much sums up everything Magnum. This is the kind of tune that has been missing since the reformation and the uplifting tempo is a welcome change of pace over recent releases. The song closes with a classic Mark Stanway keyboard fill reminiscent of Wings Of Heaven – I'm not sure why this sound couldn't be used more. Take Me To The Edge is something the last 3 Magnum albums haven't had at all – a guitar fueled hard rocker. A gritty uptempo rocker, this song sets up the album (aside from the cymbals again) and reminds me of the Rock Art album. The Moon King is another great Magnum track – slow and bluesy to start, but featuring an uptempo pace change for the chorus before dipping back into a moody verse. Unfortunately though, the verse sounds as if Bob Catley phoned his vocal in from the Bahamas. Not sure why it sounds the way it does – the verse is ok. A similar mood carries over into No One Knows His Name, which also comes to life on a great bombastic chorus. In My Mind's Eye is a well timed change of pace. Despite that annoying cymbal again, the song retains the passion, mood and pomp that Magnum songs are famous for. Time To Cross That River is another slow track – not quite a ballad as such – but very very moody. Not sure why the 'powers that be' chose a live audience cheer to intro the track. It sounds daft. This is where another rocker sound have burst to life, but that might be too much to ask of Magnum in 2009! For the reason that this is 3 slow tracks in a row, I feel If I Ever Lose My Mind gets a lost a bit despite a slightly more impactful chorus. A Face In The Crowd is yet another slow track, but an acoustic driven ballad that features a magic chorus. A great sentiment here and should have been re-arranged in the track sequence to feature after In My Mind's Eye. Feels Like Treason gets things up and rocking again finally with a fast and fan-friendly vibe. The chorus is catchy and the lead riff instantly memorable. Blood On Your Barbed Wire Thorns is er….Magnum at their AC/DC best? Yes, it seems so. Reminiscent of Rock Art again perhaps, this straight up guitar driven rock track again features a dodgy cymbal track and interestingly, some bar-room piano, and is something different for the guys. I'm sure fans will be varied in their opinion of this track.
|
| Vindictiv Ground Zero | Escape Music ESM190 |
|
|
The debut Vindictiv album is only a year old and showed great promise for progressive/melodic metal fans. Back already with album number two, the band's mastermind Stefan Lindholm has blown me away with this new record – far superior to the already impressive debut. This is perhaps my favourite heavy music release of 2009 to date! I can't get enough of it and making it even better is the use of two of my favourite vocalists out of Europe – Mr. Everywhere Goran Edman and Oliver Hartmann. Not to mention Mark Boals taking command on the track Venom. I really hope people give this album serious attention as it is produced immaculately and really does sound a million bucks – and featuring some of the best songwriting for the genre this year (alongside Saint Deamon). The progressive fills will make Dream Theater fans take note and the lead vocals will make Goran Edman fans weak at the knees and perhaps fans of the many other Yngwie Malmsteen vocalists over the years. Keyboard parts are equally impressive, with Royal Hunt fans in need of checking this out. What I like best is the fact each song has a defined chorus and a great hook. This is a supper long record with a ton of trickery and fast playing, but it always comes back to the hooks. Modern World is heavy and aggressive, features time changes and swirling guitars and keyboards, yet come the chorus it is all melody. And Ground Zero is even better – this song just kills me. I love it. Heavy, powerful and layered with instrumentation, then a killer chorus in two parts with a soaring vocal throughout. Reach Out sees Oliver Hartmann return to his metal roots and sounding a million bucks here with another strong chorus and raspy, passionate vocal. Golden Gate is a near 8 minute track filled with solos and double kick drums, and another chorus that signifies a change of pace and layered harmony vocals. Venom is almost Royal Hunt in its feel and features plenty of metal riffing. Tweedledum and Tweedledee talks of contradictions in the lyrics and the same could be said of the song itself. Heavy…yet melodic, progressive...yet straight forward. And plenty of soloing. The 7 minute plus I'm Back Home features Oliver Hartmann again in fine metal form. Another very melodic chorus is surrounded by double kick drums and prominent keyboard parts. No track under 7 minutes for the back end of the album, so you can imagine the intensity of the music on hand. Martha's Song is a moody number that gets better each listen as you get to know it; Overshoot Day is a supper complex progressive number with more Goran brilliance; No Matter What is over 8 minutes but almost feels commercial in nature and Oliver Hartmann closes the album with the big metal anthem The Sacrifice.
|
| Praying Mantis Sanctuary | Frontiers Records FRCD416 |
|
|
Definitely not what I was expecting. I didn't even recognize the band for a while. Praying Mantis have turned in a very solid album here bordering on commercial in nature – mixing hard rock elements with more straight ahead melodic rock and even some AOR melodies – albeit delivered with a more powerful base. The band is another act with a long rich history – one with different selection of lead vocalists and other musicians along the way. But they are still here. The founding Troy Brothers are still the foundation of the band, so the direction is not going to be too unfamiliar to long time fans. Mike Freeland is the new vocalist, who suits the tone of the new music. He should – he had a major hand in writing a lot of it. The band retains that British hard rock vibe, but the smooth nature of the vocals and the albums overall production will see some crossover appear here from the USA and other areas. There are some truly memorable hooks embedded within this album – none better than the acoustic driven rocker Restless Heart. The fast tempo So High motors along before the tempo changes for the slower, sentimental ballad Lonely Way Home which features a great lead vocal and chorus. Fans of NWOBHM will still find plenty here to love – such as the trilogy of fast and furious classic rock themed tracks Touch The Rainbow, Threshold Of A Dream and Playing God. Highway is a touch of melodic brilliance, with a real AOR heart, big chorus and singalong lyric. Closing the album is the more progressive Sanctuary, adding some grit to proceedings.
|
| Lou Gramm Band The Lou Gramm Band | Frontiers Records FRCD414 |
|
|
The great Lou Gramm returns after far too long in the recording wilderness. A great many things have happened in Lou's life since he was last heard on CD and even more so since he last fronted Foreigner. There was his departure from the band; a life-threatening brain tumor and recovery from that; getting his voice back in shape and along the way he also became a born again Christian. Lou Gramm is a survivor and it is with this new Lou Gramm Band line-up and CD that he re-launches his recording career and firmly stamps his new beliefs at the very heart of the record. This is in every way a Christian rock album, with the lyrical theme consistent and prominent throughout. Some may take issue with that, as there are many Christian recording artists out there that write lyrics with far more subtlety (Giant, Guardian, Jim Peterik), but at the same time you have to respect Lou for the direction he has taken here. He obviously believes very strongly in his faith and part of his return to the scene is bringing that message to old and new fans alike. The lyrical theme does affect my listening preferences for this record. It is not off-putting at all, as I find some of the lyrics very inspiring and uplifting. But I would say that due to the nature of the record, for me it is very much a mood thing. I need to be in a certain mood for it and when I am, I happily listen to Lou's message and get enjoyment from it. Vocally speaking, this record surprised me to be honest. Due to the much publicized debate over the quality of Lou's live vocals over the last few years, I wasn't necessarily expecting too much of this record. While Lou does sound different than his heyday and certainly carries a gruffer delivery, he also manages to throw in some classic Gramm vocals in each song and his trademark tone is definitely recognizable. The songs themselves again surprised somewhat. I expected a more laid back record given the nature of the material, but this little record rocks! The songs aren't too far from the Lou Gramm/Foreigner style we know and love and the new band delivers some convincing performances, lead by much respected guitarist Don Mancuso. Talking songs - Baptized By Fire could have slotted into either of the two classic Gramm solo albums as could the groove laden Made To Be Broken. The very melodic Willing To Forgive features a nice hook and That's The Way God Planned It is a really superb inspirational ballad. (I Wanna) Testify doesn't grab me so much while remaining a good uptempo number, but the track Redeemer grinds on my ears big time. Lodged in-between those two tracks is the superb dark mid-tempo rocker So Great. Single Vision is a terrific happy go lucky pop/rock tune, while some necessary grit and classic Gramm is present on Rattle Your Bones. Perhaps track of the album is the monster ballad You Saved Me, which closes the album. Absolutely amazing chorus and some inspirational vocal and musical orchestration lifts the track even higher in the latter stages. It's Not Too Late is a European Bonus Track, but I am yet to hear that so can't comment.
|
| Jorn Spirit Black | Frontiers Records FRCD415 |
|
|
I have said it many times before – Jorn is one of the great hard rock vocalists of all time and definitely one of my favourites. But I have come to await his releases with less anticipation each release. I simply find that Jorn the solo artist is now spending a great deal of time repeating the same formula over and over. As with the most of his solo albums fans only get 9 new tracks and of those tracks, one is normally “borrowed” or updated from past recordings. And the songs are much the same slow to mid tempo plodding style, something which has really become an issue with me now, as when Jorn fires it up he is untouchable (Sunset Station, Gate Of Tears, Worldchanger and the Masterplan material). But as with all Jorn releases, this still a quality release and something I will play consistently for a period. The new album is Spirit Black and sure enough, the formula is once again in play here. 9 tracks, most of them hard, heavy and slow to mid-tempo. No surprise to find myself thinking half the album has gone by, only to realize I'm only on track 3. The first 4 songs of the album are all good, with Spirit Black and Road Of The Cross stand out for me. But there is nothing more that I would love than a double time kick-drum fuelled opening track from the great singer. City In Between is a slow intense rocker with a somewhat softer veneer than the first half of the album and features a great melodic chorus and lead vocal. Then for the first time in a long while the tempo picks up…Rock N Roll Angel is a more traditional hard rock track than I have heard from Jorn in a while and I love it – great vocal melodies. And wham! Burn Your Flame finally sees Jorn into overdrive. The song could be complete shit and still appeal due to the tempo finally reaching furious, but thankfully it isn't. World Gone Mad continues the uptempo flurry of the second half of the record and is another solid, simple hard rocker with another good chorus melody. Another plodder closes the album, but the intensity of the vocal and the manner in which it is delivered makes it stand out among other plodders in Jorn's repertoire.
Always consistent and better than most, but long time fans are still waiting for that classic, which has been on the verge ever since the debut solo release.
|
| The Trophy The Gift Of Life | Frontiers Records FRCD410 |
|
|
The Trophy is a new project collaboration between vocalist Michael Bormann (who you know so well) and guitarist Todd Wolf (Human Fortress). The duo wrote all the material together, performed most of the instrumentation for the album between themselves and Michael produced and mixed it. Keeping it all in house, the guys had the ability to focus on what exactly their vision was and the listener is in turn rewarded. For Bormann fans this is a no-brainer – solid production, great mix and some terrific lead vocals. The songs themselves are for the most part very catchy and lean towards the style of Bormann's recent solo albums, but with a heavier twist and some updated production effects, mixed with the moody material that made up the Rain project a few years back. This is a more contemporary sounding release thanks to the extra programming tricks, drum loops and at times a more tuned down guitar sound. But at the heart of the album are some really catchy songs with strong melodic hooks. When The Nightmares Wake Me Up, Justice and the ultra moody Rescue Me all stand o |
