Streetlore - Streetlore (Album Review) Art of Melody Music Italy

Here in the United States we have no idea how much of our old music is being replicated in other countries nowadays. The music of the 70s, 80s and early 90s. There are bands from Europe that love that sound that we ditched back in 1992. Grunge made melody and harmony and big choruses cheesy and a thing to be ridiculed. 

Streetlore assembles the best musicians in Italy to create an epic melodic rock masterpiece. The definitive lineup includes Terry Brock, Jesus Espin, Sue Willets, Dion Bayman, Davide Barbieri, Eric Concas, Stefano Lionetti,  Mario Percudani, Josh Zighetti,  David Geraldino, Satin and Marcello Spera. It's a who's who of melodic Italian rock. It packs a lot of punch yet doesn't sound too much like any one artist from the past. There are influences for sure. 

A great example would be the song "Crossroad" with its exceptional vocals and chorus. The layered background vocals and the classical guitar work set this on it's own path. "Storm" is somewhat like Journey or Night Ranger in tone with some strong keyboard parts and high tenor vocals. The song gets better with each spin. "Friends In Time" sounds like a rock radio hit single. The vocals are clean and the music flows with a punchy guitars and smooth keyboard parts. It's a great rocker with pop tendencies. One of the album's best songs.

"Aeglos" is a big majestic power ballad with orchestral touches and superb drumming. And the guitar solo is absolutely stunning. "Only Wounds Remain" has a great mid-tempo groove that has some pleasant chord progressions. The vocals really kick in with multiple voices blending beautifully. "Shelter From The Rain" features a female vocalist. She reminds me a bit of Grace Slick in Starship. The song is brimming with emotion and combines some traditional American flavor with old school 80's melodic rock tendencies. And classical instrumentation prior to another stellar guitar solo. So far this album is pulling out all the stops. Excellent special guests and great songwriting. 

"Weaker Than Before" is another steady, straight forward rocker with catchy hooks and vocals coming at you from all sides. There are many hit singles to choose from. People just need to hear this. "Shadows and Lies" is another female vocal part in the spirit of Bonnie Tyler. The music is delicate and then powerful as the tune goes full speed. There are classical tendencies big time here and throughout this project. "Gone" is a rocker that ends the album and does so with guitars and drums blazing. Another monster hook and chorus. 

All very satisfying and thoroughly professional melodic rock songs. In the end the Italians are laser focused on melodic rock like America was in the 1980s. Their passion for the genre really comes to life on Streetlore. It's a winner from beginning to end with no filler songs. Just well executed melodic bliss.

Album Rating 9.6

Decoy - Without Warning (Album Review) via Perris Records

Decoy is a Swedish-Danish collaboration between two melodic rock veterans. Guitarist Torben Enevoldsen, who helped make Jerome Mazza a household name on the first Pinnacle Point album. And singer Peter Sundell from the band C.O.P. and formerly of Grand Illusion. This new collection of songs also features Pete Steincke on bass and Acacia Avenue's Dennis Hansen on drums. The music on this album really falls into the 80's progressive metal category. There are bits and pieces of bands like TNT and Judas Priest. Sundell's vocal range is fairly impressive. Enevoldsen's guitar work is a cross between Joe Satriani and Tony Hernando. Torben is both melodic and fast which makes this music speed along like a freight train. The album features 11 above average offerings. Decoy is not a pop band, they are a progressive band more than anything else.

"Broken Pride" is a muscular leadoff track with some radio tuning sound effects at the outset. The vocals are double tracked and really fill the speakers. It's a big and somewhat repetitive formula. But for fans of the genre, this is a well produced rock album that will require multiple listens to really get the brunt of it. Dennis Hansen is a force on drums. His work has to keep pace with this material, which doesn't slow down. "In And Out Of Love" and "Fire's Gone" lean a bit to the AOR-hard rock sound but still feel somewhat mystical and progressive. Decoy might be more like TNT than anything else but the guitar work elevates it to something less predictable. 

Other standout tracks include "Never Easy", which slows things down slightly, "Reach Out", with it's smoldering guitar licks and the all out blitz of "Without Warning". I also liked the chord progressions in "We Live, We Learn". This record is a very respectable under-the-radar entry into the world of melodic rock. The musicians and their love for this genre is the driving force behind "Without Warning". 

Album Rating 9.1

Satin - Appetition (Album Review)

Satin is a Scandanavian vocalist who has been on the melodic rock scene since 2014. Here in the states it's almost impossible to get information about some of these up and coming artists from this region of the world. And Satin hasn't released an album in 5 years. But for those who crave singable melodic rock with gigantic hooks and fluent guitar solos, this might be the best album of 2022. What sets this collection apart is the level of quality songwriting and minimalist arrangements. Thus the listener can hear the lush background vocals and the layers of keyboards and guitars. 

Right out of the gate "Going Your Way" grabs your attention with a vocal intro followed by a melody that is upbeat and captivating. "Angels Come, Angels Go" is a classic semi-power ballad with real piano coupled with an echoey vocal effect and complimentary electric guitar fills. This music is like candy compared to some of the darker minor key flavored melodic rock of today's scene. "Waiting For Another Man" has a nice flow to it with interesting chord changes that never borrow from something you've heard before. The guitar solo on this one is particularly impressive.

"Everybody Needs To Be Loved" opens with an enormous hook and never lets up. Satin subscribes to the school of memorable intros, guitar solos and cold fade outs. This would have fit nicely on a rock or top-40 station in 1989. Again, the guitar solo is totally effective. Satin's vocals are friendly and accessible throughout. He doesn't seem to be angry or hold a grudge against the world. This is music for music's sake. "A Dream Coming True" marks off the power ballad box with clean, rich instrumentation. The bass and drums are right up front. And the chorus soars big. The acoustic guitar parts are a bit overzealous which adds to the bigness of the melody. This is Bon Jovi but better! Satin fuses a lite AOR sound with a more robust orchestral influence. It must have taken 5 years to flesh out all these ideas and create these memorable songs.

"Looking At You" is a sugary 80's rocker. The drums establish a great beat and tempo and Satin lays down an almost funky vocal lick. It's part west coast rock with a bit more gusto. Think Toto when they rock out a bit. The guitars and keyboards compete for your headphone attention. The sugar rush is totally welcome. The a cappella ending is classic. "Pearly Gates" establishes another massive hook which has you bobbing and rocking. In fact there is a bop quotient if that is a thing, that runs through the more uptempo songs on Appetition. As I listen to this album I think back to that legendary pop rock band Diesel who had a similar album called "Watts In A Tank". It was song after song of super creative music. And this record has a similar feeling to it. 

"Jenny (I'm Bringing You Down)" starts as a sparse ballad that employs more orchestral effects before transitioning to an upbeat rocker. Satin's vocals adapt nicely to the mood swing. It's a curve ball that ends up being another home run. There's even some Brian May-ish guitar work on the solo. As good as all the songs have been thus far, as a former radio guy, I'd pick "Still Waiting" with it's stellar keyboard flourishes and it's solid rhythm guitar work. It just chugs along like a song trying to push other songs out of the way. The guitar solo outros like guitar solos used to do back in the day. "Fight Again" begins like a  hair metal glam rock track. It then gravitates between pop and metal and again like every song on this record makes a powerful melodic statement. 

Few albums deliver at this level. The melodies are just better. In fact these are 10 perfect songs. No album has gotten a 10 this year until now. Satin has created a melodic rock masterpiece for the ages.

Album Rating 10.0