Dakota's keyboardist Rick Manwiller hasn't stopped during the band well-deserved holidays and releases his second solo album after his debut "Another Fine Mesozoic". This record is one of those that from the first listen they seem to be nothing spectacular neither instant but with the time they grow and grow.
This is not a show-off, virtuoso kind of cd, also do not expect Dakota's flourished AOR , in fact it's a rootsier, more organic and intimate affair. Midwest I would say... reminding me sometimes to Joey Tempest solo works, Kee Marcello or The Railbirds. The opener track "Let Go" has a delicious keyboard melody to begin with and a production similar to Dakota specially in the guitars, great chorus too. "Survive the Night" gets in the acoustic territory and hints of The Wallflowers could be heard all over. I also enjoy the mid-tempo "Bump" which could have been easily included in the Public Domain debut. "Blurring The Lines" is melodic Bruce Springsteen in a ballad form, even Rick's vocals hold resemblences with The Boss. "Nasty, Li'l Bidness" has a jazzy, older-Chicago sound. The delightful "The Best I Can Do" has been co-written by Jimmy Harnen who even adds some backing vocals. This is one of the highlights, really mellow and very nice late night stuff. I must say that everyone is going to find its own favourites and there are no obvious weakest tracks.
If you are into that Midwest stuff this is for sure a not-to-miss album. Good tunes that offer their whole flavour after several listens. The cd has been released by Rick Manwiller's own label, if you want to get a copy email him personally: manny@epix.net

How many times have you heard "the really important in a person is the beauty within". Well, Phil Vincent, the American musician and multinstrumentist, has the beauty within (i.e. good tunes and melodies) but definetly fails in the outside look, and that means that the fine handwritting lies under a dated production, bad sound, and even a horrible artwork (watch his own picture taken 20 sec. after he had waken up!).
Phil Vincent has grabbed several influences of many classic acts to shape his AOR/Melodic Rock and those who enjoyed Norway "Night Dreams" will found this one very much in their alley. The hooky "Turn Away" is a clear example of that. The mid-tempo "In The Balance" shows Phil's good writting and has some pompish textures that make the tune grow. What happens is this sound just a little bit better than a demotape. The mixing is really raw both in some guitars and drums ("Not Your Addiction") and just the keyboard arrangements lift the whole thing up. "Never Should Have" is an AOR track that could remind you to Rick Springfield or John Parr. And "Reflections Of Yesterday" has keyboard elements silmilar to Journey though the melody is more in a Magnum vein.The weakest stuff here are, the ninth track "Walkin' In your Footsteps" which is a hard rock tune that delivers once again rough mixing and "Gone", that ends the cd and is an average song that has picked Blackie Lawless angry vocals and has mixed them with a Million-Slaughter-esque melody.
For those who know Phil's previous albums "Rising" and "Life's a Gamble" I must say this is the best of them and the more AOR sounding. Phil's management has also been so kind to send me a new six-track EP named "Undone" as an advance of the next album (due to Winter'98). The tunes in it folllow the same vein as "Calm Before the Storm".
I just would like that someone gives this guy the chance he deserves. He does write good melodies and inside "Calm Before the Storm" we get several catchy moments. For sure, with a good production this album could have been bigger than it actually is.

LINE UP: Hasse Johansson (V) Steffan Wettrelind (G) CT Rohdell (G) BJ Laneby (B) Per Westergren (D) Mikael Böhnke (K)

MILLION Electric BLUESTONE MUSIC 1998

60%

Million is a Swedish act that has released three abums so far (1991's "Nº1" and 1994's "We, Ourselves and Us"). Tha name of the latest one is "Electric" and has a lot to do with melodic hardrock, in-you-face up-tempos and some references to Deep Purple or eighties bands like Kix, Y&T or Motley Crue.
The band seems really comfortable in this style, the overall sound is well-produced, powerful but melodic and, specially, vocalist Hasse Johansson steals the spotlight in many tracks. The tunes featured here are straighforward Hard Rock... in fact, they are so direct and instant that, as a reference, just two of the 12 tracks are over the four minutes (No! No! I am not reviewing a Green Day record).The begining is quite hopeful because opener "Wrong Side" is along with the epic, due to its keyboard arrangements,"Eye of the Storm" the best tracks of the record. But I am afraid the rest of the package just would amuse those who still adore 80's HR sound. Obviously, the production is good and this sounds fresh enough to not seem decadent but "Step On The Braks", "Get Down to Biz" or "Kiss Of Death" could have been stolen from Vince Neil or Steven Pearcy book of songs.
Other tracks are "Magic Woman", which is a rocker in a a Purple-esque vein or "Opinion Machine" that hits you right between the eyes with a powerful chorus, also one of the highlights of this release.
This recording won't dissapoint fans of the aforementioned refereces, that's for sure... but neither offers anything new under the sun. If you miss the "golden decade" pick up this one.

"The Shock" are the ultimate product of the British melodic metal market (if there's ever been one!). The act is pretty young but that is no handicap, and their sound is really tight. I suppose Andy Faulkner's (Siam) production is one of the responsibles for this, though I think that sometimes it's too saturated and you hear too much sound.
Anyway, the songs are really well-written and those of you who liked Queensryche "Empire" opus, Pretty Maids latest albums or Viper's most melodic moments are going to enjoy this one. "Nothing Last Forever" hits your hears from the first listen, and also is a good example of how well this guys combine melody with powerful guitars, "Against the World" follows its same way. "Mixed Up Kid" seems like a Skid Row tune with good melodic chorus and "Can't Stop" is pure 80's metal based on a mighty riff and good backing vocals that dress the tune in a more polished way. Finally, one of my favourites is the acoustically driven ballad "One way" that sees the boys softening a little bit with considerable success.
I will just object that if you hear this record from beggining to end it's easily listenable that all the tunes sound really similar. Quite probably this is the main defect in a still great debut album for fans of the heavier side of AOR or Metal with melodic edges.

What can I say after having listened to this masterpiece for at least a thousand times in a week... buddies, this is what AOR is all about. "Long Way From Love" is one of those record that could be the clearest of all examples of what we love... uplifting melodies, good ballads, inmense keyboards, guitars... it's all here! But, of course, the main course is Mark's vocals.
This cd set includes the reissue of "LWFL", that must be enough reason for those who didn't own the original to buy this second-chance album. But, the true gem of this Frontiers/Now & Then release, is the second cd. Including a live performance recorded during The Gods'93 festival plus 6 unreleased tracks, this a must in every fan's collection. The concert part includes the best tracks from "Long Way..." such as the amazing opening with "Someday You'll Come Running" or the superb tune "The Last Time", and some songs of Mark's former bands. "Liar" and "Wake Up You Little Fool" from Signal, "Only the Strong Will Survive" and "Iron Eagle" from the King Kobra days and, finally, the fantastic rocker "Who Cries Now" originally released by Unruly Child.
The unreleased tracks follow the same Signal-esque vein that Mark prefered for this his first solo release (the second one was "Tormented" and was basically Unruly Child second album). "In It For The Long Run" could be a good Foreigner/Drive, She Said tune. "Smoke and Mirrors" is a superb quintaessential AOR tracks with a chorus to kill for, also the power ballad a la Stan Bush "Never could Call it Love" is a memorable moment. Also along with these new 5 tracks we find a new version of the extraordinaire "State Of Love" performed in a duet with Venus and Mars' Dianna DeWitt.
By the way, the ace virtuoso is backed live by Swedish wonderkids Snakes In Paradise, whose album will be out soon trough Z records.The only thing that I have left to do is thank the companies for releasing this wonderful material... also Frontiers and Now and Then wil be releasing both Touch album with bonus tracks in fall... it seems like AOR fans are going to spend a good year!.

Talk of the Town is one of those bands whose debut and, until now, only album is in the wanted lists of half of the fans of Swedish AOR (the other half already have it). Ten years after we get the follow-up to that monster record. This second release is called "Reach For The Sky" and I am afraid that this won't satisfy all worshipers of the previous cd. Original members Thomas Vikstrom and Antonio Salueña are the masterminds in this one too and we also are able to listen to Amaze Me ace Conny Lind in a couple of tracks.
What I have to complaint about this recording is that there are only 4 tracks we could call killers. Well, that's nothing to compalint you would say. What happens is that the rest, but the quite good "Broken Promises", could be considered fillers. Good news first: opener "Top of the Mountain" is a great song with Bad Habit influences and a fantastic singalong chorus. The sunny melody of "You Hide Your Love" is candidate for the summer song 1998 and the Treat-Europe-Glory connection on the epic "Strange Love" is also top notch. Finally, the ballad "Waiting" is in the winner team and once again that smells like a Bad Habit tune, by the way, I can't wait for the new album "Adult Orientation" (MTM) of this Swedish AOR gods due to September.
The rest of the record needs no extra explanation: "Late For Love", "Take Me High", "Come On Closer" are average rock n'rolls or simply hookless tunes. The really good songs set the mark really high but then the fillers make it drop dramatically. Really unbalanced and a shame for the few superb tracks to get teamed with a wasted lot.

Westcoast lovers, this review is for you. Why? Well, quite probably all the fanatics of the softer end of AOR were desperatly looking forward for this classic obscurity to get reissued, and finally, it's AOR HEAVEN who brings it back to the light. This is a gem inside the sunny genre, and it's easy to tell you why after the very first listen. This record simply strikes to the epicentre and that means that hints of Chicago, Pages, Jay Graydon's Planet 3 could be smelled even by a flu ill.
To be sincere the kick off is not so big (hence this is not getting a 90). "Tokyo Woman" is fine but "Endless Summer" is a syrup-layered filler. But, it's after the good ballad "Aubree's Melody" when you get into the "classic" territory. The following songs are much better and especially shines "Holdin' Back the Tears" that will be like a dream come true for Westcoasters who ejoyed pieces like Planet 3 "Insicere". Also superb tunes are the Pages-like "Beautiful Music" and the more Cetera akind "Something in my Heart". It's a pity that among so good tunes we also find a couple more fillers that let the side down, but if a couple of average tracks were going to ruin a classic Westcoast album there wouldn't be any classics in the genre.
I wouldn't recommend you to hesitate. If you are interested in "Endless Summer" you must know that this is a 1000 copies limited edition. So you better hurry up or the chance will vanish. If you love the things fluffy you should not let this release go.

I always feel dissapointed and a little bit puzzled when an album is 50% good songs and the other half just easily forgettable tunes. That deception is doubled when you read the credits of this same record and you find out people like Ron Wikso (The Storm, Foreigner...), Ricky Phillips (Babys, Bad English, Federicksen/Phillips...) or Bob Gilles (Innocent). That exactly what happens with the lattest act released by British amazing label Escape Music.
Firefly is basically vocalist John Pratt project. The ace, based in LA, has been working in several movie soundtracks including "Robocop II" or "Cadillac Man". What Firefly delivers goes from virtuoso AOR to eighties Melodic Herd Rock. When they use the former formula the succes is guaranted, and tunes like the titletrack or "Holes in the Wall" certify it. But when they deal with the latter the whole thing begins to slip dangerously. The cock rocker "Money" is the first warning. "Calling at your Name" it's not bad, but once again a poor song in the form of "Scion" lets the side down. "One silent Voice" has a very Eagle-esque verse and is not a bad track. "What Will Be There Tomorrow" uses the true talent this guys have being a nice AOR song. And "Take Me Back" which starts with agood melody a la White Lion then goes down with an average refrain. Then "120 PSI" remind me of a weak Poison or Vince Neil ("Exposed" era) rock n'roll. At the end of the record we get one of the best songs in the form of "Lydia" also with John using a sort of Mike Tramp style.
Maybe I have been a little bit severe with the mark. But those who have read the whole review will know how a fan feels when a record that could have been superb doesn't reach higher than average. A fifty-fifty record... for sure, less that I expected from this lot.

Winterland is a German act. Are they AOR, Hard, Heavy, Progressive? Well, I would say all of them, and doing that properly is quite an achievement. In this first cd (After the debut tape "Under the Flood") called "Blind" we can see that these guys really work hard. Carefully arranged tunes with great lyrics and backing vocals are a constant in this cd, but perhaps this quest for perfection has lead some tracks to an extremely tight sound.
To fully enter into this record takes several listens but after this required insistence you will dicover a lot of excellent moments not so obvious in the first listens. Opener "The Damnation Game" is my top 1 here. Dark hard rock with really catchy chorus. Great song!. Thorsten voice is the main objection for me. It is very deep and he, as a bariton, always sings on low tones that fit perfectly in the Depeche Mode cover "Everything Counts", but for a hard rock band seem pretty weird. Sorry, but I can't get fully accostumed to it. The most melodic moments are "Shadows" and the mid-tempo "Snow Falling" which sees the band mellowing a little bit and a long with the acoustic ballad "Neverland" are the softer moments of the record. "Ain't Losing my Mind" is also one of the highlights and, as the own band considers, it reminds quite a lot to Ten. Fans of progressive metal, will find in "Blind" interesting moments specially in songs like the titletrack or "The Tables are Turned", but thoughout the record there are several specific parts that could hold this monicker. The heaviest tunes are "Changes" and "Misssing" and for me these are the weakest tracks of the recording.
On the whole, this is not an instant album but grows with the time and the attention you put in it. It is heavy yet melodic, complex and well played opus. Just one final thing, I would like to thank the guitarrist Markus for the record and for the fact that he seems to be a really nice person although we have just "spoken" via email.
Winteland's "Blind" is an independent release that you could get through the band's web site at: http://gandalf.rz-zw.fh-kl.de/~pfeffe1 for 30DM or 18$ (p&p included).

This Scottish four-pice formed four years ago, was signed by the British label Now & Then in 1996 after several club giggs and a couple of demotapes. Along the way, they have supported bands like Heaven Sent, Lost Weekend or Skin. With all this work on their backs it was the time to record a full-time cd, in fact, they are already working on their debut album with producer Andy Faulkner who has recently worked with The Shock. Although the release is planned for Spring 1999, the band has sent me their demo "Cry For Help" which does advance some of the tracks that will find its way into the cd.
The sound of this band is melodic hard rock in its best form. That is, Blue Murder ("Rescue Me"), Dokken ("Holding On To your Dreams") or a fantastic blend of Velocity and CITA' s debut album ("I'll Be There").
The whole demo features a pretty good sound, and each one of the five songs has a worth-the-listen chorus. These consistent and strong tunes had left me looking forward the cd, that for sure will be one of the greatest releases next year.
Power and melody, strong guitars and harmonies for a really promising act.

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