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.

Toto vocalist Joseph Williams’ new album Denizen Tenant is everything Lukather’s album is not. It was carefully and meticulously produced over several months, with the production so sharp, there isn’t one note out of place.

It’s a well-crafted record that features some sublime arrangements and is every bit as polished as a full Toto release. With appearances across the record from Lukather, David Paich, Simon Phillips, Leland Sklar, Lenny Castro, Nathan East and Mike Landau alongside percussionist Lenny Castro.

Opening with a song that could easily have come from either of Toto’s two recent albums with Williams, the lush and sultry Never Saw You Coming is pure mature Westcoast/AOR which leads into the brighter Liberty Man, which is as Toto as you can get.

The title track is pure westcoast/jazz/pop and layered with vocals and rich instrumentation. It’s everything fans love about Joseph Williams throughout his career and if that song doesn’t get you, then the out of the box Wilma Fingadoux will.

Another highlight is the Steve Lukather driven Remember Her, layers deep in keyboards, guitars and percussion.

A couple of dreamy, somewhat eclectic tracks follow before another Lukather guest spot on the simple two-and-a-half-minute pop song If I Fell.

The more lengthy World Broken closes the album in a similar fashion to how it started. Rich, textured and lush melodic rock with a touch of Westcoast AOR and Williams providing another world class vocal.

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.

Both albums may be best enjoyed at different times and for different moods, and depending on tastes, on different levels. But the talent behind both is clearly evident.

Sweden’s Reach have straddled the line between classic rock and modern melodic rock for their first two records, but album number 3 sees them go completely overboard…or completely AWOL. Take your pick.

Gone are any anchors to the traditional melodic rock sound, with the band fully embracing modern experimental rock, with touches of electronic rock (Muse), pop (Coldplay) and falsetto rock (The Darkness). Add in the most flamboyant aspects of Queen’s experimentation with pomp-rock and some 70s symphonic ELO and you might get some idea of what’s going on here.

I have tried and tried and tried again with this album, but its not for me. And I think for those that followed the band as they trod a similar path as One Desire, Palace, Wildness and the like will probably find this album too ‘out there’ to appreciate.

There are some lush orchestral parts to the album, almost symphonic in the elaborate production and the layers of programming included. To the perfect audience, it is a really well-made record.

The guys have made a clear determination of their musical path with this record and it’s not 80s rock. For that reason, they might find themselves picking up a completely new fanbase – ones with an appreciation of modern commercial alt-rock and retro rock acts like Cats In Space. I’m not sure how many fans of the first two records will follow them into their third.

You have to admire the lads for their bold musical exploration here. But they aren’t The Darkness or Muse and I was personally thankful for that.

Their bio now describes themselves as an alternative rock band. Fair play to the guys, but I’m not a fan of alternative rock.

I can’t recall the last time I heard a single album so packed with obviously over the top 80s melodic rock anthems. The songs, the production come from Crazy Lixx frontman and key songwriter Danny Rexon and the heavenly vocals come from Chez Kane, the British sensation who wasn’t even born before the glory days of hard rock were fading.

Through her group Kane’d and some attention-grabbing YouTube covers, she was a star on the rise until the inspired pairing with Rexon hit paydirt.

This is a powerhouse album is a throwback to the mid-late 80s where Def Leppard, Winger and Vixen all ruled their airwaves. And taking inspiration from the latter, this album sounds like a natural successor to the amazing Vixen album Rev It Up.

This is 47 minutes unadulterated, hands in the air fun. There’s no attempt here to reinvent the wheel, rather it is a vehicle to steer those wheels right back in time.

To say that Chez Kane can sing is to say yes, Eddie Van Halen can play guitar. I’m a big fan of bands pushing this genre forward and have championed many of the bands that do so. But sometimes you like and need to dive back into the favourites amongst your collection. With this album you can jump back without leaving 2021.

This album is everything that we loved about the stadium rock of the 80s, with all the energy of a big production and a healthy dose of keyboards and guitars, plus a thumping rhythm section.

Great fun songs with big choruses, harmony vocals and some inspired vocal melodies makes this a true 80s album without sounding like it was trying to be an 80s record. It just is, and credit should go to all.

If there was to be one essential female fronted album this year, then here it is folks. Utterly essential!

I love these guys. The French duo of Frédéric Dechavanne (songwriting, vocals, keyboards) and Sébastien Montet (songwriting, guitars, keyboards, background vocals) have now created 3 great European melodic rock albums. Their last was so good I put it out on my old MRR label.

Now with AOR Heaven, I’m pleased to say that the guys have further upped their game. Once again featuring the same team as the last album - Steve Newman (production, mastering, backing vocals), Dave Bartlett (bass, backing vocals) and Rob McEwen (drums), 50/50 is an album filled with catchy and memorable AOR songs, mixing keyboards and guitars equally in a way only the Europeans seem to be able to do.

It’s old school sound with a snappy, up to date production. Largely an uptempo record with plenty of layers of music, the guys retain a strong connection to the music of Newman, the production values are very similar and the vocals of Frederic, while quite unique, are shaped by Newman’s influence.

If you’ve heard the guys before, this is a no brainer. Stronger guitar riffing and literal multi-layers of keyboards are backed with a powerful rhythm section, which some acts often cut corners with. Not here – this is a powerful sounding record.

Its also drenched in melodies and harmonies, so if the European style of AOR/melodic rock is something that appeals, I recommend checking out Paris right now.

Treat are exactly that. Just a treat to listen to as they further enhance their status as one of the world’s best and most consistent anthemic melodic rock acts.

Their golden run of high energy, harmony drenched, AOR anthem filled albums that began with the classic Coup De Grace, followed by Ghost Of Graceland and Tunguska. Add this in and its 4 essential albums for 4 in a run going back to 2010.

The album follows the slightly more modern edge of the last 2 albums, fitting seamlessly into their catalogue.

The Swedish melodic rockers deliver another 12 songs to digest, most of which are uptempo and layers deep in harmonics, guitars and groove.

I’d place this album third of the last 4, with Tunguska in 4th place, but that’s still rating all 4 albums above 95%. For the record, Coup is #1 and always will be!

They just don’t get better than the songs, style and production delivered by Treat.

This doesn’t require a long review, as there is no reason to debate brilliance. Just be assured that if you are a fan of the band in the last decade, this just serves to continue their glorious run. Essential!

This is quite simply a delightful pure AOR album of archived demos from former Uriah Heep vocalist Pete Goalby. His voice oozes passion and melody and the songs are glorious.

Its one 80s AOR anthem after another and the ‘demo’ angle shouldn’t be over-played as most of these tracks sound fuller than the term demo normally gives credit for.

Goalby plays guitar, with Eddy Morton providing solos. The always fabulous Paul Hodson gets credit for bass and drum programming, which is tastefully done, plus all keyboards, which are all over these great songs.

I must admit to having chased Pete Goalby for his solo demos for my own label but missing out just means I can pour my enthusiasm into a killer review – which is what this collection of songs deserves.

Absolutely prime British influenced pure AOR and melodic rock with a strong 80s vibe and some really warm, engaging lead vocals from Pete.

One of my favourite purchases of 2021.

This is one of only a few albums I’ve played recently and immediately thought – winner!

It only took one listen to know this is an album that deserves a lot of attention, the subsequent listens only confirmed that high praise was in order.

Tao features Karen Fell (vocals), Chris Gould (ex-Serpentine)(guitars) and Dave Rosingana (bass) and additional musicians Darrel Treece-Birch (Ten)(keyboards) and Brian Webster (drums).

The album is written and produced by Ten mastermind Gary Hughes.

This album hits several different marks. First the female lead vocals are just perfect for the energy and delivery of these songs, they are highly engaging and pure ear candy. Second factor is the man himself, Gary Hughes. This album is a return to his best AOR songwriting, mirroring the debut Ten album and his own solo releases. Just brilliant songs carried by Karen Fell in a way classic AOR albums used to be. Plus its not just AOR, this thing rocks in places, just like Ten do at various times.

To class this album as Ten with female vocals would be simplistic, but every bit true.

A powerful production, a band feel and some highly engaging songs make this one an essential purchase for fans of Ten and female fronted melodic rock.

I only got the digital audio for this one, but I need to get the CD pronto.

Generation Radio is one of the few organic supergroups of recent years. Something that came together naturally, rather than cobbled together in an office somewhere.

Formed with the axis of Chicago’s Jason Scheff, Deen Castronovo (now departed to concentrate soley on his Journey duties) and Rascall Flatts frontman Jay DeMarcus, the band chisel out a commercial radio friendly sound that would have had them all over radio in the 80s and 90s.

It’s a laid-back album for the most part, reflective and mature, but not without some rowdier moments where the guitars get cranked up and the tempo shuffled into overdrive.

At the heart of it however, is songs and harmonies. Both are glorious – the instantly appealing midwestern style AOR/MOR takes the listener back to the best of Chicago, Richard Marx, Journey and a more cult name in this scene – the wonderful King Of Hearts.

Its sweet and sugary and everything AOR fans loved about big budget recordings of the heydays. But you know what else it is – authentic. The band gel together and it all sounds very natural. They wrote and recorded together and it so clearly shows the difference in quality when a band actually works as a band.

The album’s first 9 tracks are near perfect, its only with the Chris Rodriguez sung song that it comes to an end, closing then with a lacklustre ballad.

Track one to nine are almost impossibly good smooth, old school, commercial American AOR.

This is how you do a band project. The difference between a ‘supergroup’ on paper and in practical essence is all in the execution. Anyone can create a group on paper and throw some songs and money at the participants to do their thing. But you won’t capture any kind of magic or chemistry – as so often is the case with the ‘Frontiers Random Band Generator’ formula.

Black Swan however, is a case of getting it right and credit should be given. This is the right way of doing things - find musicians that for the most part live near each other and can meet and work together and then let them write the songs and create organic chemistry.

In joining the great Robin McAuley and Jeff Pilson, the desire would have naturally been to recreate the best of McAuley Schenker Group and Dokken. But you can’t force it. In this case it wasn’t necessary, it just happened and with the added production prowess of Pilson, a real gem has been created.

The debut was a revelation and the follow-up takes up exactly where the last left off – more high energy, uptempo, in your face melodic hard rock, heavy, but with a commercial edge – all delivered with a beautiful mix and crisp production. The drum sound is thankfully light years ahead of other projects of this nature thanks to Pilson capturing the awesome groove of Matt Starr.

And who could ask for more crunch in their guitars than what the legend that is Reb Beach delivers.

This is an inspired combo of musicians who really work well together to create natural chemistry.

The songs are surprisingly in your face and uptempo, the album only slows down for a couple of well-timed slower pieces.

Robin sounds amazing and as good as he did in 1990. Pilson ties it all together for a perfect blend of melodic Dokken, Winger & McAuley.

AOR legend Jim Peterik’s latest World Stage project is one that highlights some great female talent in our genre, featuring the usual World Stage/Peterik house band alongside guitarist Jennifer Batten and some prominent female vocalists such as Cathy Richardson (now fronting Jefferson Starship), Janet Gardner (ex-Vixen), Mindi Abair, Kate French, Kimi Hayes, Chez Kane, Rosa Laricchiuta (Black Rose Maze, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and some fresh new talent.

Highlights include the country-infused Prom Night In Pontiac (Feat. Chloe Lowery), the wonderful Chez Kane on A Cappella; the big ballad Lazarus Heart (Janet Gardner) and Tigress (Kate French vocals and Abigail Stanshmidt Violin) and Dear Life (Lindsay Kent vocals and Sina Drums).

The always amazing Cathy Richardson continues to belt it out on Living For The Moment and Full Moon Crazy plus two other tracks.

Given the usual near-perfection of anything JP is involved in, this one falls short on expectations.

Half the album is great and the other lacks the star power needed for a knockout album. The songs are there, but perhaps the energy isn’t quite. And the production sounds a little rawer than the usual very crisp and precise delivery we are used to from Jim Peterik and team.

As is more often the case these days with Frontiers, you are left wishing better decisions had been made.

Who do you call when you want to give a big ‘fuck you’ to one of your major artists who won’t play ball? Mr Everywhere, Ronnie Romero of course, who stands in for a second time for the departed Joe Lynn Turner who wanted no more Sunstorm projects – and who could blame him.

Sadly the label decided to continue the name rather than call it a day, so this has almost nothing to do with the Sunstorm brand that received huge acclaim for the first 3 records before diverting from the formula.

The first “new” Sunstorm album, 2021’s Afterlife featured one killer track I can recall and this has a few of its own, but there isn’t a strong identity here like those first 3 records.

Its all very safe, very formulaic and very predictable, even with the warmth of Ronnie’s always strong vocals.

One for Ronnie fans, not so much for those looking to extend the ‘classic’ Sunstorm legacy.

Wicked Smile is the brainchild of Steve Janevski (Black Majesty, The Radio Sun & Cyclone Tracy), their debut album ‘Wait For The Night’ was released late in 2021, but it’s never too late to join the party, especially when the offering is as good as this is.

The Aussie melodic metallers are fronted by Danny Cecati (ex-Pegazus & Eyefear) with Stevie Janevski and Dave Graham (ex-In Malice’s Wake) on guitars, Glen Cav (ex-Virtue) on bass and Jason Tyro on drums.

Mixing Ozzy, Iron Maiden and Black Majesty, with a touch of Metallica and perhaps even some Jorn fronted Masterplan, the strength of this album is in the songs. These are quite simply, 10 brilliant no-filler-all-killer songs.

Style wise it is obviously in your face and heavy and a big credit to Paul Laine (producer) and Bruno Ravel (mastering) for making it sound as big as it does. It’s a huge metal sound for a debut album, but then again, all the guys are veterans of the Oz rock scene, so they know what they are doing.

Back to the songs – they are simply immersive and filled with hooks and melody lines, bone crushingly heavy at times, but always melodic at the heart and each with a defined chorus hook, which is essential for any great album.

‘Wait For The Night’ has everything – pounding rhythm, sharp riffing guitars and solos, some outstanding lead vocals I mean world class metal vocals), plus chorus harmonies that drive home the hooks.

Cannot recommend this highly enough and a truly special album for fans of this style of in your face melodic metal.