Yup, I'm still catching up on stuff, this time in the realms of AOR and melodic rock. This is a genre I should be better at covering, but when this stuff is good, it occupies a fun, uplifting vibe in the rock space that isn't easily found elsewhere. What I've got here are four albums that provide some interesting variety within the genre, but they all are worth listening to, for one reason or another.
When I reviewed their third album, I felt that they had leaned pretty hard into the synths, and while I skipped their fourth album (an act of negligence I will likely fix in the future), here on their fifth, the guitars are very much forward this time around. Otherwise, this is more solid melodic rock that catches the right balance between big and sentimental.
Once again, we're very much in Journey territory, with synthesizers on loan from Asia, and if there's a touch of Survivor in there, it's because they got Jim Peterik to help write some of the songs. Robbie LaBlanc soars over the songs with confidence, Andi Kravljaca gives the songs plenty of classic shreddy solos, Daniel Flores provides the right ambience with his sythesizers, and the rest of the band is on point in giving them that classic 80s tone that makes these songs sound so big. Things start well with the opener "Never Be Alone," which has some good energy, and that uplifting charge carries on with "Can't Wait Here Anymore," "Love Always Finds A Way," "Speechless," and the closer "The Time Has Come." The title track takes things a little darker, and "I See You in Everyone" and "Distant Lovers" are full of cinematic sentimentality.
There is one problem, and it's the production. While everything is pretty clear and easy to follow, something about it makes the songs feel narrow, like they're confined or compressed in a way that doesn't quite match the epicness I was expecting. Once you're into the album, it's not a deal breaker, but part of me thinks the album would have been better if they could expand the soundscape of the songs. Still, there is plenty of classic, energetic rocking, I enjoyed a lot of this album, and it's likely to be one of the best of the year for AOR.
Now that I've been becoming more aware of what's in the AOR space, this is definitely a band that comes up a lot. Starting in the 80s, they had a few minor hits before breaking up in the mid 90s. Then, starting back up in 2007, they've apparently been pretty consistent with releasing albums of melodic rock. I don't know if this was a good place to start with them, but based on this, they rock like it's 1981.
While most AOR bands borrow from Journey, these guys glean quite a bit from Foreigner instead, sitting in a spot between cool and uplifting. Despite not knowing this band before, I can tell that Steve Overland's voice has aged well, and Jim Kirkpatrick's solos have this ease to them that make me think of guitarists like Ian Bairnson or Steve Lukather. Overall, it's a pretty laidback affair, with most songs settling into a mid-tempo groove, with the subtle use of acoustic guitars and 80s synths establishing a cozy, yacht-rock tone.
I admit I'm not completely sold on the band, as I prefer my rock to have more energy than this, but I could see this growing on me as it does capture a pleasant mood that few bands are able to do. At the very least, I'm curious to go listen to their earlier albums to see what (if anything) has changed over the years. The album doesn't blow me away but sits well with the rest of the stuff in the article.
Looking at my previous reviews of this band's works, it's hard to say if this band has really done anything great, but rather maintained a strong consistency in their style. Once again, they offer typical 80s rocking, with some appropriate synth ambience here and there. It's all written and performed competently, and fans of AOR will find plenty to like. Compared to the others on this article, it's like they've found a comfort zone between Find Me's energy and FM's soft rock groove.
So is there anything that really stands out? The title track, "Breakaway," and "The Storm" have some good energy, powered by some well-arranged synth choices. However, much like FM, this is very much about capturing a very nostalgic and sentimental atmosphere. Lionville's strength lies mostly in their production and soundscape, making each song feel like a melodramatic movie scene. In the end, there aren't any surprises, but it's another solid collection of melodic rock from a band with a good track record for it.
While I thought their last album had some decent stuff, it was still a bit clunky, especially at the start, so making a sequel seemed like a weird decision to me. Still, they insist on pushing through with another chunk of uptempo rockers. This is another band I should probably dig into their earlier records to really get a feel for how they've evolved over the years.
As for this one, they're still crossing over into alternative rock, with "All I Want" sounding like pop punk, but in all honesty, it feels like they're taking anything that rocks and making it work for them. The album starts well with "Apocalypse Blues," and much of the album is about grappling with desperation of all kinds. "Divide & Conquer" is another stand out with its stomping drive, "One in a Million" has some darker vibes that make me think of 90's Metallica (in a good way), and "The Spark" probably has the best chorus for singing along with the band. I think the biggest improvement though is that they added much more heft on the guitars, making them really chug. While there's still plenty of energetic songwriting and playing on display, it's not quite as strong as Paradigm, but I do think it's better than the first Megalomanium. For now, it's a solid entry, with a lot of momentum that pushes it above the pack.
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