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TEN
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| What more can I say of the hottest band in the Melodic Rock of the 90's?. They are big in Japan, they have sold 175000 records worldwide, they have a rock star look and are fronted by a hell of a singer... This double live album is a rendition to their hard work (not everybody releases three new albums in two and a half years) and also will made them gain one more step of the status ladder. The songs explode here, the epic feel and the bombastic choruses are even bigger and Vinny Burns guitars and Ged Rydlands keyboards set the cd player on fire. Highlights? Probably everyone will have his/her own perferences but I would remark how great do sound tracks like "The Robe", "After The Love Has Gone" "Goodnight Saigon"... The election of the titles included here is also superb and even the drum solo is worthwhile. Moreover, we found 4 new tracks from the recordings of "The Robe" opus. "Black Moon Rising" is almost an exact copy of Blue Murder's "We All Fall Down" but with a different chorus, "Venus and Mars" is also a rocking tune with some good keyboards in it, "If Only For a Day" is an 8 cut with a sound not very much in the classical Ten mood, and finally, "Give Me A Piece OF Your Heart" is an AOR sounding track with something in the verse that remainds me to Bon Jovi's "I'll Die For You". Another classic record by an already classic act. |
DAVE BALDWIN
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| "Time" is the first solo effort by ex-Tradia member Dave Baldwin. Sincerely I didn't expect this because Tradia stuff was in a more pomp vein clearly influenced by classic acts like Styx, but this album is more Midwest/AOR oriented, the sound is more organic and lets the acoustic guitars and piano shine through almost every single track. The sound is something between Jonathan Cain's "Back To The Innocence", Joey Tempest solo stuff, and maybe Brett Walker's second album so if you are fond of this type of AOR Dave Baldwin is a big thing. Also the piano textures come closer to Roy Bittan (Bruce Springsteen, Meat Loaf...) and an example of this is the beautiful "Sweet Sister", which is the best ballad in "Time", or the also wonderful "I am Your Dream". Basically this is a mellow album and this is something that I would critizise because a couple of rocker tunes like "Open Up" and "All The Lonely People" would have balanced the whole thing. Above all, "You Are There" is one of the best songs I have heard in the last year. It is simple but its melody is simply awesome. "Time" is, in conclusion, a very interesting album, soft and introspective. A good collection of well-written songs. Visit Dave's homepage for more info. tunes. |
STUN LEER
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| What a blast! Stun Leer's "Once" got me rockin' with my air guitar for almost a week. This is pure and bombastic Melodic Rock. Big production, great sound and all the elements that in the eighties would have put this record in the top of the charts. Basically this sounds like the first Danger Danger album so it needs no description. Opener "Love Is A Liar" kicks your ass with its power and a hell of backing vocals by this American lot. But "Eye to Eye" even overtakes this first cut with its electrifiying melody which drives it directly to our Top Ten. Eighties Van Halen is an obvious influence in "If You Want Love" and "Deliver" is also hot spot here. I find no complaint in "Once" and maybe "FoolinŽ" is the closest thing to a filler. Ten tracks to kill for, a must for all AOR fans. If "Twice" is just that good... |
PRIME TIME
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| Previously released in Japan, here comes the European edition of this project featuring people from Narita, Royal Hunt plus the ex-singer from Elegy. When I heard the first track I could easily see what this album offered: excellent musicianship and the kind of melodic metal that is so beloved in Japan. TNT's "Intuition", Masquerade's second, Stratovarius, Royal Hunt...are some of the names that come to my mind in order to define the sound in "The Unknown" but I'm afraid that this cd has some highs and lows that just won't put Prime Time at the level of the before mentioned bands though it will please the fans of this kind of Scando melodic hardrock/heavy. Andre Anderson superb keys shine along the record being the member that steals the spotlight. Opener "Living on Borrowed Time" is far ahead the best here, excellent melody with some good drums that bridge the verse with a hell of a chorus. The titletrack has a Stratovarius sort of sound and "Eyes of the Maker" is also a good track. "Secrecy" could be perfectly in a Letter X record (former band of Jaded Heart singer Michael Bomann). The main problem here is that when you listen to the entire record you are left as it could have offered something more, maybe a couple more of killers...I don't know some songs sound good, powerful and well-played but dangerously closer to the adjective average. Anyway if you are into the harder side of melodic rock and you enjoy these kind of records, Prime Time will be an interesting addition to your collection. Virtuosism in each and every track but the songwritting could have been improved in some of them. Good but could be better. |
JONATHAN CAIN
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| Third instrumental album by Journey keyboardist/pianist Jonathan Cain. The difference between this and his two previous efforts is that in "For A Lifetime" we found the songs he has played in his friends' weddings, so there's no band, everything is so mellow that we even find his version of the "Bridal March" (composed for his own wedding day) and there's only Jon's piano with some orchestra arrangements made by the man himself. For all Journey fans, "For A Lifetime" includes an instrumental version of "Open Arms" which is simply delightful. I am not going to review each track because the real important is the global sound of the album which is closer to New Age. Just mention as a curiosity that the third track is a piece composed for bandmate Neal Schon and it is also one of the highlights. So, on top of it all, this record is a sentimental piece an a great exercise of syrupy instrumental balladry. A softer record for all the lovers and fans of late-night stuff. |
KING OF HEARTS
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| Not a really new release but something that deserves to be reviewed because this is a marterpiece and those of you who don't own the two records this band left before splitting, should check out this greatest hits collection that also includes a previously unreleased song (the quite good ballad "Broken World") and a live and acoustic version of "Lovin' Arms". Basically "No Matter What" is full with some of the best tracks that Westcoast sound has produced in the nineties alongside with Jay Graydon's Planet 3. "Land Of Dreams", "The Night The Angels Cried", "Working Man" and "Don't Call My Name" which still touches my soul every time I listen to it, are very good tracks and showcase the abilities, both as composers and musicians, of Tommy Funderburk (ex-Boston, What If, Airplay...)and Bruce Gaitsch (Peter Cetera, Richard Marx, Madonna...). I must advise all the readers into the hardest part of AOR, that this is possibly not an album that will drive them crazy because 75% of the tracks are slow-tempo, classic westcoast/AOR songs. Check this great album in its label site: Thoughtscape Sounds. |
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