Tag: albumrecommendation

[Album Review] CREYE – “Creye” (2018)

 (by Velina of “My Rock Mixtapes”)

You know that feeling when it sure as hell been a while since you’ve heard something so compelling that you could practically count the butterflies in your stomach? Because for me personally, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard a sound so perfect and so close to my liking that I can even convince myself that it’s been made for me and for me only. The second I heard “Christina” by Creye I knew that this was it! This was the band and the album I’ve been waiting for this year! I want you, guys to play the song first and hopefully feel what I’m feeling. Then, after fully embracing its qualities and accepting that you can’t but surrender yourself to it, we’ll get down to the rest of the album…

“Christina”

All it takes is a group of great musicians with a vision and a hunger to create something meaningful, reminiscent of the glory days of the AOR. Guitarist Andreas Gullstrand assembled Creye in 2015 and the rest is as we all say – history! In 2016, the band was already labelled as the next big thing that came out of Sweden and there was a reason for that statement, trust me. After a few singles, the band made a great name for itself and the guys were off to new beginnings, armed with ambition, musical maturity, adventurous soul and most importantly, a desire to make a difference on the rock music scene. In 2018, all the planets aligned in the right position and the self-titled debut album became a reality! With a sound that can be described as polished melodic rock, with a touch of the ’80s classic AOR soul, “Creye” is here to make a statement and win the hearts of any fan of the genre, regardless of their generation!

Creye band photo

“Both the sound and the writing has matured quite a lot over this past year, and of course we’ve also discovered some new sides to our music as well that might not be present listening to the EP,” says Andreas. “I’m extremely proud of every song on the whole album. If you are a fan of the EP then you will definitely enjoy this since it is by far the best we’ve ever sounded.” 

First of all, I want to point out that this band and this album are indeed re-introducing some of the beloved ‘80s AOR vibes but it’s also incorporating them within the music production capabilities of modern times. This gives the band endless opportunities to both showcase where their influences come from and also experiment with current technology, pop culture and musical mind-set.

Hard work pays off and the results are in. If I have to introduce the album to someone who has never listened to it, I will say that it’s an album that makes us stop living in the past and finally let go of the old-school melodic rock playlist we’ve been listening to for so many years. Want to feel excited again? This is the album for you!

Let’s talk music!

“Christina” is the first song I want to introduce, since it became the reason why I got my eye on those guys in the first place. From the mighty intro to the outstanding melodies and sweeping guitar riffs, the song is nothing but a charming reminder that the genre is indeed making a solid comeback and those guys are here to make it happen. The lyrics are easy to remember and sing-along to and the production qualities of the song are outstanding. “Different State of Mind” was another fall-in love-at-first-listen song for me. The purity of the vocals won me over on this one. Not just that but the overall positivism that this tune spreads, along with the beautiful lyrics – it’s all just there, perfectly mixed into an absolute melodic rock winner. “Miracle” is another powerful moment on the album and a song that instantly puts a smile on your face. The rest is just as memorable, authentic and significant as those songs. “Never Too Late”, “Nothing to Lose” and “Love Will Never Die” are all champions in my book. Those magical, ear-pleasing keyboards are instantly captivating you and all include that beloved ’80s touch that we keep on searching for in rock music.

“Creye” was just the final piece of the puzzle for me this year. Plenty of ambitious and outstanding melodic rock albums came out this year but this one right here is the hero for me. There’s not a single song on the album that did not aligned with my expectations and tastes when it comes to the genre. The glory days of rock music are back and Creye, along with their fans are going to become the main players, trust me!

Highly recommend it to everyone!

Please let me know what you thought of the album. I hope it brought nothing but smiles and great musical experiences to your life.

“Different State of Mind”

“Holding On”

TRACKLIST:

Holding On
Nothing To Lose
Different State Of Mind
Never Too Late
All We Need Is Faith
Miracle
Christina
Straight To The Top
Love Will Never Die
Still Believe In You
City Lights
Desperately Lovin’
A Better Way

BAND MEMBERS:

Robin Jidhed – Lead Vocals
Andreas Gullstrand – Lead Guitar
Fredrik Joakimsson – Rhythm Guitar
Gustaf Örsta – Bass
Joel Rönning – Keyboards
Arvid Filipsson – Drums

Official Links:

Official Website: http://www.creyesweden.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/creyesweden/

Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/creyesweden

Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/creyesweden/

References:
I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

Album Recommendations: Winger – Pull (1993)

(by Velina of “My Rock Mixtapes”)

Let’s talk about irresistible tunes, shall we? Like, probably this one right here… A mesmerizing, early ’90s gem that many have forgotten, though it’s probably one of Winger’s greatest tracks of all time! Play it now for good old time’s sake – that’s the only way to do it justice!

“Down Incognito” is the second track of Winger’s third studio album, titled “Pull”. The ’80s were long gone and with them, part of the band’s signature glam rock vibes. The ’80s Winger sound was substituted by darker, harder and certainly more musically-challenging atmosphere. The little plot twist was appreciated by fans and many claim that this is Winger’s best release so far. The numbers weren’t as generous as the fans of the band and the album couldn’t match the success of the previous two but the times – they were changing so I suppose it was a natural outcome. Of course, the theme of this album was also a little bit different, more mature, focusing on social and political issues, even.

The greatest thing about this album is the signature guitar-driven Winger sound, accompanied by Kip’s one of a kind vocals. I swear I can listen to this guy sing all day long with that angelic rock & roll voice!

In addition to “Down Incognito” which is, hands down, my favorite track from the record, “Spell I’m Under” and “The Lucky One” are two other significant reasons why I am recommending or reminding everyone of this early ’90s hard rock gem of an album. “The Lucky One” has always been one my heart’s favorite ballads.

All in all, “Pull” presents a quite intriguing musical diversity which is one of the reasons why I wanted to feature it on my blog. There’s plenty of sass, heartbreak, high-level vocals, solid guitars and so much more! Winger evolved with this album so if you are a fan of their earlier work (nothing wrong with that I love the first releases with all my heart and soul) and don’t know much about the band after their first two albums, now might be the best time to check out their third release.

Tell me what you think about it and share your favorite song in the comment section below:

References:
Featured image, retrieved from: https://www.musiconvinyl.com/catalog/winger/pull#.W4Qz9sJ9jtQ
I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

Album Recommendations: DIRTY LOOKS – TURN OF THE SCREW (1989)

(by Velina of “My Rock Mixtapes”)

Before we get down to business, here’s a song to check out! If you love the late ’80s as much as I do and you’re into hard rock music, you will most certainly like it and won’t hesitate to go down and read/check out the following album I’m recommending this week (in case you haven’t done it yet, of course – if you are familiar with it, then it’s time for you to go down memory lane)…

 “Nobody Rides for Free”

I’ve told you before – 1989 was indeed a magical year for rock music and gems like this one are the reason why! I can’t stress this enough – you wanna get drunk on authentic hard rock music, just look for 1989 ’cause that’s your year!! (check out my previous blog publication where I list 15 favorite 1989 rock releases)

DIRTY LOOKS - TURN OF THE SCREW (1989)Let’s go back to Dirty Looks and focus on their intoxicating second major-label studio album, “Turn of The Screw”. What you need to know about the band in case that’s the first time they are crossing your path is that their major-label debut was in 1988 with what is often regarded to as one of the best hard rock debuts of all time – “Cool From the Wire”. Danish born vocalist Henrik Ostergaard was the man behind it all. The voice, the attitude, that street vibe, coming out of the band and this album in particular was mainly brought by him. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to that raspy, quite distinguishable voice in 2011 (RIP). 

“Turn of the Screw” might not present an entirely different formula for a hard rock release. Given the time, the ambitions and the trends, Dirty Looks just had to take on that well-established hard rock road so don’t expect a sound you’ve never heard before. What you can expect, though, is a rough, solid and highly motivating gem that in my opinion deserved way more than it actually got. They did just put another brick on the enormous hard rock wall, but if you pay enough attention and devote some time into investigating 1989 album by album, you will see that that brick had its own colors and charms, worthy of your attention.

Ultimately, if you love bands like Kix, Great White, Cinderella, etc. you will love this album. “Turn of the Screw” is what introduced me to the band some time ago and It was love at first listen. “Nobody Rides for Free”, “Turn of the Screw”, “Take What Ya Get” and that special special song “L.A. Anna” which is my favorite cut from this release are as good as any other hard rock tune from the era. Atlantic Records yet again delivered something valuable to my collection so I can’t but thank them for that. The album has a little bit of those blues vibes I adore so much here and there so that’s one thing that might attract you even more. 

Now go ahead and listen! Make sure you tell me what you think of the album and which is your favorite song!!

“Turn of the Screw”

“C’mon Frenchie”

Here’s the entire album on YouTube for you to check out. It’s worth it, I promise!

References:
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

[Album Review] AMMUNITION – AMMUNITION (2018)

(by Velina of “My Rock Mixtapes”)

ammunition album cover

2018 is starting quite promising if I may say. January brought to us a number of outstanding releases, absolutely backing my statement that there will be plenty to anticipate, enjoy and love this year when it comes to rock music. Frontiers Music are yet again getting all the spotlight by being the main player on the growing melodic rock scene. The first month of the year was colored by the label and their releases, including Lione / Conti’s self-titled album, Labyrinth’s “Return to Live”, Delta Deep’s “East Coast Live” and of course, the album I am here to talk about today – Ammunition’s eponymous album, which also happens to be my album of the month. I gotta say, this was the first time I got the chance to meet the band and I cannot wait to share my thoughts and hopefully, transfer my enthusiasm for this album to other listeners. You just gotta trust me on this one – this is a band and a release that cannot and should not escape your radar. Here’s a little bit more about the band and the release.

Who are Ammunition?

ammunition band

The band was founded in 2014 by the songwriting duo Age Sten Nilsen (former WIG WAM singer) and the multi-talented Erik Mårtensson (Eclipse, W.E.T., Nordic Union). Their debut release, titled “Shanghaied” was out in 2015 and it quickly laid solid foundations for the band and its future. The guys teamed up with former TNT and Jack In The Box bassist Victor Cito Borge, keysman Lasse Finbråten (Circus Maximus, ex-Wig Wam), skinsman Magnus Ulfstedt (Eclipse), and the guitar player Jon Pettersen so you can only imagine the kind of strength that team brought up on that live stage. That’s one of the things they became highly praised for – delivering a live performance to remember.

Fans were able to get their first taste of the follow-up to their highly praised debut release earlier in 2017 with the Eurovision finalist “Wrecking Crew” (written by Nilsen and Mårtensson). The full length, original version of the song is included on the new album so no worries – we can enjoy it whenever we want!

In terms of sound, AMMUNITION can definitely impress with massive hooks, splendid melodies and just the right amount of roughness needed to complete a perfect, modern-day rock band. Let’s dive into the album. 

The Self-Titled Album

Tons of tons of spirit and body/mind-moving energy is coming out of this album. You start playing it and you don’t even realize when the surroundings have turned into a huge arena and you are in the middle of a mind-blowing concert, your hands are up in the air and you’re dancing your ass off! I’ve always appreciated albums which have the ability to transfer you to another, much more desirable reality. “Ammunition” is most certainly an album that can do that, right from the very beginning. It’s not just the massive hooks and the presence of sing-along rock anthems and guitars that synchronize with your entire existence – it’s the striking, highly uplifting personality of the members who obviously knew how to put their excitement into notes and craft this album.

Let’s talk about songs!

“Freedom Fighter” is an absolute favorite of mine and the reason why this album turned into a January highlight for me. Looking for a song to play as loud as possible after a tiring day at work? Look no more, this is the song for you. With those riffs, laid-back vibe and casual yet captivating vocals, you just can’t have it any other way. “Eye for an Eye” starts quite promising and progresses into a gorgeous battle anthem, fueled with emotions, courtesy of vocalist Age Sten Nilsen. “Miss Summertime” is another immensely subjective climax on “Ammunition” but I can justify my claim by saying that it’s not just a song – it’s a beach bonfire that can warm you up on a cold January night. The following song, “Bad Bones” brings you back to reality with a strong hard rock slap. To me, it’s one of the most dynamic and heavy-pounding songs of the album; the placement is quite on point too. The album wraps things up the same way it opens them. “Klondike” is a signature Ammunition song, keeping that comfortable and exceptionally charismatic vibe of the band that turned them into quite the sensation in Norway.

Final verdict: “Ammunition” is full of life, character and captivating energy! It has it all – ballads, mid-tempo rockers and hard-rocking tracks that totally deserve to be played and enjoyed at a live concert. The album opens a bright new chapter in the book of melodic rock, where new important future characters are introduced. Yes, those are the guys from Ammunition so pay close attention to them!

Enjoy the tracks now~

“Freedom Finder”

“Gung Ho (I Told You So)”

TRACKLIST:

 
1. Time
2. Freedom Finder
3. Virtual Reality Boy
4. Guns Ho (I Told You So)
5. Eye for an Eye
6. Tear Your City Down
7. Caveman
8. Wrecking Crew
9. Miss Summertime
10. Bad Bones
11. Klondike
 
BAND MEMBERS: 
 
Erik Martensson – guitars, bass, programming, keys, backing vocals
Victor Cito Borge – bass
Jon Pettersen – guitars
Lasse Finbrathen – keyboards
Age Sten Nilsen – lead and backing vocals
Magnus Ulfstedt – drums
 
Follow AMMUNITION on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/ammunitionofficial/
References:
P.S. I don’t own any audio or visual material used in this publication. All the rights and credits go to the owners and/publishers.
The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~

Baton Rouge’s 1990 Debut – A Must-Listen for Every Hard Rock Fan

I’ve been obsessed with this album ever since I heard “Baby’s So Cool” a few months ago and I just cannot wait to introduce it to people who have no idea of this treasure right here. After familiarizing myself with what feels like a million and one late’80s/early-90s hard rock bands, sharing tons of similarities in image and sound, digging up an album that will make me say “Hold on a damn minute, there’s something here!!” became a formidable task. However, every now and then a band with a release like this one comes in and transforms my music library into an even more colorful and electrifying experience.

I will just leave this here before I move on…

A few things you gotta know about the band and this album before I let the music speak for itself!

Baton Rouge formed in Louisiana (hence the name) but just like any other rock band with big dreams, moved to Las Angeles in the late-80s, looking for that desired big break. They did manage to hop in the last hard rock train before the grunge scene totally occupied the industry and released a smashing debut album, titled “Shake Your Soul” (via Atlantic Records.)

baton rouge 1

The story is well-known – the spark faded away and during those transitional periods in music industry, only the toughest and more experienced artists managed to survive. Baton Rouge weren’t exactly one of those. Two albums and a long-overdue junior (demo) album were the products of their career. I must say, I have yet to befriend the sophomore album but the debut – “Shake Your Soul” blew me away so I have high hopes.

One of the most interesting things surrounding Baton Rouge is that all of its members spread their wings and went on to collaborate with some of the biggest names in the industry, including John Norum, John Sykes, Dokken, etc. or formed their own bands. For example, the impeccable vocals of Kelly Keeling brought richness to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and guitarist Lance Bulen was being a very busy man, forming one band after another with members of XYZ, White Lion and many others.

Let’s go back to the debut album (sorry about that I just get so much into the background stories of the rock bands. The songs I want you to definitely check out (in addition the that first one I knocked your socks with at the beginning of this publication) are “Doctor”, “Walks Like a Woman” and of course the POWER BALLADS “It’s About Time” and “There Was A Time (The Storm)”. If those songs don’t conquer you, don’t talk to me at all! That’s not the end of it though. “Shake Your Soul” is an excellent selection of underrated gems and when I say underrated I don’t mean  XYZ or Hardline level of underrated – I mean one level below that!!! Absolutely unforgivable!! “Big Trouble” and “Young Hearts” are as ear-pleasing as you can imagine.

Don’t get me wrong – this is not an innovative, out-of-this-world piece of music. But it’s refreshing, different and it just STANDS OUT!! Your choice to believe me or not.

Last but not least, I want to bow down to vocalist Kelly Keeling for capturing my heart and filling it with so many emotions! You just don’t get to listen to a vocalist like that every day.

“Walks Like a Woman”

“It’s About Time”

References:
Album artwork, retrieved from: https://www.discogs.com/Baton-Rouge-Shake-Your-Soul/release/2374964
Band photo, retrieved from: http://sleazeroxx.com/bios/baton-rouge-bio/
THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

Remembering NELSON’s Double Platinum 1990 Debut “After the Rain”

You can call this album whatever you want – too “glossy”, too “corporate” or too safe“ (and you may be right, actually) but that won’t really change the fact that it’s one of the most ear-pleasing melodic rock treasures of the early ‘90s. Albums like “After the Rain” were/are probably not among the critics’ favorites but we cannot deny its memorable, yet so short-lived presence on the melodic rock scene of the era. Out of all the rock albums that came out during those turbulent, trend-shifting years of rock music, Nelson’s “After the Rain” somehow managed to reach the double-platinum status, spawn a #1 hit single with “(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection” and remain on the charts for over 60 weeks. For these reasons and so much more, we gotta give it the credit it deserves.

We cannot talk about the twin brothers Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, without mentioning their father – the legendary Ricky Nelson who became popular in the 1950s with his status as the ultimate “teen idol”. It’s only natural to become interested in music, especially if you grow up in the family of a musical legend. What the twin brothers did – both genre and image-wise was definitely very different from the style of their father but considering the time period, their career move wasn’t surprising at all.

Nelson - After the Rain

Back to “After the Rain”, which in my opinion is one of the “easiest-to-fall-in love-with” melodic rock albums of all time. Why? Well, because of its positivity, honest charm and heart. That’s pretty much what sums up “After the Rain”; I mean, don’t expect to listen to some groundbreaking, never-heard-before music elements. Expect, though, an instant mood-shift because the album is nothing more and nothing less than a ray of sunshine.   

A lot of effort and a great deal of talks, careful preparations, learning of how to make and play rock music… and let’s not forget money, went into the making of the debut album. The involvement of producer/songwriter Marc Tenner turned out to be more than crucial for the sound-crafting and consequent triumph of “After the Rain”.

The instant success of the debut album didn’t came as a surprise – sold-out shows, dozens of new fans, people buying the record like bread… What came as a surprise, though, was the situation with their highly-expected sophomore release. If you want to know the story, do your research. We are here to remember “After the Rain”, after all.

“(Can’t Live Without Your) Love And Affection”, “I Can Hardly, Wait”, “After the Rain” and “More Than Ever” are the ultimate fan-favorites and some of the highlights on their debut. I’m pretty convinced that the majority of fans out there know the words of those songs by heart and are totally ready for any Karaoke challenge. A personal favorite and I song I always recommend to people is “Interlude – Everywhere I Go” – there’s just something about pianos, string instruments and rock music that gets me every time! “Fill You Up” is another catchy, highly-likable track that should get your attention. Nelson also ask “Will You Love Me?” in the best way possible and my answer is always “yes”, with no hesitation.

Put on your earphones and enjoy those radio classics…and the rest of the album of course!

 

More Than Ever

After the Rain

(Can’t Live Without Your) Love And Affection

“Everywhere I Go”

References:
Album artwork retrieved from http://hardrockgeneration.blogspot.bg/2014/03/nelson-after-rain-1990.html
THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.