Real Music Reviews In Real Time
I am here to review melodic rock of all kinds. The industry continues it's slow fade into oblivion. My main goal is to keep the torch lit. Reviews and opinions are my own. Ratings system moving forward for all albums reviewed here. 10 is perfect, like getting an A plus. Fairly simple.
Monday, October 21, 2024
Winding Road - Fill My Sails (Pride and Joy Music) - ALBUM REVIEW
Thursday, May 23, 2024
A Never Ending John's Dream - Coming Back To Paradise (Album Review)
A Never Ending John's Dream is one of the most original and persuasive things I've heard in recent years. Progressive melodic rock with memorable hooks and plenty of guitar and keyboard flourishes. A true tour de force!
The album's title track, "Coming Back To Paradise", would be a mega-hit in a better time. The band that hails from Barcelona Spain, borrows slightly from bands like Rush, Asia, Pink Floyd and Saga. But the heart of this band is it's own. The songs carry heavy subject matter that is personal, spiritual and extisential. As if these seriously songs need some proper subject matter.
"Equilibrium" is a great example of this as it leans heavier and more progressive. David Vidal's guitar work combined with the sweeping keyboard sounds of Xavier Miro are the backbone of this audacious sonic landscape. The rythmn section of Joan M. Heredia (drums and lead vocals) and Paul E. Schuster (bass) round out this powerful band. Other big highlights include "I've Lost My Dreams", "Save Me From Myself" and "Sad Winter".
But honestly, this is album plays from start to finish as one grand opus. The soaring vocals, the masterful playing, brilliance is all over this. It's like nothing else I've listened to. For that reason, Coming Back To Paradise gets a perfect 10! A must have for your collection in 2024.
Album Rating 10/10
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Alicate - Heaven Tonight (Pride & Joy Music) ALBUM REVIEW
Their new album "Heaven Tonight" is a delightful mix of rockers and ballads. "Are You Ready" begins with a dash of Neal Schon-like soloing followed by an Alex Van Halen drum line. It has a similar welcome to the album feel as Van Halen's"Good Enough". The drums are relentless. The hooks are bold. The choruses and BGV's are solid and in the right places. "Under The Gun" sounds like Whitesnake and Guiffria, two bands that Alicate can definitely be compared to. The keyboards accent the gritty guitar riffs. "Heaven Tonight" is a mid-tempo rocker that has a bit of Triumph in it, think Never Surrender or Progressions of Power.
Vocalist Jonas Erixon emulates all the great singers from a bygone era. He's more David Coverdale than anything else. "Big Time" is another possible hit single with an epic chorus. And the guitar solos are all tasty thowbacks that make you long for the days of big hair and muscle cars. "Ride The Storm" is another majestic ballad combining elements of Vandenberg and Whitesnake, with maybe a touch of Y&T. The melencholy guitars mixed with flute sounding keyboards make for an epic ride.
"Dreaming" sounds like a rocked up Foreigner song. There are reference points outside these bands you know and love. And again, there is a lot of Whitesnake here from start to finish. "Dangerous" sounds like an outtake from Van Halen's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge with a dash of Night Ranger and Dokken.
This is an album you can annoy your neighbors with. It's definitely made to be played loud. "Hold On" is another would-be hit single for a top 40 station circa 1989. The bottom line is if you like what Whitesnake was doing at that time, Alicate is a continuation of that with their own spin on it.
"Count To Ten" would be perfect for an 80's movie soundtrack. Big drums and keyboards married to the subject of "keeping the dream alive". The guitars are front and center. "You're Gone" is an elegant power ballad that soars and emotes with great strength and enengy. A perfect ending to a powerhouse melodic rock collection. This is one for all the fans of 80's rock radio. It will bring you right back there.
Album rating 9.5/10
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Hugo's Voyage - Inception (Frontiers Music SRL)
On the other hand, Hugo Valenti has been fooling audiences now for decades. His band Voyage is the top Journey tribute band in the world. And Hugo's vocal cords appear to be intact. At age 60, Valenti sounds more like the old Steve Perry than anyone else on the scene. Hugo employs every last one of Perry's vocal licks. The elongated notes moving from one key to another. The OH-EE-OH vocal exaggerations. It's patterned after Perry who borrowed it from Sam Cooke. It's something Pineda doesn't really do in the current Journey.
Voyage was doing fine playing the old Journey classics to packed houses. But Hugo was inspired during the lockdowns. He began writing and the results are breathtaking. The melodies and production are classic Journey and even tap into solo Steve Perry material. Guitarist Robbie Hoffman is tasteful and complimentary to the legacy of Neal Schon.
There are 12 songs on Inception, one of them an instrumental which is the title track to the album. There is also a Boston influence on this record as well. The first single, "Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love" is an instant classic. The keyboard intro alone is a showstopper. After a few songs, it feels like a Steve Perry album. Hugo's voice is so close it becomes part of your Perry consciousness. There are subtle differences, but nobody comes closer than Hugo. "I'll Be Around" has everything a fan of the early Perry years could want. An up-tempo instrumental flurry of layered guitars and melodic soloing at the end. It sounds like a lost track from Infinity. "Sound of a Broken Heart" feels like a leftover from Steve Perry's 1984 album Street Talk. Hugo understands that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. He does this again on the beautiful "In My Heart." The song is somewhat reminiscent of Journey's Still They Ride. Honestly there are so many reference points, that it's hard to cite them all. You will find your own.
"Crazy What Love Can Do" has a groove much like that of Suzanne from Raised on Radio. The melodies are all nostalgic yet original. These are new music shoes with old soles on them. "September Love" is a pure power ballad with soaring lead vocals and harmonies. Drummer Dana Spellman adds a soulful backbeat to every last one of these songs. "The Voyage" is a tune named after the band (think Bad Company by Bad Company). It's a high flying, soulful mid-tempo rocker. Maybe even a tad progressive which might be a nod to Journey albums like Departure and Evolution. Legendary bassist Greg Smith handles the bottom end like a pro, cause well, he is one. His presence just adds more credibility to this project. Keyboardist Lance Miller has got his Jonathan Cain mojo kicking throughout. There are jazzy and classical references throughout. His work on the album's opening instrumental title track is brilliant.
Inception is not bashful about its love for the 80's. A great example would be the lite rock favorite, "A Friend Like You" (featuring Ray Hermann from the band Chicago on saxophone). This is a radio programmers dream. The entire album. Hugo closes things out with the very personal and poignant "When Heaven Makes An Angel". Somewhat outside the Journey template, it makes for a nice ending to a perfect set of Steve Perry sounding music. It's all here. Even skeptics will embrace this as something that they've been missing all of these years. Better late than never. Inception is the best melodic rock album of 2023. It was badly needed at this point in rock music history. I'm thinking Steve Perry might even like it.
(album rating 10.0)
Friday, April 7, 2023
Revolution Saints - Eagle Flight (Album Review)
Monday, March 13, 2023
The Ransom Brothers - Resurgence (Album Review)
Album Rating 9.9
Thursday, January 26, 2023
First Night - Deep Connection (album review)
"These Hearts" opens this extended set with an instant melodic punch and could easily be considered a hit song. The chorus is big, the production is lush, and those Mutt Lange references are all over the place. "Little Love" combines bright keyboard flourishes with a crystal clear acoustic guitar. It's a real power ballad that gets brighter and more meaningful with each listen. I kept going back to listen to this one over and over. "Beginning of The End" opens with a flashy keyboard riff coupled with upbeat guitar work. The pairing is present from start to finish. Rather then opt for the big wall of sound, instruments fall in and build as the songs progress. "Savage Heart" follows this formula perfectly and includes a great storyline. "It's Only Feeling" is a moody late night driving tune featuring a churning rhythm section and a blissfully sparse arrangement.
Keyboard intros are so cool. And "Love Me" has one. But then it builds into a great mid-tempo runner filled with all of the earphone textures your ears can handle. The choruses are large and impactful as if the songs are actually really good, which they are. Songwriting and production. Not one or the other but both! "Don't Ever Say Goodbye" showcases the First Night vocal blend by employing an instant hook and a chorus that you will hear in your sleep. And lets not forget the perfect guitar solo at the end. "Someone" is a made to order top 40 song from 1987. All of these melodies are original even if they cheerfully borrow from the bands we grew up listening to.
"Is Your Love Alive" sounds like Toto stole Def Leppard's musical aura and decided to make a song from it. The hook is relentlessly catchy and captures every great 80's stereotype. "Talk To Me" pilfers from Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" mostly on atmospherics and tempo. All of this music is pleasantly derivative of other bands but still retains it's own identity.
"Suddenly" is slightly more pop oriented than most of the other songs, yet again it still retains the overall sound of this wonderful band. "Can't Forget" has a Journey Raised on Radio vibe with a punchy bassline and speaker filling keyboard flashes and those Def Leppard vocals. "In The Name of Love" starts with a long guitar intro that thoughtfully builds to the lyrics. When we get there we are totally ready for this epic song.
By this point in the album, the band has added some real swagger to their musical footsteps. The hooks seem to get better. The choruses more memorable. I mean, wow! What an album! This is First Night's second album. Their first one was excellent. But the quality of material and musicianship here make "Deep Connection" an early contenter for melodic rock record of 2023. Just outstanding. Thirteen songs that will keep your ears happy and craving another listen.
Album Rating 9.9
Thursday, January 19, 2023
Torben Enevoldsen - Transition (Album Review)
The opener, "In Orbit" sets the tone for the rest of the material. Composing 10 unique and interesting melodies is not an easy task these days. Yet it all sounds fresh and engaging. "Backslide" is guitar fireworks as the same refrain is revisited multiple times in different ways. The chugging of the rhythm section is a perfect musical backdrop for the guitar expressions of a master painter. "Beyond The Sky" is jazz infused boogie that inclines to higher highs as it progresses. "Fool-Proof" is a lyrical jam that gets guitar nasty as it smears more paint on the canvas. "Out of The Ordinary" is a late night landscape of subdued soloing and fine wine atmospherics.
"DNA" is the big Deep Purple meets Van Halen opus, riffing and improving to some musical memory of rock dinosaurs feasting on metal scraps from long ago. "DNA" feels like a radio song. "Home" is more subdued and even tranquil. The melody line begs for a lyric or an idea that the listener can grapple with. "Memories" combines a large hook with some persistent fills that all work in tandem. All the influences are there. Classical, jazz and metal. A swirling concoction of six string fury.
"Bounce Back" is a road rage rocker that finds an open lane and hits the cruise control at 80. "Enough Said" is a culmination of everything with pent up guitar frustration and more twisting, turning and melting of internal soundboard components. A great way to leave the listener wanting more!
Thankfully Torben has another album called 5.1 that you can rock out to with equal joy and excitement. This is some of the finest instrumental guitar rock on planet earth today.
Album Rating 9.8
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Khymera - Hold Your Ground (Album Review) Frontiers Music Srl
"Hold Your Ground" is a very focused project that will take the listener back to the 80's rock radio format. Ward's lead vocals are smooth and powerful. The material is as good as any of the prior releases. The first song from this collection "Don't Wait For Love" is a classic with a poweful drum sound and a first listen long lasting big impression. Next is the first single "Firestarter". It glides in loaded with passion and melodrama. There is a side to this music that is somewhat progressive and unpredicable. Michael Klein's guitar work is more gritty than the band's other offerings. The layered vocals, atmospheric choruses and big drum sound are all great workout mechanisms for a good quality stereo system. Veteran keyboardist Eric Ragno is consistently adding the perfect frosting for the Khymera cake. Dennis Ward's bass playing coupled with drummer Michael Kolar give the rythmn section some added punch.
"Here Me Calling" is part power ballad and part heavier rocker. The twists and turns within the melody make this track and equal to the first single. These are well written songs both lyrically and musically. Klein's guitar solos are eloquent and to the point. Ragno's keyboard intro to "Sail On Forever" adds a hint of prog to a very memorable building hook. Ward's vocals might be his best ever for a Khymera project. It would be nice if these guys took this show on the road! "Our Love Is Killing Me" is a beautiful power ballad with an organic piano sound underneath a soaring Ward who really channels both Steve Perry and Joe Elliot. It's like Def Journey with a hint of Alias or Guiffria.
"Hear What I'm Saying" rocks out with stellar guitar work that weaves in and out of a passionate vocal. Dennis Ward's higher notes are on par with Paul Stanley in his prime. "Believe In What You Want" feels like an instant hit single, if that is even possible these days. Choppy little guitar hooks and a solid bass line and the ideal chorus about that universal billion downloading idea - believing! "On The Edge" features Ragno's pallette of keyboard sounds and a galloping guitar from Klein. These guys take the melodic rock art form to new heights. Everything is tight and moves along without anything too self indulgent.
"Could Have Been Us" is another radio caliber song with a cold start followed by a slew of guitar moves. The melody and the story of city hall is a bit of a curve ball lyrically. The background vocals are on point. "Runaway" begins with Ward's naked vocal and Klein's riff work. It evolves into another very unique sounding track that is like punky progressive melodic rock. "Am I Dreaming" rounds out this very impressive collection of songs with the same high quality hook making and songwriting. All of these tunes are FM rock radio bangers and deserve to be heard.
I've listened to all of the Khymera albums and I own two of them and this one is the best out of the bunch. This feels like next level Khymera. This album is a must have for 2023.
(Album Rating 9.7)
Thursday, December 8, 2022
Tommy DeCarlo - Dancing In The Moonlight (Album Review)
I'm not sure what more people want from Tommy DeCarlo. He has successfully hoisted the Boston legacy on his back and is proudly reproducing the music that captivated fans worldwide back in the late 1970's and into the 80's. On his second foray into the world of new melodic rock, Tommy hits another grand slam with an album chock full of potential radio favorites. The problem for him is, will anybody hear it? Will any American radio stations latch on to this well produced set of legacy extending songs? The answer is likely no. It's up to the music explorers that cull through various streaming platforms to share this with their musical comrades.
The album's title track "Dancing In The Moonlight" sounds like a leftover from Boston's 2nd album "Don't Look Back. Decarlo and his team at Frontiers have mastered that vintage Beantown sound, especially the Tom Sholz aspects. The guitars instantly bring you back to that glorious point of entry, when the world's best debut album was made. And this happens song after song. Unlike Tommy's debut album, this latest work is an unabashed throwback to the Rockman guitar sound and those unforgettable hooks. The guitar break on "Change Our Fate" has that pattented Boston pause before the next onslaught of sonic wonder. It's all good because the songwriting is on par with anything Sholz and the late Brad Delp could come up with. "Beyond Forever" is a ballad that echoes "A Man I'll Never Be" from the mothership's sophomore album. Alessandro Del Vecchio's production is smart and minimalist. There is no attempt to reinvent something that already works perfectly. Some will say this is too derivative. I say this music provides closure and a happy place for those who still want to go there.
The nostalgia continues on "Life Is Just A Game" where some extistential questions are addressed in that late 70's Boston style featuring an eerily accurate Sholzian guitar solo. "No Surrender" employs a shiny acoustic guitar line underneath DeCarlo's soaring tenor. This is Boston Next Generation. These songs never deviate from the formula which if you ask me is the perfect remedy for the dark fury that permeates mainstream radio culture. "The Game Is On" mentions wheels and engines and other reliable Boston metaphors. It's a tribute to everything we love about this music. A swirling keyboard intro adorns "The Road Will Lead To You". As you listen you imagine this could have been that missing Boston album that should have been released between "Don't Look Back" and "Third Stage". DeCarlo has the advantage of being a fan with a deep understanding of how the originals came to be. The guitar work of both David Julian and Martin Jepsen Andersen is both accurate and stunning.
"In The Hands of Fate" might be the only song on this album that deviates slightly from pure nostalgia. It's a bit more progressive than the others but close enough to not be a sore thumb. "Find The Love" really has a Third Stage groove. Nicholas Papapicco finds his mojo on the cymbals and high hats and no doubt is a fan of that multi-platinum debut record. "Home To You" has an immediate big hook using both acoustic and electric guitars. The vibe is Boston and a dash of Foreigner and gets stronger as the chorus hits you like a home run at Fenway Park. "Spread Your Wings And Fly" starts slow and builds with a chorus of voices in the classic Boston power ballad format. This would be a candidate for my make believe radio station where only the best music is offered. "You and Me" is last call for dancing in Hyannis. Another gold nugget of songwriting goodness. Tommy is reaching for heaven and he's hoping this music doesn't fade away.
This project is everything a Boston fan could want and more. A remarkable start to finish effort that puts it on par with any of the Boston albums. Nobody in the rock media will tell you this. Nobody in the rock media will even review this or cover it's release. Classic rock stations won't find the testicular fortitude to feature any of these songs next to the classic works that inspired them. The question is: If a Boston song falls in the forest is there anyone there to hear it? For those who seek, they will find the music we all grew up with.
Album Rating 10.0
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Streetlore - Streetlore (Album Review) Art of Melody Music Italy
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Decoy - Without Warning (Album Review) via Perris Records
"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
Monday, November 7, 2022
Satin - Appetition (Album Review)
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