Reviews December/05Bad Habit / Hear-Say / FR CD 267
Tracklisting:To love you; I swear; All that I want; Walk of Life; Reason; Alive; I want to know; Take Control; Tell me why; I'll be the One; I can't help myself; The Air that I breathe ; Walk of life (bonus video); Studio report (bonus video).
Bad Habit started back in 1986, when New York-born guitar player Hal Marabel got together with former member Doc Shannon. The idea was to create music that mixed hard rock with melodic tendencies from the past experiences of both. Main influences were coming from bands like JOURNEY, TOTO, VAN HALEN and BOSTON but also from other genres such as Blues and Classical Music. The next musician to become part of the band was Patrik Södergren (then Stevie Rose), followed by Bax Fehling and the original drummer Jan Andersson. Jan was then replaced by Jaime Salazar shortly after the release of the debut mini-album "Young & Innocent" in 1987. To date, BAD HABIT have released 5 CDs, 4 singles (with videos) and a mini-album. The last CD released was the "Adult Orientation" in 1998. In particular their debut full album "After Hours" (1989, Virgin) made waves among the AOR and melodic rock lovers in the whole of Europe. The band has not played live extensively, but did gig a lot during 1987-1990. In 1989, the band toured the former Soviet Union. The tour was a major success in all possible ways and lent many new experiences to the band members. The come-back album "Hear-Say" is mix of typical BAD HABIT style material with in your face guitars, a heavy beat and melodic keyboard landscapes - all combined in catchy & rocking tunes. The line-up features again - like on "Adult Orientation" - Bax Fehling on lead vocals, Hal Marabel on guitars and keyboards, Sven Cirnski on lead guitar, Patrik Södergren on bass and Jaime Salazar on drums. With "Hear-say", BAD HABIT are back stronger than ever and this album will delight all classic AOR and melodic rock lovers ! The album is hevier than "Adult Orientation" and openers "To love you" and "I swear" are very direct but as a good contradiction track number 3 and 4 "All that I want" and "Walk of Life" is melodic and radiofriendly.
Phil Vincent / Unknown Origin / Self Financed
Tracklisting:Thanks for Nothin'; Dear Friend; Never gonna let you go; All I need; Make no Mistake; Shotgun Messiah; Going through the Motions; Fight from the Inside; Faithless; Get away; In the Blink of an Eye; Fatal Love.
You can't help admiring an enthusiastic recording artist as Phil Vincent - he has made a very listenable record with a lot of great tracks, and all self financed and independent!.
Stefano Panunzi / Timelines / RES CD 0503
Tracklisting:Timelines; Underground; Everything for her; No answer from you; Masquerade; Web of Memories; The Moon and the red House; Forgotten Story; Tribal Innocence; Something to remember; I'm looking for.
Stefano Panunzi is a recording artist hailing from Italy - and west coast inspired (almost jazzy) tracks may be a little off my general taste in music - but then again... it never hurts opening up your musical horizon!? |