TERRY BROCK needs no introduction. Every AOR fan knows about his years fronting STRANGEWAYS and his recent adventures with THE SIGN. This is his first solo album and what a bombastic cd it is!. His voice is impecable and each song keeps the high quality standard. The opening mid-tempo "I wanna love someone" is totally Stangeways. The Mark Mangold-penned "Up all Night" is a powerful yet catchy track. Then we have "Native Sons" which Terry wrote about the Stangeways years. The titletrack is co-written by Jim Peterik so it's no surprise that it sounds very Survivoresque. "Forever Now" is among the best of the bunch. A fantastic summer track. Also fantastic is "We invented Love"... I personally think that any decent AOR fan should have this in his/her collection. If you like Journey, The Storm, Stangeways, Survivor....well, who doesn't like these bands? Buy, buy, buy.

Everytime I listen to ANY recording by Swedish guitarrist Tommy Denander I have the impression that I'm listening to the same band. Much probably this is due to his mixing/production techniques that make every album sound similar yet much too thin. That is the only problem I find in this sophomore effort by PRISONER disc because the album is just pure AOR with excellent intrumentations and fantastic vocals. Certainly Tommy knows a thing or two about writing a good catchy tune and once again he proves it. It's undeniable that Tommy is a great Toto fan as proven in songs like "Jasmine" or "Prisoners" while others like "Return to My Heart" are more akin to his work with Talk of the Town. I think that what impresses me more is the vocals handled once again by Geir Ronning and Piere Wensberg. They are both fantastic vocalists with their own personality....just listen to "One Way" for proof. The band have included their own version of the Britney Spears classic (!!?) "Crazy" which to say the least is quite funny. If you liked the first album "Blind" or you love evrything Mr. Denenader puts out, this one has to be in your list.

Formerly known as PROMOTION and already having released two notable records, this Swedish band is back with a different name and a harder sound which should open them new door in the AOR circles. While their past works "Not For Sale" and "Yeah, Yeah" were closer to Westcoast this is definetly in the AOR territory. The bands trademark is still there it's just that they have now dropped the horns and the guitars are more present than ever. I wouldn't classify this opus in the archetypical Scandi AOR field as GRAND ILLUSION have been able to develope a sound on their own. The cd is very balanced and I would highlight the rockier "Feeling Strangely Fine", the superb AOR on "105" or the mid-tempo "Parachute". If you were a fan of the band in their PROMOTION days you will enjoy this inmediately. If you still don't know them you should deffiently give this "Book of how to make it" a serious spin.

MITCH MALLOY is back. He received the cult status due his glorious debut and now releases another huge album filled with great melodies and power. "Shine" lies in the AOR/rock territory that he featured in songs like "Anything at all" from the debut album but, overall, giving it a more rockier approach (just check tunes like the opener "You lift me" which are 3min radio-friendly pop/rock gems). This album is excellent. There's no sing of filler tunes. Each track is a killer in its own right though I would undeline the greatness of songs like the melodic midtempo "Love's own hand", the uptempo "Love made a liar out of me" or the brilliant ballad "Places only love can go" co-written buy Victoria Shaw. "Shine" is far away from the mellow "Ceilings and Walls" which must have been one of the most criticised AOR albums ever. This is definetly one of the best cds I have heard this year. Solid, balanced, instant, melodic... a classic!
WEB: mitchmalloy.com or BUY at: melodicrock.com

I should be honest with you all. I found little appeal the first time I put the RAINMAKER cd in my cd deck. Sure it was well done and a few good numbers but nothing really catchy. Subsequently this album found its space in my shelves waiting for a better day. I try to be a fair reviewer and everyone deserves a second option so inserted the cd and surprisingly enough I liked this a lot. Although production-wise this sounds quite unidirectional and thin the songwriting is diverse and ranges from the instant melodic rock of "Nancy hold on" to the hard rock of "Rainmaker" or "Blood Brother run" and even the slightly-progressive "Bad Call". Rainmaker is basically (like PRISONER and the upcoming RADIOACTIVE) a TOMMY DENANDER project. Here the, ultimately prolific, Swedish multiinstrumentist is surrounded by his mate Geir Ronning and Tony Franklin so the musicianship is top-nocht. Certainly this is an album that grows after several listens... at least that's what happened to me!... Not excellent but highly interesting. A must for fans of Denander and a recommneded buy for melodic hard rockers.

It seemed a tough job for Steve Newman to equal the level of "One Step Closer" which for me is among the best AOR cds of the nineties. Well, "Dance in the fire" is not a better album but still it's a great album that follows the way started by its predecessor with hits of FM, Stangeways, Atlantic or Tower City. Bombastic chorus and melodic har hitting tune for the pleasure of the purest AOR fans. "Every moment" is a classy kick off with massive chorus and powerful guitar. The mid-tempo "Anything at all" is also great. Also excellent are "Remeber the Night" or "Love is the Drug". This guy really know how to write a good melodic rock tune. The main difference between this and "One Step Closer" is the inclusion of some Whitesnake-ish influences like in the blues tinged "Jealousy". Once again agreat record courtsey of this British band. Recommended to all the AOR fans.

Another great young band that appears in the North American scene with great harmonies and melodies. Sister Hazel must be the most melodic and rootsy from all the bands of its generation like Matchbox 20, Tonic or Stroke9 still holding resemblances with all of them. I can alaso hear traces of Venice or Taxiride. The band has added some electric guitars to enhance their previous acoustic sound. The first single is the catchy "Change your Mind" but if you get deeper in the album you will discover gems like "Champagne High" or the glorious "Give in". An excellent and cohesive pop record for those who love the new wave of young American Adult alternative pop bands.

With one of the most supreme line-ups ever reunited in the world of AOR, this record has been one of the most awaited releases of the last years. Was the wait worthy? Sure, it was. This is not an excellent album but certainly it's very, very good. "Signs of Life" combines elements of all the members of the band therefore we find track like the pompy and Kansas-like "I am Alive" with a wonderful extended guitar-key solo or the more AORish "Aryon" that was already featured in the "Union 3" Sampler. The production could have been better but works fine and there's only one track (the hardrocker "Stranded") that lets the side down. What I like the most about this cd is that it has so many different textures that you always find new things that you didn't notice in the previous listen. This is certainly one of those records that improves with time. "Nothing but a Heartache", "the wait" and "I will be there for you" are numbers that will please the AOR fan base. A highly recommended pomp/AOR cd with 5 great musicians. Buy.

Every Millenium cd has been a step higher than its predecessor. This third cd is the culmination of their career and contain variety, classy perfomances and impressive tunes and melodies. The balance is almost perfect and you can listen to heavy tracks like the uptempo Pretty Maids-like "Power to Love", to ballads like "No more miracles" or melodic rock cuts like "Superstar" or "Rocket Ride" that even hold resemblances with Harem Scarem circa "Mood Swings". "Masquerade" is another blast and has some slight progressive touches. The performances of guitar virtuoso Ralph Santolla and Jorn Lande are top notch. The inclusion of the latter has been the definitive push that the band needed. Fantastic album and a must buy for the lovers of Melodic hard rock.

eXtrareviews...

DARK SKY is a German melodic rock band that have just released their debut cd "BELIEVE IT". This cd has some good chorus and melodies reminding me a lot to Scando bands like Europe or Treat though never reaching the same quality levels specially when it comes to the vocals. The first two songs "Rock Me" and "Stay Young" are truly great though. Not band if you are into are melodic rock and want to have an enjoyable listening. WEB: goodlife-records.de

Dark Sky Believe it (Goodlife'00)

David Glenn Eisley Stranger from the Past (Now&Then/Frontiers'00)

DAVID GLENN EISLEY has always been regarded as one of the most outstanding vocalist in the AOR world. For me this recognition has more to do with his involment in the classic "Silk and Steel" by GIUFFRIA rather than for hiw own vocal abilities. Anyway, "STRANGER FROM THE PAST" is a comeback to the Melodic rock sounds with some good moments like the titletrack or "Don't turn away" but after several listens this record leaves me cold. Pretty average...

SUPREMIUM are a power pop band from the States that delivers a great formula of catchy, radio-friendly 3 minute songs a la Beatles or the Loveless. Their debut album "LUCKY" is a groovy, delightfully fresh and instant piece of work. "What she needs" is 100% melody and the vibrant "Fall Out" is a modern classic. Down-to-earth pop that has what it takes to please the fans of the genre. Buy, buy, buy... WEB: popsquad.com

Supremium Lucky (Popsquad'00)

John Jorgenson Emotional Savant (A2'00)

Music journeyman, JOHN JORGENSON has found some free time to record this solo album "EMOTIONAL SAVANT". This guy has played with so diverse luminaires like Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Don Henly or George Michael. He plays everything in this record and the final result is a varied opus with songs ranging from the jazz/pop of "Let it go" to the country touches of the instrumental "Easter Island Heads", the ballad "Black and Blue" or the modern "Commuter Iceman". Still this is mainly a decent pop rock divetimento by a brilliant musician.

After some irregular releases in the last years, GLENN HUGHES is back to hard rock. A single listen is enough to conclude that the "From now on" days are still far enough. For me that was the album that showed the ex-Deep Purple in the highest of his career. Anyway, VOODOO HILL is his new record for which he has joined guitarrist Dario Mollo (The Cage). This record sounds very much like an updated version of Deep Purple. Just take a listen to "Spun in lost Wages" (a "Burn" carbon copy) or "Disconnected". I like the first tune "Sensitive" and "Just another Monday" where Glenn proves his vocal tapestry. But I am afraid this project is a quite unspectacular opus. Fans of The voice of Rock will love it but somehow we all know he still has a masterpiece under the belt. IMO, it'll come up when he founds the right musicians but this is only my opinion. Neither bad, nor good. An average come back to hard rock.

Jorn Lande must be one of the busiest men in the biz. He appears in the Snakes, Vagabond, Ark, Millenium, Tor Talle adn now he releases his first solo cd. I am a great fan of this guy vocals but I am afraid this cd leaves me cold. "Starfire" is 50% covers and 50% new stuff. Sure the covers are nice but I would rate this more like a musical divertimento than like a proper solo release. The highlights are Journey's "Edge of the Blade" (whcih he ahs turned into a Hard Rock anthem!) and Jorn's own "Starfire". Quite nice too are Foreigner's "Break it up" or City boy's "The day the earth caught fire". The rest of his own material is very Rainbowesque/Purple sounding incl. the cover of the classic "Burn". Not bad but far from espectacular.

Sometimes I think that AOR labels try to overload the market with AOR releases. I mean, was this really necessary. Don't get me wrong, LOST WEEKEND is not a bad band but their tunes sound so generic and done before that I can't find the appeal. Although "Presence of Mind" is far better than the band's debut AOR fans buy with a limited budget and there are much better AOR releases to put this cd in the priority list. Still PFM contains some good party AOR tunes like "I need You" and the anthemic "Kiss from the Heart". An average release.

There are some young modern bands that have beatifully crafted an style on their own blending the best melodies from the 70/80's and giving them the power and the rawness of the 90's. Certainly these three Americans know how to do it with tapestry and style, sounding fresh, varied and down-to-earth. Tonic got tons of airplay with their previous album and they keep getting it thanks to "You Wanted More" which is one of the highlights of this sophomore effort. This record is far from being unidirectional and repetitive. From the angst ridden "Knock Down the Walls", that sound like an agressive version of Matchbox 20, to the beautiful acoustic-driven "Sugar" this record proves that the guys have a wide palette of colors. This is far from being AOR and lies in the modern pop territory though I am sure that the many melodic fans out there who appreciate this side of the genre will find "Sugar" more than an interesting opus.

Hailing from Sweden and already getting tons of praise in the AOR media, this threesome is among the finest pure AOR release of the year. From the opener "Do Ya" we get a good dose of keyboards and ToTo-esque composition with catchy chorus and instant melodies. The mainman behind this opus is Patrik Tibell (hence the name of the band) who plays the keys and handles the vocal duties. The only fault that I find is that the production could have been improved but this is something that sadly is beoming usual in the majority of AOR releases. "Illusion of Love" is almost Westcoasty sounding like Bill Champlin or Airplay. Then we have "Refugee" who sounds like Phil Vincent with better sound or Aviator. Almost each track is a a winner and there are no obvious fillers. "Night After Night" is my particular favourite as it's one of those arena AOR uptempos that you wish you could listen in the radio once in a while. What you have heard is true. This is nothing original but it's so well done that it deserves a space in your collection. Great tunes.

This Swedish band appeared in the scene as a modern version of ToTo. Their first release, the EP "Keep on Walking" had a bunch of great songs and their first full-album "Perfect Chaos" follows that same trend. Maybe the Toto comparison is only cristal clear in the last track "Last Man" that could have been easily included in Lukather and co. "Farrenheit" album. the rest of the material has some influences but basically is a style on their own. Moreover, this is far from being an instant record as it's and opus that grows on you and repeated listens prove to be worthy. From the funky touches of the opener "Forever on my mind" to the power of the first single "Ghost in my Head" the picture is surely drawn with a wide palette of colours and tonalities. Also worth checking out is the poppier "Turns into Stone" or the acoustic-driven "Trying". The opus closes with the aforementioned "Last Man" which is also one of the highlights of the album. "Perfect Chaos" is probably one of those crossover albums that unite the best of pop and AOR. Easily recommended for fans of both genres and for all of you who enjoy elegant music and a sort of AOR done with freshness and originality.

If I mention that EMERALD RAIN's Sean Gregory and Murray Daigle have played, produced and mixed this record many of you would start thinking "....HAREM SCAREM part III". Well not really. Yes, LOVERING is a Cannuck duo but definetly closer to straightforward AOR bands like DRIVE SHE SAID or BOULEVARD that to Lessperance and co. "Calm before the storm" lies totally in the 80's and I know that makes many of you happy. Songs like "One More lie" or "Nowhere to run " are the kind of AOR that made us love this genre. Shame of the production job though. With a better sound quality this would have been a winner. Anyway, an intersting addition for the AORsters.

German quintet DEAD MEN WALKING are a new band that delivers Euro hard rock in the vein of Balance of Power or Crystall Ball but less heavy. These guys know what they do and do it well however "Additional Parts Inside" lacks of espontaneity and has many parts where the music seems to go nowhere. Some more rockers like the opener "Stories" or "Moments in Time" would have created a much more instant and accesible record that this is. Anyway a nice addition, if not a must, for the lovers of Euro hard rock.

TIM DAVID KELLY is an independent songwritter from the States and this "Growing up naked" is his first solo release which has been entirely written, performed, mixed and produced by himself(!!). Behind the weird cover we find a disc filled with many great tunes lying in the power pop/post folk songwriter vein. The first part of the record is a clear winner with two huge tunes like the pop anthem and ultra-catchy "A thousand miles from Lonely " (anybody said hit single?) and the Goo Goo Doll-esque "Maybe it's true". also worth mentioning are the acoustic "Flowers for Wendy" or the the Marvelous 3-like "Broken on Inside". "Growing up naked" has some highs and lows but it hides many moments of inspiration. This is very recommended disc for all the popheads reading this. It may not have the huge productions of the majors but it's filled with major league class songwritting.

I kinda like live cds. Give me a good set list, a live feeling and good sound and I'll be a happy man. However I can understand that many people don't find the enjoyment in this kind of releases. Anyway, Cannuck four-piece EMERALD RAIN have just released their live cd. And it's a good one! It has great sound quality. Obviously, these guys can play and some songs really shine in this new live format. "Live 2k" is a copilation of what they have delivered in their two studio albums "No Saviour" and "Age of Innocence" and some of the highlights are "Heart on the Line", "Age of Innocence" (their best song IMO), "Don't tell the rain" and "High road to Nowhere". Something common in live records is the inclusion of a new track and "Live 2k" is not the exception as we get both the live and studio versions of the hardrocking Japanese bonus track "Take a Stand". Usually live records are a fans-only thing but "Live 2k" may be also a good way to discover this young band. Recommended.

I am always glad when a new band brings fresh air into the world of AOR music and this anglo-american act does it with style and class. RAINE's debut is a eleven-track affair filled with melodies and subtile original arrangements not very common in the standard melodic rock but that end up adding a very special touch to some tunes like the mid-tempo "Everytime" or "2AM". The record has also its more strightforward melodic rockers like the opener "Rainmaker" or the Danger Danger-like "Inside out". Another highlight is the inclusion of the Steve Perry/Cliff Magness penned track "Lost Angels" featuring the keyboards of the ex-Danger Danger Kasey Smith. I am fortunate to be able to listen to many albums at the end of the year and this one is certainly one of the ones that will hold a special place in my collection.

I never found the excittement in this disc. LONG ISLAND released it some time ago with some new tracks but it was still a boring effort. Now ESCAPE tries it again with more bonus tracks and still this does nothing for me. As simple as that: MESSAGE's first cd is and effort built around the figure of Richie Sambora. The cd reached very expensive prices when it was a hard-to-find item but just because the Jovi axe was there. Musically this sounds extremely dated and unspectacular. Sure some of the bonus like the rocking "Medicine Man", written by Bonjovi and Aldo Nova, are ok, but just that. The pompish "Where were you" is still my favourite tune. Just for collectors or fans of classic rock sound. The other MESSAGE albums without SAMBORA are waaaaaaay better.

With one one the most horrendous names that I've heard for a band, these American fivesome introduce their debut album "Control Yourself", an independently released opus filled with pure 80's AOR with a good dose of keys and guitar. I must say that after listening to this disc several times, I find it very solid, cohesive and well-done for an indie band. Certainly the production doesn't sound like Journey's "Trial by Fire" but it's quite nice. Some tunes remind me to other American acts like NORWAY, TOUR DE FORCE, AVIATOR, ROKBOX, DRIVE SHE SAID... The titletrack, "Back Again", "Still life Lover" are all great tunes with ultra-catchy chorus. These guys deserve the attention of the majors here in Europe. One of the best indie AOR cds of the year. For more info or to purchase the album you can visit the band's official website at: http://hitthegroundrunnin.homepage.com

After his debut album, Brian went into the "where are they now?" file for a while. Luckily enough, he didn't give up writing music and now MTM releases a collection of songs written during the last 12 years. Sound-wise this is very close to MICHAEL MORALES or a lighter version of DEF LEPPARD. Brian adds also some TOTOesque keyboards here and there like in "Head Back Home" or "I don't wanna want your touch". Almost every song has an instant chorus and the only thing that I would critisize is the production that sounds demo-like sometimes. Also worth metioning is the contribution of WINGER/DOKKEN axeman REB BEACH on guitars. "Wind it Up" is a very good album that grows on you after several listens and something that I would easily recommend to the AOR fan.

They may not be original but they are very good at what their do. Swedish four-piece DAMNED NATION are building themselves a solid career inside melodic rock with 3 releases and a very coherent sound evolution towards a more melodic side of their Euro Hard Rock. If you enjoyed "Road to Paradise", "Grand Design" is a more cohesive set of songs yet retaining the power of the predecessor. RAINBOW esque tracks like "Stonecold woman" or "Fortune-teller". "Hands of time" may well remind you to Balance of Power. Then we have the more melodic side with more AOR tunes like "Heart on the Run", the American sounding "Going Crazy" or the highlight "Scream of Anger". All in all, "Grand Design" firmly establishes this Swedish gang in the spectrum of melodic rock. If you like their previous outputs you'll like this one as well. If you are new to them this is a good chance to discover a very good band.

"13 years of bad habits" is a collection of the first recordings of Sweden's finest Bad Habit. The record, released thanks to Par Winberg at Virgin Sweden, contains the first full-lenght album "After Hours", the much sought-after "Young and Innocent" EP, two b-sides and a never released track. Many of you will already be familiar with After Hours wich is probably the band's most straightforward AOR cd and includes killer cuts like the opener "Living on the Edge", "Play the game", "Rowena" and the Boston cover "More than a feeling". But certainly the great part of the album is the "Young and Innocent" EP which is our for the first time on cd. The band's sound reminds me to classic Scando bands like Europe or Fate and the chorus of "Try Me" or "Young and Innocent" are nothing but bombastic. On the unreleased songs camp, we have the coold and ultra-catchy "Need sombody" and the ballad "I never knew what love could do" as clear winners. A must for the fans of the band and AOR in general.

"Continuum" is CHANGE OF HEART's second outing. The band has evolved towards a less Heartland-like sound though Chris Ousey is still the producer and does some backing vocals as well. However, this cd is sonically still very similar to the band's debut. They know the game their playing and they do not try to be something they're not. So no, this is not an original cd but it's very well played and written. There are many bombastic chorus like in the up-tempo "Blinded" or the excellent "Say that you want me". The guitars and the keyboards are of the highest calibre plus there's not a track that lets the side down. A very cohesive and balanced album by one of the new bands that plays classic AOR. Recommended.

Night Ranger have been one the main reasons (along wiht Journey) why I am now in front of the computer writting about AOR. No doubt that Jeff Watson's guitars were an important part of the success of the American band.... but I am afraid this album leaves me completely cold. "Around the sound" is not an usual guitar album, but lays more in the songwriter field. Most of the songs are driven by acoustic guitar, and some tunes remind me to the softer end of Night Ranger's "Seven". There are inspired moments like the Ranger-esque "Follow" or the rocker "Life goes on", but this cd bores me. Well-written songs but an album that I would only recommend to the fans of the band.

The German answer to Dream Theater have been in the prog underground scene for quite some time. "Far off Grace" should give these guys some extra recognition. As I said sometimes they sound like a DT clones, specially the vocals held by band-leader Andy Kuntz. The main difference may be that Vanden Plas are more song-oriented and the overall album is more accessible than the last Dream Theater efforts. The ball starts running with the powerful "I can see" that is flourished by some nice keyboards. The guitars are also sharp in "Into the Sun" which explodes into a great chorus. "Far off Grace" is a very cohesive pack that concludes with the very interesting cover of the Dokken's classic "Kiss of Death" with added power-drumming and some other prog licks. A must for fans of progressive-metal.

After many bootlegs and un-offical re-issues (I think that the last one came from Stan himself) here's the definitive, official, good-sound reissue of the first Stan Bush cd. Although I like his Barrage albums rather than his solo career I must say this cd is an absoulte must for classic AORsters. It was originally released by Sony 1983 and, well, you get the picture of how this sounds. Sunny and classic AOR in the vein of the first Barrage cd though a little bit softer... maybe in the songwritter vein that Rick Springfield, Eddie Money or John Parr had in the eighties but with Stan's imprint. A must for the lovers of the 80's AOR.

Prisioner is one of the latest signings of the Z Records label. I thought this label was not going to release a melodic rock cd anymore (after releases like MVP, Badlands or Shout) but it seems that the year 2000 comes with many good melodic stuff from Mark Alger's office. Prisoner come from Sweden and the mastermind behind this project is guitarrist Tommy Denander and keyboardist Ricki Delin. The duo have two great vocalists Geir Ronning and Piere Wensberg carrying the more high-pitched AOR sounding tunes. Prisoner formula is elegant yet original melodic rock with good chorus and energy. Indeed it's a very cohesive and balanced album. Songs like "Don't Wanna Waste another Minute", "Give my heart a Home" or the acoustically driven "Hear Me Heaven" shine with special brightness. Though some perseverance is required, "Blind" makes a truly enjoyable listen.

Absolute zero is the project of Marc Engeran and Randy Setoon,of ROKBOX fame, plus Jim Odom (LeRoux) as you would expect this is AOR with capital letters. Very 80's sounding and covered by good and ever-present keyboars and Journey-esque melodies. this could have well been the first release by ROKBOX who also sounded very much like Journey, Hugo, The Storm.... There's even one sound "Patienly" that was included in the Rokbox cd though it this is a different and improved version. The productions is pretty weak but after all this is a fantastic choice with no fillers for the lovers of classic sounds.

German guitarrist Christian Tolle has just released this cd which marks his debut after a succesful career in business administration. "Better than Dreams" is a collection of AOR/rock tunes from where I would highlight the TOTO esque "Taking the risk" which is a wonderful mid-tempo. Also the rocker "She doesn't know" is pretty good. Added value is the fact that Christian was sorrounded with people like Lukather, Michael Thompson, Tim Pierce or Lauren Scheff plus many German studio musicians. The vocal duites are held mainly by Stephan Scheuss. This cd becomes a bit irregular after a good beginning and some songs are a bit faceless in the second part of the cd. Makes an interesting listen after all.