LABEL: MTM MUSIC
OVERALL: 89%
Produced by: Von Groove
OVERALL: 89%
Produced by: Von Groove
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LABEL: MTM MUSIC OVERALL: 89% Produced by: Von Groove | ||||
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Von Groove are a very cool band from Canada who released their first album through the major label Chrysalis in 1992. They had a radio hit Once Is Not Enough. Very cool track! Their second album Rainmaker was released in some territories in 1995 and was major change of style into a more modern and acoustic based sound. in late 1997, early 1998 MTM Music signed the band and they released Chameleon - an album that was earlier released in Japan under the Mission Man title. The MTM album added 3 new more melodic tunes and the band were getting back to their best. On Test Of Faith the band have hit their peak. This is my favourite album of the 3 and one I think AOR fans will take to hear. Fans of the debut may still be disappointed as this is not the heavy rock that album was loved for. Instead this album is full of the most commercial and melodic AOR tunes they have written. It shows a mellower, but stylishly improved band. | ||
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The title track opens the album. This is a rocker, but in the bands new style. Moodier and more restrained this track has class written all over it.
Tight guitars and wonderful vocals, the verse moves slowly while the chorus rocks out a little. Second track in is a mid paced ballad. It Should Have Been Me is great AOR all over and has a classic feel, while employing a modern production. I Saw The Light is next up. This is one of my favourite tracks. Another mid paced tune, this one is more a rocker than a ballad, although it is still pretty soft. Good solid chorus and production. Foolin' Yourself is a great uptempo rocker. This tune is very Def Leppard and it's mellow verse rises to a nice rocking anthem chorus. Best played loud. Back In Love Again is a big traditional acoustic power ballad that is similar to the power ballads of the late 80's a la Poison. Tell It To Me is a mid paced Def Leppard style rocker. Laid back and mature, it has some great hooks, especially in the chorus. Anything For My Baby is more upbeat, but is still fairly contained. Moody still, it has a similar feel to the opening title track and the rocker Tell It To Me. Only Love has a distinct Foreigner feel to it. Very light pop rock, it has that American FM radio feel to it. The chorus is a great uptempo anthem with backing vocals and harmonies and should be a radio hit, if there is any justice in the world. Great pop rock ballad. Damage Is Done is another soft acoustic ballad with a little instrumentation to beef it up. Nice track and a little country feel to it. Very Nelson 'Silence Is Broken' era. Rock N Roll Station is intro-ed by some kid saying 'hear the drummer get wicked'! Quite funny and fitting as this track rocks the hardest on the album. Typical Von Groove in the vein of Two Nights In Tokyo off Chameleon. The album ends with another soft country influenced acoustic ballad. A little twang in there makes it suitable for country radio for sure. So that is it. I rate this the band's best effort by far. I like the others, but this time around even with the more commercial AOR sound and moody feel, the band have written the best collection of songs in their career so far. I hope this album gets the attention it deserves and those who have yet to discover the band will take my recommendation to check it out. Very very good. | PRODUCTION: 85% | SONGS: 91% | VIBE: 89% | ATTITUDE: 89% | ESSENTIAL FOR: Von Groove, MTM and moody AOR fans. |