I get the idea…in itself it’s not a bad proposition – three of the scene’s leading male vocalists all appearing intertwined through a dozen new melodic rock tunes. But there are issues from the outset here. Bland songs, sterile production, no real plan to work their voices together and an unfortunate lack of emotional urgency that music of this style should carry.
Fronting up for this latest Frontiers ‘project’ is Kent Hilli – one of the most melodic and popular vocalists around right now, who is in real danger of spreading himself way too thin (Perfect Plan, Giant, Solo Album and TBA fourth project pending); Robbie LaBlanc – the powerhouse singer left powerless with a bland mix of songs; and Toby Hitchcock, the star of Pride Of Lions, who is yet to find consistency outside of that vehicle.
The concept has worked brilliantly when a two pronged approach is used such as with Russell Allen and Jorn Lande, but those albums had the bonus of Magnus Karlsson at the helm, providing some killer songs and intuitive mixing of the vocalists.
With Tenors, it is Alessandro Del Vecchio, the Frontiers songwriter/producer/mixer/multi-instrument playing machine, responsible here for writing, production, mixing, mastering, bass, additional keyboards, guitars, and backing vocals.
On top of some completely twee lyrics, none of the voices are given any room to breathe. There’s no comradery or sense of a unified mission between the singers. There’s no natural chemistry – just three voices recorded in different studios, singing songs they didn’t write, mixed together at ADV central.
The mid-album Silent Cries is the only song that stands out as anywhere near memorable.
The idea of three singing together as “tenors” should be to create a wall of vocals, rich harmonies, not just three guys singing one line each at a time. It’s way too disjointed. And to be frank, its just plain dull. Lifeless and repetitive and all too familiar to those following along with the endless Frontiers projects.
