City Of Sound

May '97

The World According To Gessle

GESSLE
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GESSLE
FUNDAMENTAL / EMI 7243 8 56686 2 3, (UK 1997)
7

The first solo album to come from Per Gessle since he formed Roxette has more of a power pop influence than Roxette's pop rock, the guitars are bigger and more of his Beatles and Oasis influences are given a free rein. The opener 'Stupid' is a good example but is nothing too special while the following 'Do You Want To Be My Baby' is a bit cheesier but works much better, like a rocked up Roxette. 'Saturday' comes somewhere between those two. 'Kix' has a poppier feel with programmed rhythms sounding like something from 'Joyride'. 'B-Any-1-U-Wanna-B' has some obvious Beatles influences with a few twists to keep things fresh. 'Wish You The Best' is a slow power soaked tune topped off with strings straight from early ELO, and with its heavy use of sax 'Elvis In Germany (Let's Celebrate)' sounds like The Beatles meets Wizard. 'Lay Down Your Arms' is in the big closing number tradition of 'Perfect Day' and 'Queen Of Rain'. Marie Fredriksson adds her distinctive tones to 'I'll Be Alright' and many of the other Roxette crew help out including the vastly underated guitarist Jonas Isacsson. This is a fine album, but like Marie's solo work it just proves that Marie and Per are at their very best when working together. Thankfully they have just signed a new 10 year deal with EMI so a few more Roxette albums look guaranteed.

Momb

MOMB
MOMB
BMG DENMARK 74321 450552 (DENMARK 1997)
9

Danish band Momb have come onto the scene with a refreshing blend of styles on their debut album and while there's nothing startlingly original here everything is done with such conviction and panache that you find yourself swept along regardless. 'Sea Of Time' comes on like a rockier Crowded House, with superb melody, hook and a fine vocal adding to the experience. 'Please Let Me Be The One' has a slight Latin twist giving a Rosco Martinez flavour and a hook which just about sums up all that is good in melodic rock. 'Some Day' then goes and adds a quirkier edge with wonderful percussion and another near perfect hook. 'Where Will She Wander' makes me think of Jimmy Ryser meets The Rembrandts. A more acoustic side comes across on 'Said It All', a more modern groove drives 'Open Eyes' and 'You Should Mind' sounds like a quirky cross between The Addams Family theme (!), Queen, Crowded House and Vagabond - great hook though. Pumped up riffs introduce the Kravitz meets Troy Newman like 'Magical Changes', with a hook to die for this is one hell of a song. The souped up 'Give Me' adds chunky riffs and an offbeat groove to the mixture. The record ends on another high note with the slowly building 'If I Do Believe', spiraling melodies and grooves combine with powerful vocals for a dramatic conclusion to a wonderful set of songs. The real strength of this album didn't really hit me until about the fifth or sixth play. It combines everything that originally got me hooked on AOR but with Beatles-esque melodies and a refreshing modern edge that doesn't smack of selling out to the alternative scene.

Volume 1

DAYNA MANNING
VOLUME 1
EMI 7243 853635 2 8, (CANADA 1997)
6

New Canadian singer songwriter Dayna Manning seems to have two sides to her writing, one half is a cross between Joni Mitchell and Sarah McLachlan especially on the more mellow acoustic songs like 'Half The Man' and 'And That Was Done'. The other half has a more contemporary rock sound (with a twist) as witnessed on the straightforward 'My Addiction', and the doomy 'Under The Hill' (great Alice In Chains-like riffs). 'A Walk On The Moon' is a melancholy piece similar to Heather Nova, not least with the cello backing and when Dayna does those high notes. 'Gold (The Fire Song)' comes somewhere between the two styles. Honeymoon Suite keyboard player Ray Coburn provides a sympathetic production job and amongst the other players worth noting are HS drummer Creighton Doane and Harem Scarem's Harry Hess. A good debut.

Azalea Place

JOEY TEMPEST
AZALEA PLACE
POLAR / POLYDOR 537443-2, (SWEDEN 1997)
8

Joey Tempest's new album 'Azalea Place' far from being a country album as a few reports had it pegged as, is actually an extension of the mid west style of his first solo album with many different influences added for a bit more variety. There are a few Latino/Mexican sounding mid-west crossovers, ie the rhythms on the Chris Difford (Squeeze) co-write 'The Match' and Siobhan (River City People) Maher's sultry Spanish vocals on 'Revolution Of Love', while 'Dance For You' has a programmed groove and builds up to a frighteningly good climax with trumpets adding that authentic Mexican sound. It all makes for something like a rootsier Nuclear Valdez/Rosco Martinez feel. 'If I'd Only Known' has a fast acoustic riff, a great hook and wild drumming, 'The One In The Glass' is a bit more like normal Joey Tempest, nice light guitar lines mingle with a cool groove and laid back vocals, great acoustic riffs drive 'Better Than Real' along. The moody 'Losing You Again' reminds me of Stefan Andersson's last record. Only 'In Confidence' has anything vaguely approaching a country influence and that isn't too strong really. A few tracks like 'Not Welcome...' and 'If We Stay Or If We Go' have an Irish influence with Eline pipes and tin whistles in there making for yet another different texture. 'Further From The Truth' has a bit of a 60s feel but is otherwise regular Joey Tempest and 'Lucky' rounds off the album in reflective mode with a gentle lament. Lots of cool grooves add momentum to the largely acoustic arrangements and Joey's vocals are as classy as ever. The new influences make for a really refreshing album and all in all I can see this being a perfect summertime album. An unexpectedly excellent return.

Born & Raised

VENICE
BORN & RAISED
VANGUARD 79498-2, (USA 1997)
6

The second proper studio album from West Coast supremo's Venice is not as rocky as their classic debut, it's even more acoustic based and rather lacks some of the debuts highpoints (eg 'Kaylee' and 'Save The Legion'). That said though, this is still a fine album but you just need to be in the right frame of mind to get the most out of it. 'That's The Way It Is' is a very laid back acoustic opener, maybe a bit too laid back. 'When I Get Over You' and 'Bad Timing Song' (cool rhythms) really highlight the Lennon cousins fantastic vocal harmonies. 'If I Were You' ups the momentum, and it's on this sort of song where Venice are at their best; they are still able to utilise their trademark harmonies but the more upbeat song structures add another dimension to their sound. 'Running Home' is another top moment, still laid back but with enough of a twist in the simple hook to keep you coming back for more. 'Rivers Never Run' was one of the highlights of the 'Garage Demos - Slow Stuff' CD a couple of years ago, and once again shines here with its haunting oboe sounding melody. 'Circus In Town' was another top track from the demo CDs (the 'Fast Stuff' this time) and with its rhythmic drumming and stylish vocals makes a worthy transition to full blown recording. After a slow start 'Time On My Hands' kicks into a fine chorus and a guitar hook that reminds me of the J. Geils Band! 'Baby's Calling' injects something of a bluesy swing, adding a nice point of variety. There are some excellent songs on 'Born & Raised' and it's always nice to hear the Lennon's fantastic harmonies but it's just a bit too laid back to rate a higher mark. Well worth tracking down though.

Record

PETROL
RECORD
SUPERSTUDIO BLÅ C-1 47321435312, (SWEDEN 1996)
4

Petrol play jangly pop with duel female harmonies. 'Walk By' is fast and furious, 'Close Your Eyes' is slightly heavier with bigger riffs. Other tracks settle into a less frantic pace. Not really my cup of tea so comparisons are rather difficult but think of a Scandinavian The Go Go's meets Shampoo with a bit of poppy punkiness. Petrol do it well enough and it's OK in small doses.
Contact:
http://www.superstudio.nation.se/

The Breits

THE BREITS
THE BREITS
ALERT Z2-81032, (CANADA 1997)
6

The Breits are a four peice comprising three brothers; Gary (vocals, keyboards), Garth (drums) and Kevin Breit (guitars) and bassist Ian De Souza, they released an album on RCA in 1988 under the name The Breit Bros.. Kevin has turned up on many a Canadian session, most notably with Dalbello, and his guitar work throughout the record is great. With this new record they continue their brand of mid west style AOR, merging elements of Jimmy Davis, Henry Lee Summer, The Hooters, Venice and Tom Cochrane. 'Red Line' stands out for me with it's haunting little melodies, beneath a good uptempo rock song, I can just imagine Daryl Braithwaite doing a brilliant slick version of this. 'Don't Break Down' is another top tune very much in Tom Cochrane style. Basically if you already like any of the comparisons I've given this is well worth tracking down.
Contact:
Alert Music Inc., 41 Britain Street, Suite 305, Toronto, Ontario, M5A 1R7, Canada.

Novacaine

NOVACAINE
NOVACAINE
MERCURY 534 336-2, (FRANCE 1997)
5

The latest vehicle for France's best rock export David Hallyday is a much more contemporary sounding affair than any of his previous work. 'Supersonic Soul' sounds like a cross between Nirvana and the Rolling Stones, with a twist of Hallyday's previous band Blind Fish showing through every now and then. More Blind Fish comparisons come out on the slow Pink Floyd-ish 'Trip Around The Sun' and Novacaine are at their most effective on these slower, trippier songs (such as 'Trip...', 'Pink' and 'Box Full Of Guilt') where different textures are used, from delicate swirls of sound to full on powerful riffs. 'Unknown' and 'Psycho Girl' have more alternative leanings, while 'Gone' goes for more of a power pop sound in that post-Wildhearts style. Novacaine are an interesting new direction for Hallyday, and fellow Blind Fish man Erik Godal, but to hear Hallyday at his best get the Blind Fish album first.

Somersault

JADIS
SOMERSAULT
DORIAN DM JAD001, (UK 1997)
4

After two previous good albums for Giant Electric Pea Jadis switch to Steve Rothery's Dorian label with 'Somersault'. Little has changed musically with the seven tracks still lying heavily on those twin Marillion / It Bites influences. 'Live This Lie' and 'Falling Away', while showcasing a slightly heavier approach, are still very much Jadis of old with Gary Chandler's Rothery-esque guitar work leading the way. 'Batstein' has a more modern groove but soon falls into line with a very John Beck-like keyboard solo from new member Mike Torr. The real problem lies with tracks like 'Speechless', 'Tomorrow Always Arrives' and 'Losing My Fear' which are plain boring. The musicianship throughout may be high and the production values have come on no end but ultimately this is a most unsatisfying album. Jadis may be happy to continue plugging along in this manner but this particular listener will be in less of a hurry to part with his money come album number four.

This Strange Engine

MARILLION
THIS STRANGE ENGINE
INTACT / PONY CANYON PCCY-01098, (JAPAN 1997)
9

After parting company with EMI after 15 years many thought Marillion would return to their prog rock roots but with 'This Strange Engine' they have gone for a different route. More acoustic in approach, with Steve Rothery's lead guitar work taking something of a backseat, the real highlight are the brilliant vocals of Steve Hogarth. He's breathy and expressive on the laid back 'One Fine Day' which has a slight bluesy feel, while '80 Days' is a beautiful 'pop song' like a cross between 'After Me' and 'Beautiful', stunning hooks all the way through. 'Man Of A Thousand Faces' is a brilliant opening number. Based around Rothery's acoustic riffs, it builds up ala 'King Of Sunset Town' with great lyrics and hooks and builds to a mighty crescendo complete with choir backing. 'Estonia' is the best song on the album, gentle opening giving way to the inspired spirituality of the chorus (complete with balalaika which gives an eastern European feel), midway through some typical Marillion structures are to be found. Tremendous. 'Memory Of Water' is a simple vocal piece backed with atmospheric strings/keyboards again showcasing H's passion. 'An Accidental Man' is an upbeat rock song with harder guitars, organ solo and even a slight reggae skank! The middle eight even has a Yes/Jon Anderson overtone. At last Marillion have dropped their obsession with writing a rock'n'roll song on every album, and while 'An Accidental Man' still rocks it has enough twists in it to mark it as a proper Marillion song. 'Hope For The Future' starts like a modern acoustic based Francis Dunnery number before morphing into the most bizarre piece Marillion have ever written, if the Beach Boys aspirations of 'Cannibal Surf Babe' weren't strange enough this one goes for some calypso input with trumpets and Mark Kelly's keyboards sounding like the theme to the BBC's Cricket Test Match programmes. The epic title track (15 minutes), shifts and changes through the developing themes and moods and is probably more like old Marillion than anything the new Marillion have yet done, Kelly makes his presence felt with solos all over the place just like in the old days, light and shade are developed with all the bands years of experience coming through, the track is capped off with a sax solo and a couple of typically stunning Rothery solos. With 'This Strange Engine' Marillion have neatly avoided the traps of falling back on past glories or moving too far away from an established formula by simply taking a side step away from those paths. There are enough generic prog influences involved to keep die hards happy while at the same time acknowledging a genuine desire to move forward and create fresh, exciting and passionate music. The most complete Marillion album since 'Seasons End'.
Contact:
http://www.marillion.com

Believe

HAREM SCAREM
BELIEVE
WEA (ADVANCE TAPE)
6

Over the course of their three previous studio albums Harem Scarem have proved themselves to be the finest Canadian AOR band to have emerged in the 90s. Each album has seen a marked progression in the bands sound while retaining a firm hold on the identity that has won them their fans around the world. Their fourth effort is therefore a rather difficult album to assess because you expect the guys to come up with yet another move forward in the development of their sound and what we have instead is more of a step backwards. 'Believe' kicks off and alternates between upbeat rocker and lighter-waving slowy, with a catchy hook and some obvious TNT-isms coming though on Pete Lesperance's guitar work. 'Die Off Hard' has a great melodic structure, and coming from the same period as the 'Mood Swings' material (it was once known as 'Lost In Yesterday' in slightly different form) it is very much in that style. The Queen-like pomp of 'Hail, Hail' features vocals from Harry Hess which reek of Freddie Mercury at times. 'Staying Away' is another old song, this time from their pre WEA demo, with the addition of drummer Darren Smith taking on the lead vocals and sounding just like a gruff Harry. The song itself is the sort of crunchy AOR/Hard Rock that shows why Harem Scarem have become so popular. 'Baby With A Nail Gun' is an upbeat instrumental with the emphasis on melody rather than just wanking off. 'Morning Grey' has a quirky little edge to it sounding vaguely 60s-ish and, what struck me, as a very Vagabond like twist on the guitar riffs. 'Victim Of Fate' adds some of 'VOR''s heavier riffing, without losing melody and adds a needed bit of diversity to the set. 'Rain' is a superb acoustic based ballad, complete with complementary string arrangement. 'I Won't Be There' neatly mixes acoustic and electric guitars in a slow brooding structure again adding that element of diversity. The heavy riffs return on 'Karma Cleansing' sounding vaguely Kings X-ish. There is nothing inherently wrong with this album but with the standards that Harem Scarem have already set I for one was expecting a lot more. I would have to say that it is by far the weakest of the 4 albums, lacking the freshness of the debut, the melodic brilliance of 'Mood Swings' and the willingness to experiment of 'Voice Of Reason'. It seems like there are two albums here, or at least two halfs of two albums. Half of the tracks are like 'Mood Swings' outtakes while the other half seem to show a more natural easing off of the 'VOR' sound. The band appear to be uncertain of the best direction to head in. When 'Believe' is good it is very good ('I Won't Be There', 'Rain', Victim Of Fate', 'Karma Cleansing') and it's still better than 90% of current AOR bands but over the years we have come to expect much more from Harem Scarem. I'll still be buying a copy of 'Believe' but in my opinion it is not Harem Scarem at their finest.

Don't Believe In Love

JACKIE BODIMEAD
DON'T BELIEVE IN LOVE
SCRATCH RECORDS ASBCD 007, (UK 1996)
7

Jackie Bodimead was the singer with Canis Major and Girlschool at one time and latterly cult Brit AOR-sters If Only. This is her first solo album and is a very fine slice of AOR. With the help of ex Fastway/Ya Ya singer Lea Hart she's made a very 80s sounding AOR record that has lots of Cher-like qualities. Big powerful ballads ('Forever', 'Far Away') and upbeat AOR rockers are all fronted with Jackie's big powerful vocals. Tracks like the catchy 'Only Love' are very instant and show off Jackie's fine vocals well. Chunky guitars add the necessary bite while keyboards add those typically 80s stabs, nowhere more so than on 'Victim Of Love'. Tracks like the title track and 'Say The Words' are so reminiscent of the sort of AOR that the UK was producing in the late 80s and anyone who still has a soft spot for If Only, Shy, Midnight Blue, After Hours, Tobruk etc will find much to enjoy. Great melodies pop up all over the place and the ones that litter 'Stay Together' are particularly memorable. Although the style sounds rather dated and at times a bit clichéd and the production values are constrained to some extent the record has a certain charm that far outweighs any shortcomings. The whole sound made me reminisce about seeing a Jackie led If Only at grotty East End pubs which probably explains why I like the CD so much. Anyone in possession of the pre CD If Only demos or the solitary single with Jackie will be in for a real treat with this record.

ThisConversation...

KIP WINGER
THISCONVERSATIONSEEMSLIKEADREAM
DOMO 71015-2, (UK 1996)
8

From the straightforward melodic hard rock of Winger (the band) to this Kip's first solo album is quite a large jump. The eclecticism and diversity of the material places this in a completely different league. Where Winger was instant gratification this new material benefits from greater familiarity. 'Kiss Of Life' has a few elements of old Winger ballads but with a whole new approach, the grooves are looser with a much more atmospheric approach. 'Monster' has a few Marc Jordan-esque jazzy piano fills a strong chorus and nice guitar work. The dreamy 'Endless Circles' takes that Jordan-esque piano further and adds a vocal from Kip that reeks of the brilliant Krister Linder (Dive), a sure fire winner in my book. With upfront drums and riffing (acoustic) guitars 'Angel Of The Underground' again harks back to old Winger to some degree but with a massive twist waiting just round the corner, in the form of a real rock'n'roll sounding hook and a vocal delivery that's so trippy that it's almost slurred. The more straightforward 'Steam' comes on like Zeppelin, 'I'll Be Down' has a neat groove which gels with the hook to great effect, nice little guitar doodles make for an interesting middle 8. While there is a lot of acoustic guitar work that doesn't mean Kip has gone all folky, they are just part of a greater amount of textures used throughout the duration of the album, 'Naked Son' goes from acoustic led piece to semi prog mode for instance. 'Daniel' is one excellent song, with superb vocal and string arrangements. This album has certainly raised my expectations of what Kip is capable of, and is a very mature base on which he can build with future releases.
Contact:
http://www.domo.com

Freewheelin'

NINA FORSBERG
FREEWHEELIN'
BMG 74321436152, (DENMARK 1996)
7

Nina Forsberg is/was one half of Danish duo One Two. Whilst her partner Cæcilie Norby has gone onto a more bluesy direction Nina has stuck closer to One Two's pop rock roots whilst adding newer influences to update a sound that could well have become very dated in the late 90s. 'Half A Heart' sums up the sound best, trip hop style beats with lots of loud guitars mixed with Dalbello-esque melodies! 'One 1,000,000 Reasons' is a slow opener with a strong hook and a slight trip hop groove. 'Let It Rain' piles on the guitars and has a rawer feel, sounding at times like a poppier Dalbello. 'If Only I Could Meet Him' and '2nd Left Paradise' retain much of the pop-rock qualities of One Two but again those modern grooves bring an updated feel, with nice quirky bass lines and weird little noises adding to the whole picture. On 'Silent Here' those trippy grooves are emphasised even more with a strong Björk feel to the whole thing. 'I Know, I Know' has another trippy groove, a slight bluesy sheen and a simple, effective hook. The power chords, when they come in add that Dalbello-esque element again. Some Alannah Myles similarities come out in Nina's vocals on 'Freewheelin'' which also adds something of a Nirvana/Bush quiet-loud structure, but within a more pop-rock framework. 'Stillness In Time' sounds like a cross between the Sneaker Pimps and 'She' era Dalbello and is rather good. 'Heaven Help Me' goes for a bizarre jazzy feel and is pretty weird. Finally 'Gonna Go Back' closes the album - a fairly straightforward ballad with a fine vocal from Nina. Stay tuned though and after a minute or so you get a secret track that really rocks. A little on the weird side maybe but well worth a listen if you get the chance.

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Peter Sims
Last update 3rd May 1997
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