If the project that bears Swedish multi-instrumentalist Michael Palace’s surname wasn’t a solo-project before – which it was – it sure is now. Michael sang and played all the instruments on his “band”‘s two previous albums, the full-on AOR album Master Of The Universe (2016) and the still AOR yet slightly different Binary Music (2018), but there was a band behind him when they played live. According to Michael, that’s all history now. Palace will continue as a studio project only with no more live-dates to come. A pity as I would have loved to catch them in action at some point. Palace never went out of his way to be revolutionary musically at any note but Palace has its own identity and what’s better, Palace is a magnificent song writer – both albums are real AOR-killers and the hopes for the third one is really high.
The opening title-track is an upbeat AOR-stomper that brings us right back to the style of the debut album – lots of keyboards yet rocking, a fat groove yet very slick but never syrupy. This is pop-rock where Eddie Money takes Def Leppard out for a dance, which results in them making a soundtrack to an 80’s action/comedy flick where the chorus is a complete KO. Hell yeah! Up next is second single “Castaway”, a poppy number that easily could have been included on a Rocky movie soundtrack. It’s a big AOR tune with a chunky rhythm with hooks enough to overdose on. West-Coast vibes all the way from Toto to Survivor to Signal makes for a smooth listen, as it should be with Palace, and the chorus is enormous. Gotta love it.
Leading single “Way Up Here” is an upbeat and straight-forward, 80’s laden AOR meets Pop number with a solid rhythm and pop-hooks as far as the ear can hear. It might be a bit on the pink n’ fluffy side but the melodies are addictive, the backing vocals are huge and the chorus is massive, so catchy it’s criminal. This tune would have made Michael a millionaire back in 1986 without a doubt. Awesome. Latest single “Cold Ones” is a slick pop-rocker that brings Thrill Of A Lifetime era King Kobra to mind – and more of those 80’s movie-soundtracks too. The verses might be a bit laid-back but the tune holds a great groove and the chorus is nothing short of amazing. We also get a dashing saxophone solo before the short and concise guitar ditto. Brilliant.
Then it’s ballad time and if Julia was the girl of choice on Binary Music, three years she has been replaced by “Eleonora”. What we get here is a Pop ballad more than an AOR one and I must say it’s almost too buttery for comfort. Think the 80’s and Richard Marx, Starship, Chicago and early 90’s as Alias and some traces of late 80’s power balladry and you’re close. That being said, the tune also holds a whole bunch of lush melodies and an atmospheric soundscape. The amazing chorus also makes up for the sugar-fest. You have to love this kind of ballad to get away with writing it and it’s obvious that Michael does. I like. On a way more hard-rocking note, “Hot Steel” brings on some edgy guitars, a meaty rhythm on a Hard Rock bottom and some kickin’ riffage. Still AOR, of course, we also get a slammin’ solo and a dynamite chorus. Great stuff.
“My Gray Cloud” is an AOR-rocker with a chunky groove in a mid-pace. It’s quite a heavy number albeit with a smooth soundscape. The song then takes a turn into a faster pace and the tune then alters between mid-pace and faster beats throughout the song. With lots of hooks, melodies that sticks and a striking chorus, the tune goes for a home-run – and succeeds. Very good. Palace says hi to 1985 and invites both Europe and Bon Jovi to the hook-fest when “Origin Of Love” shows up. It’s an upbeat and straight-forward AOR-stomper on the threshold to Melodic Rock with chugging guitars and a naughty rhythm where guitars and keyboards creates a great symbiosis. The verses is a bit more down-beat but the contagious chorus speeds things up. Brilliant.
“She’s So Original” is an uptempo pop-rocker that sports a late 80’s sound that has the Swedish touch of bands like Glory or Talk of The Town but a band like Night Ranger also shows up for the party. It holds a straight ahead rhythmic beat, vocal-melodies very upfront and a chorus with more hooks than a fisherman’s hat. How awesome. Michael Palace really grew up in the wrong decade. Being the first (and only, actually) dip on the album, “Strictly By The Rules” is a slick number where the keyboards takes over and brings on a fluffy outlook. It’s an upbeat, feelgood number with a decent chorus that never really lifts and it feels like Palace is running a bit on empty on this one.
Things goes back to business with the pop-groovy “When It’s Over”, a tune that blends pure Pop with West-Coast and a slice of early Toto-influenced AOR. Here, the beat is rhythmic and even danceable, the big vocal-melodies are smooth as silk and the chorus is brilliantly addictive. Not much Rock in here but it’s still a great number. Closing track is more Rock, AOR with a grit where Bon Jovi, Stan Bush and Only Child comes to mind. The guitars are crunchy, the keyboards are smooth, the melodies strikes in your face and it really brings on a driving beat, giving the tune a live-feel. The chorus? Well, you’ve guessed it, it’s marvelous and impossible to remove from the brain. What a way to say farewell for now.
First off, if you have zero love for AOR then don’t bother because this is full-blown AOR all the way. With that out of the way, I can only state that Palace’s third portion of high-class music is again awesome. It might just be his best effort to date which is an achievement itself. This is a time machine back to the mid 80’s – slick, smooth, glossy and clean-cut but never mawkish or (too) sugary. If I must complain about anything then I might have preferred the guitars a bit grittier and higher in the mix but it’s trivial here. In this genre it’s not the easiest thing to create a style of your own – or even an identity but that’s just what Michael Palace has managed to do – it’s easy to spot a Palace song, so kudos to that. I highly recommend this record and it’s a damn pity that Michael has decided not to do this thing live.
8/10
More Palace reviews:
Master Of The Universe
Binary Music
Tracklist:
1. Rock And Roll Radio
2. Castaway
3. Way Up Here
4. Cold Ones
5. Eleonora
6. Hot Steel
7. My Gray Cloud
8. Origin Of Love
9. She’s So Original
10. Strictly By The Rules
11. When It’s Over
12. Fight
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