Shadowman - Secrets and Lies (2017)

Genre - Melodic Rock / AOR

Label - Escape Music Ltd

Track listing:

01 - Gravity

02 - Automatic

03 - Put It All on Love

04 - Contagious

05 - Broken Bones

06 - Best Things in Life

07 - Face the Night

08 - No Smoke Without Fire

09 - Good Times, Bad Times

10 - Be True to Yourself

11 - Secrets and Lies

12 - Stand up and Be Counted

UK AOR super group SHADOWMAN return with the latest album, "Secrets and Lies", their first release in six years! Luckily for us the band personnel remains stable with members from FM (Steve Overland, vocals), Heartland (Steve Harris, guitar), and Thunder (Chris Childs and Harry James, bass and drums respectively).
Apart from the classic line-up, on this new effort Shadowman maintains its quality both in songwriting and production.
Basically and essentially, with "Secrets And Lies", you have five very talented veterans of the genre laying down some genuine and creative AOR / melodic rock. It's merely a fusion of their respective personal and professional experience from their respective bands.
Breaking this down a little more, Shadowman delivers the AOR / Melodic Rock essentials. Overland sings melodic and smooth, with a soulful sometimes bluesy delivery. He's backed up by harmonious vocal arrangements, mostly done by himself.
Melody and harmony, rhythm and groove, envelope every arrangement whether by those vocals, the guitar lines, or the touch of keyboard accent and atmosphere. The songs also turn on catchy hooks in composition, often the chorus, largely the melody. All these things are punctuated by Harris's solid and spicy straight up hard rock guitar solos.
'Gravity' and 'Automatic' are in the vein of the very first Shadowman record, there are the catchy rockers like 'Contagious', title track 'Secrets & Lies', the heavier 'No Smoke Without Fire', and the groovy 'Good Times Bad Times'. A song like 'Be True To Yourself' is an arena ready anthem, crunchy in the guitar line and soaring vocals. And lets not forget the ballads, 'Face The Night' and 'Put It All On Love', sugar coated AOR perfection.

"Secrets And Lies" is an album that brings together the sound and experience from all Shadowman's members, that being a mix of FM, Heartland and in lesser degree, Thunder.

Well worth checking out

Rating: 9/10

FM - Heroes And Villains (2015)

 

Genre - Melodic Rock / AOR

 

Track listing:

 

01. Digging Up The Dirt

02. You’re The Best Thing About Me

03. Life Is A Highway

04. Fire And Rain

05. Incredible

06. Call On Me

07. Cold Hearted

08. Shape I’m In

09. Big Brother

10. Somedays I Only Wanna Rock And Roll

11. I Want You

12. Walking With Angels

 

 

Perhaps the most important British Melodic Rock / AOR act of all time, FM may have spent last autumn on a 30th anniversary tour, but they are neither a nostalgia band nor one to let the grass grow under their feet. Two years after a pair of new albums in Rockville I and II, and ahead of yet another tour, they are back with another record of new material entitled "Heroes And Villains".
Simply put, "Heroes And Villains" is probably the most overtly commercial of the albums they have recorded since reforming, possibly even since the outstanding 1989’s ‘Tough It Out’.
Opener "Digging Up The Dirt" has a shuffling groove to it driven by a great big guitar riff underpinning the track courtesy of Jim Kirkpatrick whose guitar work on everything from Metropolis to date has been phenomenal.
Steve Overland’s vocals need no comment other than to say that the smoothest set of pipes in melodic rock sound as strong as ever allowing the listener to settle into the mood of the album within the first 30 seconds.
All the trademark FM styles are there. Merv Goldsworthy and Pete Jupp make everything sound big, while Jem Davis’ keyboard sound is fresh and modern.

The ultra-catchy follower "You’re The Best Thing About Me" can be compared with Def Leppard-Hysteria era, although Steve Overland’s ever superb lead vocals are vastly superior. Later, the lush ballad "Incredible" is another showcase for the warmth and emotion the frontman brings to his singing.
"Life Is A Highway" sneaks a little bit of American Girls from FM's brilliant debut into the mix just to keep the long term fans happy. "Fire And Rain" brings in a classic melodic rock groove with some 'whoah oahs' thrown in for good measure at the beginning of the track.
Commerciality should not be equated with fluffy keyboards though as the guitar of Jim Kirkpatrick is pushed well forward in the mix and his concise solos suit the music perfectly.
Much of the album has the feel, if not the budget, of a Mutt Lange-produced album and indeed "Shape I’m In" could be a missing outtake from Bryan Adams’ ‘Waking Up The Neighbours’.
"Cold Hearted" is virtually the only representative of the more melodic bluesy sound of early Nineties FM, adding a touch of grit to the highly polished fare elsewhere like the bright and breezy "Call On Me".
"Big Brother" offers something different both lyrically and with its slower pace and haunting keyboards at the beginning and end, and "Sometimes I Only Wanna Rock n Roll" has the raunchy Seventies feel of Brishish scene.
Now of course, no FM album is complete without the ballads. There are tracks littered throughout FM’s history that other bigger AOR acts would have loved to have written and the aforementioned "Incredible" ticks all of the boxes that denotes a future fan favourite as well.
They save the best for last though and the album plays out with "Walking With Angels", opening with soft acoustic guitar playing, beautiful harmonising from the band and Steve doing, well, simply what Steve does best. This song deserves to be huge and may be one of the best tracks the band have ever written.
Well it's 2015 and here we are gearing up for a new FM album, and sometimes you just gotta love the music world, because during their initial period of rocking all over the world and after the wilderness years of 1996 - 2007, it is amazing that the band continue to release great music.
"Heroes And Villains" cements their reputation as the UK’s foremost exponents of Melodic Rock, and delivers, as usual, very polished & slick quality stuff.

Highly Recommended.

Rating - 9/10

Romeo's Daughter - Spin (2015)

Genre - Melodic Rock / AOR

Label -

 

Track listing:

 

01. Touch
02. Already Gone
03. Love will come to those who wait
04. Enemy
05. Didn't see it coming
06. Radio
07. Tonight
08. All Because of you
09. Perfect Plan
10. Tall Buildings

After their very good comeback album in 2012, the quintet fronted by the stunning Leigh Matty (voted Number 5 Lady Rock Singer of all time in Classic Rock / AOR Magazine) returns with a new studio record to be released tomorrow April 20 entitled “Spin”, that will excite any fan of the genre.
The new album includes all the traditional elements of the band, only updated. They are delivered in a more 'modern', matured way so to speak. It's been 26 whole years since the band's classic debut and the band has grown up!
But don't worry, "Spin" is a glorious mix of melodic rock and AOR and all with the pure velvet tones of the gorgeous Leigh Matty leading the way.
The opening tune "Touch" exactly paints what Romeo's Daughter is in 2015; rockier, 'darker' but with the melody in front row. Craig Joiner's jabbing guitar riff and Leigh's deep vocal in the first verse set the tone before bursting into a huge chorus where keyboards add to the mix in great stabs.
"Already Gone" starts on a chug along riff before a cracking pace is set before a massive multi layered chorus. The excellent mix shines with Craig's riff to the fore but you marvel at Ed Poole's bass work that underpins the whole tune.
"Love Will Come To Those That Wait" is just a brilliant power ballad and it's movin' to the band's earlier works.
"Enemy" has a chorus line that will make you whistle it for days while "Tonight" seems like an edgy rocker taken from the band's second album.
In "All Because Of You" we have a catchy uptempo song with a beautiful chorus and a sweet melody to die for. Smoky Leigh vocal and classy keys on this one.
"Didn't See You Coming" begins on a picked acoustic guitar on a song that is Romeo's Daughter unplugged. Leigh's vocal soars in the chorus to new heights and during the verse is quite hazy in comparison. I'm sure it would be a huge hit if radio picked it up.
What you can expect from a song called "Radio" done by a melodic rock band? An ultra-catchy track. The chorus is fantastic with the lyrics saying 'give me guitars' and a melody that I will sing out loud. It has a great pump and a lengthy Craig guitar solo takes it to new altitude.
"Perfect Plan" and "Tall Buildings" finish the album in style. The former all stop start guitar riff and a big chorus, the latter built on an early drum pattern plus round bass lines that then builds into the chorus where Matty's vocal whoa whoah's fit snuggly.
Romeo's Daughter have matured and while the overall sound is more 'edgy', this new album is packed with a bunch of feel-good, summer-ready tunes plenty of melody and catchy choruses.
"Spin" sees Romeo's Daughter embracing their past but also look to the future with an album that equally will delight old & young Melodic Rock aficionados. Catch them on tour with FM next month.

Highly Recommended.
Rating - 9/10

Diesel - Into The Fire (2014)

Genre - Classic Rock / Hard Rock / Melodic Rock

Label - Escape Music

Track listing:

01 - Love Under Cover

02 - Into The Fire

03 - Starting Over

04 - Fortune Favors The Brave

05 - Brand New Day

06 - Bitter & Twisted

07 - So What Is Love

08 - Lets Take The Long Way Home

09 - Told You So

10 - What You See Ain’t What You Get

11 - Skin & Bone

12 - Coming Home

DIESEL is the new outfit comprising the creative talents of ex- Bad Company, current Manfred Mann's Earth Band and superb solo artist / singer Robert Hart and British AOR legends FM guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick, with Jimmy Copley (Jeff Beck Band) on drums and Pat Davey on bass.
As you could imagine, expect some classic English melodic hard rock within their debut album "Into The Fire", to be released by Escape Music.
Actually, Diesel sounds exactly like late '80s Bad Company meets FM, or vice versa, but with the addition of a classic rock feeling.
Listening to Hart's voice, you can hear why he was picked to front that iconic UK blues hard rock band. Couple his voice with the music of "Fortune Favors The Brave", "What You See Ain't What You Get" or "Brand New Day", and you might think you were listening to a Bad Company song, yet with less slow burning blues and more frisky Eighties melodic rock.
I love "Coming Home", the more AOR number on the disc with a lovable main melody.
Other songs sound like they could jump off the next FM album like the pulsating opener "Love Under Cover", the awesome midtempo "So What Is Love", or the sharp 'n rockin "Told You So" with some AOR in it. Most of this comes from Kirkpatrick's crack rock leads, but also his sense of groove and melody.
Then "Bitter & Twisted" flips both scenarios on their heads giving you a more dense Whitesnake bluesy hard rock feel. Hart might even be able to fill in for Coverdale in a clutch. Some of that blues feel can get harder as within "Skin & Bone", thanks to the ham-fisted riffs and deep bottom end.
Diesel’s first album "Into The Fire" is a great, solid piece of AOR-ish Melodic Hard Rock with a Classic Rock feeling, with equal focus on catchy melodies and outstanding musicianship.
Considering Robert Hart’s musical past, it seems logical that one subconsciously expects some traces of Bad Company’s style in here. But don't forget the man has released AOR oriented terrific solo albums as well, and Kirkpatrick knows 'something' of this game too. So we have the best of both worlds on "Into The Fire".
The greatest asset to this material, most probably, is that it portrays the musicians of Diesel as they succeed in striking a balance between the expected homage to musical tradition of their respective past (Bad Company, FM) and the contemporary AOR / melodic hard rock sound. The result is that their music is neither 'dated', nor modern – just a compromise between the two.
All songs are good, the playing pretty darn terrific (with Kirkpatrick generous with his spry leads) and the production crisp and warm.
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Rating - 9/10

FM - Only Fooling EP (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / AOR / Melodic Rock
Label -

Track listing:

01. Only Foolin' (new single from the forthcoming album)
02. Rainbow's End (new track - exclusive to this EP)
03. Shot In The Dark (new track - exclusive to this EP)
04. Let Love Be The Leader (live)
05. Don't Stop (live)
06. Does It Feel Like Love (live)
07. Tough It Out (live)
08. Hot Legs (live)
09. Only Foolin' (Extended Mix by Pete Jupp)

Legendary British AOR act FM are busy preparing their seventh studio CD, and as the band have been doing with the last albums, we have an advance with "Only Foolin' EP".

In time-honoured FM fashion this 9-track mini-album (running time approx. 51 minutes) features a mixture of tracks from the forthcoming album, live classics recorded at the 'Indiscreet 25 Live' shows March 2012 and new tracks exclusive to "Only Foolin' EP" that will not be available anywhere.

Really good material with FM's typical smooth style.

Rating - 9/10

FM - Tough It Out [Rock Candy remaster] (2012)

Genre - Hard Rock / Melodic Rock / AOR Label - Rock Candy

Track listing -

01 - Tough It Out

02 - Don't Stop
03 - Bad Luck
04 - Someday (You'll Come Running)
05 - Everytime I Think Of You
06 - Burning My Heart Down
07 - The Dream That Died
08 - Obsession
09 - Can You Hear Me Calling?
10 - Does It Feel Like Love?
11 - Feels So Good
12 - Hurt Is Where The Heart Is (bonus track)
13 - This Could Be The Last Time (bonus track)
14 - Someday (You'll Come Running) [Extended Version] (bonus track)
15 - Alibi (bonus track)
16 - Everytime We Touch (bonus track)

FM's debut album, ‘Indiscreet’, set the scene perfectly for the bands follow up.

This was a British band with their eyes set firmly on the American market, playing music equal to, if not superior, than masters of the craft such as Foreigner, Journey and Survivor.
That they had not earned a significant sales foothold was shocking but it only fuelled their resolve to come back out swinging with their sophomore album, the stoically titled "Tough It Out".
This time around they were taking no chances. Arming themselves with new management (REO Speedwagon's representative) a top notch producer in Neil Kernon and topping off their determination by collaborating with some of the best songwriters (including Desmond Child) of the day they constructed an album of serious potential.

Originally issued in 1989, "Tough It Out" takes all the excitement of their first album and infuses it with top class production and an energy that suggested they weren't going to take any prisoners.
Mixed by Nigel Green (Def Leppard), the album contains eleven stunning slices of melodic AOR, including such crowd pleasers as "Don't Stop", "Bad Luck", "Burning My Heart Down" and "Someday (You'll Come Running)".
As always, Steve Overland must be credited for his superlative performance - outstanding vocals that turn quality songs into exploding supernovas of melody and sophistication.
The end result is truly, one of the greatest AOR albums of all time.

This Rock Candy 24-bit remastering from the original source tapes sounds excellent as usual, plus 5 bonus tracks originally appeared as b-sides, including the rare and really hard to find "Everytime We Touch", making this the definitive edition of this classic album.
The rematering is excellent, really giving these AOR classics a new lease of life.

this is a must have for any FM fan, and an essential release for fans of the AOR / Melodic Rock genre's in general.

Rating 9/10

FM - Metropolis

The Wildside EP was a good taster for this album. With echoes of the old FM, and influences of Bad Company and AC/DC, this album is just the sort of music FM should be making based on their past, and will hopefully bring the band the success that they deserve.

It's been a while in the coming - about 15 years actually, but with Metropolis we have 13 brand new tracks by FM, that blow away the cobwebs & represent a classic piece of British melodic rock, and FM have one the best singers (of any kind) that this country has produced, in Steve Overland.
Stand out tracks include, 'The Wildside', ' Over You', 'Unbreakable', 'I Ain't The One' and 'Don't Need Nothing'. Once again FM deliver us some Aor / melodic rock classics!

website - http://www.fmofficial.com/

rating 10/10

FM - Wildside EP (2009)

Released to coincide with Firefest VI there is an urgency and purpose on this track that typifies the best melodic rock. This Ep contains 3 studio recordings and 5 live tracks showcasing the bands many talents and diversity. The 3 studio tracks, title track Wildside, Dangerous (new Recording) and Does It Feel Like Love (Acoustic) really do showcase the bands diversity. Wildside is a little heavier than the Fm that we may be used to, but that's no bad thing, it still sounds very much like FM and really is a great song. Dangerous is made readily available in its studio format here for the first time, its a great song but can usually only be found as a live B-side. Giving Does It Feel like Love the acoustic treatment really does show off both the songs and Steve Overland's ever-expressive vocals.

The live tracks give us a little reminder of the FM live experience.

This EP really does prove that Fm are back, and in a big way, not just on an nostalgia trip. They've updated their sound a little to make it a little more contemporary yet managed to keep all the essential elements intact so that they remain true to themselves and still sound like FM.



website - http://www.fmofficial.com/fmofficial/index.htm



Rating 9/10