Bad Habit. That is a band that I have repressed a long time ago. In fact, I didn’t even know that the band was still going. They released their first album back in 1988 that gave them a minor hit with Boston’s ”More Than A Feeling”. And by now you might have guessed that the music they’re playing is AOR. The album was a bit too soft and cheesy and in my book, the songs went in one ear and out the other – and the Boston cover sounded more or less exactly the same as the original. Maybe it’s just my lack of interest, but I haven’t heard anything from or of them since then, but apparently they reunited and has released a few albums since then. I became aware of this CD from a magazine ad and decided, for some reason that I should check it out. And I’m glad I did because this album is brilliant. The cheesiness of their debut is pretty much gone and the sound is bigger and more guitar oriented, but it’s still pretty much standard AOR / Melodic Rock. In a good way.
They’re not reinventing the wheel here by any means, but that is unessential here, because the songs are really strong, as is the performance and so is the production. Every song on here has a hook that sticks inside your brain forever and I never seem to grow tired either, which, to be honest, is the case with many bands in this genre. ”In The Heat Of The Night” is a great opener, ”I Wanna Be The One” is one of those ballads that you can be play over and over without losing interest and ”Everytime You Cry” is just plain great. Same with ”Fantasy” and ”Without You”, just great stuff. But the two songs here that really hits the spot is ”Break The Silence”, an uptempo pop rocker that gets me going every time I hear it. The chorus reminds me a little of H.E.A.T.’s ”1000 Miles”, if you’re familiar with that one. Only this song is way, way better. And then there’s ”Catch Me When I Fall”, with it’s brilliant chorus. Both of them really deserves to become big hits, but they probably won’t -and it’s a shame because this album is pure quality. This is how great AOR / Melodic Rock should be performed. If you’re a fan of this type of music, I can almost guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.
Jon Wilmenius (9/10)
Tracklist:
01. In The Heat Of The Night
02. Words Are Not Enough
03. Every Time You Cry
04. I Wanna Be The One
05. I’ll Die For You
06. Angel Of Mine
07. Fantasy
08. We Are One
09. Only Time Will Tell
10. Break The Silence
11. Save Me
12. Catch Me When I Fall
13. Without You
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