Just a little over a year ago British upcoming singer Chez Kane decided to team up with Crazy Lixx’ frontman, singer and main song-writer Danny Rexon for a solo album. Rexon produced the album, wrote all the songs and played all instruments with Kane singing and putting her personal flavours on the songs. The record was an all-in retro 80’s record right in the vein of Heart, Vixen and Robin Beck. It was also a brilliant record, all killer, no filler. It was the first time I heard Kane sing and I was floored by her voice right then and there. Style-wise it wasn’t anything new under the sun but I care little to nothing about trivial shit like that if the songs are good enough – and good enough they were. And then some. A top 10 album album for 2021 for me.
Because of we-all-know-why touring wasn’t possible last year so the only logical thing was of course to get back to the drawing table and make another record, a record we can now hold in our hands – or stream it if you don’t want the artist to be able to make a living. Since you shouldn’t fix what’s not broken, Rexon was brought in once again for the same duties and after the AOR pop-metal explosion that was the debut I had some major expectations on this album. And if anyone’s curious about the musical direction on the new album, just one look at the album cover spills all the beans you need.
The first single “I Just Want You” opens the record like a time-machine back to 1987 where Bon Jovi and Heart has been but in a blender with Kane’s personal voice as the icing on the cake. It’s a mid-paced pop-rocker that actually glances at power-balladry, it’s glossy and slick with a sharp main-melody where both verses and chorus throws out hooks to left and right and said chorus is, well, so massively catchy it’s breathtaking. This is the stuff that were the soundtrack to my youth and while it’s a clear call back to the 80’s it doesn’t sound the least dated, it’s all about love and passion for the genre which speaks volumes and I think this is plain phenomenal.
Second single “(The Things We Do) When We’re Young In Love” is a straight forward, upbeat and uptempo pop-rocker with a happy-go-lucky – meant as a compliment, of course – and uplifting atmosphere that made me smile right from the word go. If the opener is a back-to-the-80’s type song this one is that too – with a plus menu. This tune has Bryan Adams partying with Vixen at a Def Leppard concert. The smooth melodies grabs a hold right off the bat and it has me thinking of hot summer days and lukewarm summer nights partying with your friends and that particular one by your side. The chorus is huge and immediate and back in 1987, this tune would have bought Rexon and Kane a mansion in, well, wherever they saw fit. Awesome!
The mid-paced and Arena Rock groovy “Rock You Up” might not be single-material but more of a deep-cut that will have you go “YEAH”! when it turns up in the live-set. It’s a pop-friendly melodic Hard Rock stomper where Def Leppard, Bon Jovi and Danger Danger rubs shoulders and creates a big party vibe. It might hold a throwaway lyric, quite cheesy, but it’s also a joyful and powerful number with an intense catchiness in the mastodon refrain, perfect for the stage. Great. On crunchier and more Hard Rock edged note, latest single “Love Gone Wild” creates a rawer punch yet with slick melodies, a background saxophone that also gets a solo and pop-laden harmonies with a synth that’s perfectly outdated – and I mean that in a positive way. Another home-run chorus takes the song for the win. Simply affable!
“Children Of Tomorrow Gone” starts with a piano that brings my mind to Bruce Springsteen, New Jersey era Bon Jovi and even Meat Loaf. It’s a big, bouncy and bombastic semi-ballad with a glossy 80’s synth, it’s pop-smooth that brings 80’s action-comedy soundtracks to mind. The vocal-line is a bit Bonnie Tyler-ish, the crunchy guitar riffs is taken from Rexon’s home of Crazy Lixx and the massively catchy chorus takes us back to 1986 and never lets go. Brilliant. The rawer, more raunchy guitar sound and the fat, hard-hitting rhythm section takes the title-track into more classic Hard Rock territories. It’s an anthemic, forceful rocker, quite straight ahead yet with smoother, distinct vocal-lines and a slicker Melodic Rock laden chorus that hits like a ton of bricks. Killer.
Going for a kick-ass vibe, the Rock ‘n’ Roll belter “I’m Ready (For Your Love)” takes on a faster tempo with an upbeat rhythm, some rowdier guitars and a beefy punch. It’s glammier, sleazier and dirtier with a naughty outlook, very in-your-face and direct. The tune comes across as a Crazy Lixx tune with Kane singing and a spot on refrain. Very good. “Nationwide” is upbeat and groovy with a pop-rock outlook blending crunchy guitars and a solid rhythm with slick keyboards and silky vocal-melodies with some infectious hooks all over the place. Blue Tears, a band that borrowed lots from both Bon Jovi and Def Leppard, is where my head is turned to here with a signature Rexon chorus to bring it home. What a chorus it is. Very good.
The down tempo power ballad “Streets Of Gold” brings on a late 80’s/early 90’s Melodic Rock/Arena Rock vibe. With held back verses the tune has acoustic guitars meeting up with electric ones, big keyboards and a solid rhythm. The chorus is bigger and more bombastic with an uplifting melody and a hook so sharp it hurts, catchy as can be. Brilliant. The album’s closing track “Guilty Of Love” – not a Whitesnake cover – is upbeat but holds a mid-tempo pace, it’s rhythmic with chunky guitars and 80’s keyboards with easily embraced melodies all over. It’s a long tune, almost eight minutes, where the song holds a big 80’s power-chord pop-rock vibe but ends with an extended jam. A great tune that ends the record on a high note.
With the wrong ingredients, this 80’s retro pop-rock can hit shit-creek faster than you can say Tuff and in many cases that’s exactly what happens but when it comes to the Kane/Rexon team all the right ingredients are in place. See, the couple’s love and passion for this stuff shines through and the fact that the quality of both songs, production and Kane’s vocals are so high this just can’t go wrong. Sure, if you hate the 80’s pop-metal/AOR/Melodic Rock/Arena Rock stuff, look elsewhere but for someone like me who grew up on this kind of music, this album – just like her debut – is heaven. Nostalgia? Sure, at some level but it wouldn’t work without killer songs and this album is full of them.
8/10
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Tracklist:
1. I Just Want You
2. (The Things We Do) When We’re Young In Love
3. Rock You Up
4. Love Gone Wild
5. Children Of Tomorrow Gone
6. Powerzone
7. I’m Ready (For Your Love)
8. Nationwide
9. Streets Of Gold
10. Guilty Of Love
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