I seem to have gained a reputation for disliking Bon Jovi. Giving Burning Bridges a 10% grading might have helped propel that train of thought for some, and my views on This House Is Not For Sale, This Left Seems Right, Lost Highway, What About Now and The Circle certainly wouldn’t have helped.

Now I look at it, I actually dislike more Bon Jovi album than I like. I’ve never broken it down like that before. This revelation should say more about the band than my personal critiques. I hold their first 5 albums in high regard and worship at the feet of New Jersey.

I also think Have A Nice Day is one of the better examples of a classic band updating their sound and still kicking ass.

With 2020 being universally regarded as the year of Satan’s armpit, it may not have been the wisest idea to give your big new album the same moniker. Perhaps though, it is quite fitting for the wrong reasons.

We all know the great Americana singer/songwriter Jonnie B Jovee wishes to take his place alongside fellow rockers Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, but he’s missing more than one ingredient that makes those two legends the icons they are.

Jonny B Jovee could have been a legend in his own standing had he just stuck to what he did best. Of course, his voice will no longer play along and his lifelong writing partner Richie Sambora bailed in 2013, so fans have to live through his midwestern acoustic heartland rock dreams with him.

For me the album holds just one track of note and that is the lead track Limitless. It remains me a little of the modern rock Have A Nice Day vibe, just without the voice.

There’s a couple of token rockers thrown in, but the majority of this album is comprised of self-aware slow to mid-tempo tracks, carrying forward the album’s political and social messages.

That part doesn’t bother me - for the most part, I’m on a similar page as Jon’s political commentary, but you don’t have to be boring to make a point.

The deluxe edition adds two more utterly lifeless ballads and a duet of the uptempo Bruce Mellencamp styled Do What You Can.

I’d love to say that Bon Jovi are back, but they’re not. Jonny B Jovi is however and if you’ve been riding alongside his recent musical path, you’ll know what to expect here.

Jonny sings that ‘we start to die the day we are born’. Same could be said of this album’s sales on release day. Who could ever have imagined the guy that sang Living On A Prayer would one day be versing about chicken farms in Arkansas?

Most should be aware of my admiration for all-star melodic rockers Alliance. The pitch perfect AOR vocals of Robert Berry are always welcome, but when he teams with David Lauser (Sammy Hagar) and class guitarist Gary Pihl (Boston, Sammy Hagar), there’s no stopping the flow of intelligent, well-crafted and challenging melodic rock music. Fire And Grace is no different.

Although a little rougher around the edges this time around, the album (minus past member Alan Fitzgerald) delivers the same classic sounding album you might expect. Berry provides all keyboard parts this time. While the album is melodic rock and AOR with a prog twist at its best and harkens back to a simpler era of the early 80s, the sound isn’t dated – its just classic. There are some stupidly good songs here.

The driving opener Don’t Stop The Wheel Turning; the feel good anthemic 80s buzz of Good Life and the epic, mood driven dramatic ballad Uncertain all give the album a flying start. Elsewhere the rhythmic free flowing Fire And Grace; hands in the air Raise Your Glass and the AOR perfection of Reason To Walk Away are all standouts amongst an album lacking any sign of filler.

Alliance have delivered one of the best AOR albums of the year so far, with track after track of engaging, intelligent songwriting here. No Alliance album has ever been a one-play and understand affair. They require a little effort and a little time, with the listening richly rewarded with layers upon layers of musical melody and brilliance. (93%)

Not many words needed to sum up a new Shakra release. The Swiss hard rockers don't stray from their long established AC/DC-esque template - the only points up for debate are song and production quality.

It's hard to believe just how long the band has been around now, its quite the accomplishment.

Nothing to complain about here for long time fans and newcomers alike. A big hard and heavy sounding record with an enjoyable set of songs. I suspect I'm preaching to the choir here.

The mighty Jeff Scott Soto celebrates his birthday week with the release of a brand-new solo album that seems him paired for the first time with Frontiers in-house go to guy Alessandro Del Vecchio. That will draw some automatic presumptions over the sound and style of this record, which I must immediately dispel.

This is not a project release that has Jeff phoning in his vocals. Fans of Jeff will already know that he doesn’t put his name on anything that doesn’t include his heavy involvement, and this is even more true of a record that bares his name.

Tasked with production and music, Alessandro has worked in partnership with Jeff, who wrote all the lyrics and additional melodies. And the in-house band isn’t the usual ADV crew, with long-time Soto/JSS drummer Edu Cominato taking command of the kit and really belting out a powerful performance.

What I love about this record – and what I told Jeff after he sent me the album some months ago - was that I thought Alessandro had done a superb job in crafting a set of songs that play like a JSS Greatest Hits record. Throughout the record you hear parts of Jeff’s career, solo as well as a taste of Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteen and even WET. I can hear parts of Lost In The Translation, Prism and Damage Control.

Wide Awake (In My Dreamland) sounds like the best of all parts of Jeff’s career, wrapped up in a seriously well produced and sounding package. On top of that, Jeff himself sounds as fresh as ever.

This is a classic Jeff Scott Soto record.

To showcase just a few of the songs, the album opens with one of the best solo tracks of Jeff’s career is the Talisman sounding Someone To Love, this is just everything fans love about Jeff.

Paper Wings again heads back to the heavy groove of Talisman, mixed with some Yngwie guitar hero stylings.

The heavy but melodic Love Will Find A Way has groove, funk and driving attitude that wraps up several eras in one song.

Between The Lines is a superb AOR ballad while the dark and heavy Wide Awake (In My Dreamland) is almost at the opposite end of Jeff’s spectrum.

No filler, just winner after winner, with the inspired paring of ADV and JSS really delivering for fans. As already stated, this is the best of JSS comprising of 11 new songs and another killer live set as a 10 track bonus disc.

Essential!

For those unfamiliar with my affinity with Night Ranger, they’ve been close to my favourite band since 1985 and have rarely disappointed throughout their distinguished recording career.

They’re also responsible for a couple of my most loved live albums over the years.

Add in solo albums, favourite songs and general songwriting prowess and you should get the picture - Night Ranger are melodic rock royalty.

With that status, each album is therefore highly anticipated. For a band recording since 1982, with 12 studio albums to their name (yes, I’m including the marvellous Mojo record), they have a remarkably consistent catalogue. And in the last decade they have continued to prove that veteran bands can still deliver fresh, energetic and engaging new music.

The guys peaked with the flawless Somewhere In California in 2011 and followed it up with the also excellent High Road in 2014. Don’t Let Up slipped a little off the pace in 2017, so fans were anxiously awaiting the band’s 2021 statement.

And I’m sorry to deliver the point of view that the band has missed a step here, delivering for me at least, their weakest album since 2007s inconsistent, modern-rock dominated Hole In The Sun album. And the reasons are very similar to why. Basically, the band has again veered off path, leaving some of their much-loved trademark sound behind. There are less harmonies, much less keyboards and a whole lot less of Kelly Keagy on this record. And while the band’s most popular songs showcase their knack of delivering emotional uplifting mid-tempo anthems, here the band is either rocking hard, or not. There’s not much middle ground.

Track By Track:
Opening with the furious rocker Coming For You, the band are off to a flying start and make up for the lack of a sing-along chorus with added raw power.

Bring It All Home To Me adds those layered with harmonies, which is a plus and its dominated by some sterling shred work from Brad Gillis, which culminates in the closing minute, but overall the song straddles the line between styles. Strip the guitars and add a banjo and it wouldn’t sound out of place on country radio. A theme that makes repeated appearances on ATBPO.

Breakout sees a welcomed increase in keyboard presence and is another track that races along at breakneck speed. Being the lead single there are considerable public comment on this track and many bemoan the lack of a big chorus. I say that note and appreciate the excellent melodic bridge that leads into the short, sharp chorus. A track that sounds great to me.

Hard To Make It Easy is the first major left turn and will be one of the songs I edit out on my playback version. I simply don’t need honky-tonk Night Ranger and while the song ‘rocks’, it isn’t in a way I can appreciate and is another almost-country song.

On the first ballad of the album, Can’t Afford A Hero, the band stop hiding behind the pseudo-country hints and come out as a full country flavour acoustic driven track that’s more Shaw/Blades or Garth Brooks than Night Ranger. I’m sad to say it’s another hard pass for me.

Now, the start of Cold As December has my full and immediate attention. The opening riffs and melody hint at an anthem of epic proportions, with intricate keyboard and guitar parts lighting up my ears. But without warning at the 48 second mark, the song abandons the entire premise to become another pretty bland screamy hard rocker. The melodic refrain makes a brief return at 3.35 for a few seconds, but I’m left wondering where that song went and why we were left with the one here.

Dance is a feel good mid-to-up tempo rocker with another strong Shaw/Blades vibe and a reasonable chorus, but again, it’s not Night Ranger.

The ballad The Hardest Road sees the first appearance of Kelly Keagy on lead vocals. Where has he been? It’s a warm vocal, but the song is reminiscent of the other Beatlesque ballads Night Ranger have delivered on the last two albums.

The attitude filled hard rocker Monkey has some recent era Night Ranger familiarity to it, but the chorus is horrible. “‘Cause I’m your monkey, well I’m your money, I’ll be your junkie?” Guys…c’mon.

A Lucky Man is another decent track, but it’s another with a strong rock-n-country-pop vibe and I just don’t think this is Night Ranger.

Closing the album is a good rocker sung by Kelly again, which is welcomed. Tomorrow is one of the more traditional Night Ranger sounding tracks and will likely rate as one of the fan favourites.

And that is And The Band Played On. Honestly, as much as I love all things Night Ranger, I’m not afraid to make a stand when something doesn’t live up to my high expectations.

To me, this is more a Jack Blades solo album. And that isn’t meant as an insult in any way. Rather it is more a point of reference to describe what I think this album is. Less ‘Night Ranger’ and more dominated by outside influences and styles. Ones I’d rather hear on solo albums, than on a new Night Ranger album. We only get them every 3-4 years, so for me, I want to hear Night Ranger at their very best each time.

I might add for the record - I'm not at all opposed to a band trying something different, but to do that successfully, the songs really have to be there. For me, that isn’t happening here.

I absolutely love this album. It has everything I love about the two principles behind it and a added freshness that has been missing in some recent AOR releases.

Art is Work Of Art – that is, vocalist Lars Safsund, who is his usual blindingly good self, delivering a classic vocal that gives me the best of WOA, but more so, I hear him stretching out with some of the more adventurous material on offer and he knocks it out of the park.

Illusion is one of my favourite pomp songwriters, Grand Illusion’s songwriter/producer Anders Rydholm. Fans of Grand Illusion can hear Anders’ trademark pomp AOR all over this record and there are a few tracks which could easily be Grand Illusion tracks.

But there’s so much more on offer here. There are a few tracks that are completely bananas. It’s part classic rock opera and part falsetto overture and it sounds so good. Lars is extraordinary in his varied vocal delivery. There’s Queen, ELO and Styx influences throughout.

But it isn’t every track – its mixed in and around some traditional WOA style keyboard-AOR mixed in with some typical Grand Illusion pomp. There is a good dose of piano and some sentimental ballads, but also a few driving guitar tracks.

All in all it is quite the mix, but the superb quality of the songs and the performances make it work cohesively.

I won’t make a point of highlighting any particular songs as id like the listener to hear it fresh start to finish. Just be assured that this is a quality piece of work.

Fee, where have you been?!! Fronting The Tubes reunion shows mostly… but it doesn’t matter – he’s back! And Richard Marx is with him once again. The singer/songwriter/producer is the foundation that this record is built upon, with a MVP performance delivered.

Popping up for a cameo is Michael Landau and Matt Scannell on a couple of tracks.

For physical collectors the package is a flimsy cardboard thing that you can barely pull the CD out of. My pet hate without doubt.

Musically though there are no disappointments here. From the opening hard rock of Faker to the anthemic masterpiece How Dare You (classic Fee), to the funk-riff-rock of Don’t Want To Pull The Trigger onwards through the album via a modern rock ballad in Say Goodbye, a lyrically biting Promise Land, the moody Man Of The World (more classic Fee) and three more classy rock songs.

Only 9 tracks here over 33 minutes, but there isn’t a filler in sight or a minute wasted. This is all Fee Waybill at his very best and Richard Marx does a superb job producing it and co-writing all tracks with Fee.

Sharp, snappy, loud – everything you could wish for from a Fee Waybill record. Another essential purchase here I dare say.

What a way to make your solo debut. Overshadowed by the recent death of his legendary father, Wolfgang Van Halen has to balance shifting focus on to his own long planned career, while still in deep mourning for his dad – his biggest fan. Helping the two worlds connect is a very personal single, clearly written with Eddie in mind.

What pressure it must be to have literally millions of Van Halen fans standing by to critique every second of your first solo offering to the world.

I think some of that angst is wrapped up in this song, which I honestly think is remarkable for all of the above reasons, and for the most important reason – it’s a fucking great song.

‘Distance’ features a warm vocal with Wolf’s own unique tone immediately evident. There’s some space for it to soar towards the close, a very melodic yet powerful sound on offer, mixing acoustic and electric guitars with a modern beat, yet a very classic rock feel. Its modern rock with a huge commercial edge. Great production too.

There’s a lot to absorb here – all of it good. Can’t wait for the full album, I love songs like this.

A nice nod to the past with the name also.

Rock Sugar’s debut was one of the finest records and without doubt the most fun record of its time. It’s taken what seems like a decade for a new album to appear – wow, it really has been a decade and a touch! Yes, 11 years since the debut, the class clowns from the school of rock are back and firing on even more cylinders than ever.

If the debut was an experiment gone right, then Reinventinator is a mad-scientist’s end of year ball.

Why restrict yourself to mashing two or three songs together when you can do five or six or even - holy shit – 10!! This is a sure-fire party favourite and it takes many listens to unweave the madness that is each song and the ultra-complicated structures within.

True genius or utter madness will be up to the individual listener, but I can’t say enough, just how good the band performances are and just how well Jess Harnell is able to inhibit the personality of each vocalist on the many songs featured.

And the production is top shelf-big dollar stuff – clear, crisp and loud.

Where else are you going to hear classic songs by Guns N Roses, Motley Crue, Heart, Led Zeppelin, Queen alongside (or inside?) others by Survivor, Toto, Adele, Tears For Fears and Stevie Nicks.

We all need a laugh, and this record is funny but it’s no joke. Its just killer classic hard rock in a fun, non-stop party kinda vibe.

The two new solo albums from Toto’s Joseph Williams and Steve Lukather were signed in tandem, released in tandem, but recorded in completely opposing ways. Putting the two together showcases two very different sides of the Toto musical spectrum and being solo albums, it lets the listener sink into those individual realms a little longer than on an normal band record where you get a more filtered view. Luke has gone on record saying playing parts of the two records on shuffle would give fans a new Toto record and he’s not far off that truth.

Given that Joseph and Luke make multiple appearances on each other’s records as do fellow Toto alumni, it’s a neat crossover and a double dose of songs for Toto fans.

However, the two records could not be more diametrically opposed.

Steve Lukather’s I’ve Found The Sun Again is the essence of raw, stripped back, live by the seat of your pants, live in the studio recording. Taking just 8 days to record with guests Williams, David Paich and a core band of drummer Greg Bissonette, keyboardist Jeff Babko, and bassists Jorgen Carlsson and John Pierce all playing live in the studio, this record has an organic energy that really captures the talents of all involved.

With songs running from just 3 minutes to an epic 10 minutes, there is something special happening here. There will be some that simply don’t get the jazzy, free-form rock vibe of the album’s 8 tracks, only one of which is a rocker in the traditional Lukather solo sense. The Opener Along For The Ride is a splash of targeted energy and a biting lyric typical of Luke’s sharp mind.

At the other end of the spectrum is the epic The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys, a mid-tempo track that slides in and out of full jazz instrumental arrangements and moody vocals. The piano/percussion mid-song section is to die for, as is Luke’s slow riffing and soloing throughout the song.

Journey Through is one the finest Luke instrumentals I can recall and despite my firm love of vocals, is another album highlight.

A pair of 6 minute mid-tempo songs continue the raw, live energy, while never once feeling underdone or missing anything like multi-layered overdubs and other production effects.

Run To Me is the obviously ‘happy’ song of the album and has a full Beatles vibe going on, propelled by guest drummer Ringo Starr playing his part.

Another epic closes the album. The 8 minute Bridge Of Sighs is musically intense, drenched in organs and guitar and some brilliant solo pockets where the guys all get to shine.

Some won’t get this album. It’s not all rock and it’s certainly not a commercial record. it’s largely mid-tempo and its very loose. But dropped into the Lukather discography, it really is a perfect fit. It makes total sense and blends a little of everything from the legendary guitarist’s career.

And there you have it. One loose, raw and live record paired with a highly structured, methodical production piece. Both records have unique personalities and distinct characteristics but also intrinsic crossed-over musical alliances and both work equally well in their own right and shuffled together. It is a unique situation and I hope fans embrace both records for what they are.

I’m equally comfortable playing one individually and the other the following day, but also back to back for two glorious hours of perfectly executed musical genius.

Unruly Child are one of those bands that should have received more due. Marcie Free is an international treasure and the core duo of Guy Allison and Bruce Gowdy are two very fine musicians who deliver every time.

A band who started with a hard edge but veered more AOR and were accused by some of being too soft have found their grunt again, with this being the heaviest album since the classic major label debut back in 1992.

I love that there’s almost a prog edge to some of the band’s material, their songwriting definitely holds more complexities than the average melodic rock outfit. 12 tracks at 60 minutes means there is a lot to absorb. 10 brand new tracks and two semi-acoustic remakes of To Be Your Everything and Let’s Talk About Love.

What I find distracting is the production quality. The mix is muddy and the programmed drums lack punch and well, lack authenticity. There’s no replacement for a real live drummer.

Playing the album at high (really high) volume, as it deserves, isn’t very easy on the ears.

I love that the album has the moody groove of the debut and there’s some great lyrical angst and antagonism as has been scattered throughout.

Of course, when you think Unruly Child you think hooks and they are delivered throughout – just not as quite as obvious as the past, but a few listens and you can hear them all over the place.

Lots to soak up here and a lot of music to appreciate. Not an instant record, but I like the kind of albums that grow over time much better. If only the production quality was that somewhere close to the debut – then this would have been a monster.

Legacy Swedish AOR act Alien deliver their seventh studio album here, the first to see them turn their traditional style on its head in an attempt to reach a new crowd.

So Alien have ‘gone metal’ here, albeit metal with a strong melodic edge and the unmistakable voice of Jim Jidhed reminding us of their true AOR origins.

I’ve seen some very mixed fan responses to this and my initial reaction was very negative. However, despite an absolutely horrendous production (yes, that issue again and a pretty consistent theme of the last 3 Alien albums), there are some great songs on here to enjoy.

I do think the guys are having a bet both ways, with the album split between the new hard rock sound and several lighter AOR songs that could have come from any previous album.

It’s a hard call – do you fully embrace a new sound with all the risks that entails, or do you try and do something different and mix in the old sound to try and keep old fans happy.

Hard to make a cohesive album with two different styles and I think that’s what holds this album back. Not to mention that Jim really struggles vocally on some of the heavier numbers, especially the painful to listen to What Are We Fighting For and Into The Future.

Of the ‘metal’ songs I really like the opening salvo of You Still Burn and Night Of Fire, the band don’t sound any better than they do on these two tracks.

On the other hand, ‘classic’ Alien can be heard with the more keyboard friendly Time Is Right, Freedom Wind and Fallin Way Down.

It’s a mixed album with mixed results and yes, mixed feelings. I think I’ll probably pick a few tunes here and there for separate playlists, but as a start to finish album, there’s something not quite right about ‘metal’ Alien and the production/mix is very muddy to say the least.