When five Italian guys decided to recruit Swedish guitarist and song writer Lars Säfsund to create beautiful AOR, there was some high expectations in the AOR scene. Not for me personally though as I wasn’t familiar with the Italian musicians involved and Säfsund’s Work Of Art never made a huge impression on me. Sure, they’re competent and I guess for AOR purists they’re a top act. But I always found them way to slick in both production and arrangements and the same can be said of Lionville’s two albums prior to this – A World Of Fools (2014) and Magic Is Alive (2020). Great musicians, a great singer, a slick and clean production and poppy, glossy AOR numbers – but nothing really stands out. Good while listening yet easily forgotten. Let’s find out if three time’s a charm in Lionville’s case.
The album opens sounding exactly like the two previous ones – which of course it should – with “This Time” where 80’s sounding synths stand in focus, making this upbeat AOR number a slick and glossy one with big pop-vibes all over. There’s a slight Journey touch present and I also think of Find Me but that’s much because the involvement of said band’s singer Robbie LeBlanc. A big, catchy chorus makes the song hard to resist and yeah, I like this. Leading single “Cross My Heart” is a straight-forward AOR-rocker that throws in some crunchy guitars into the big soundscape giving the otherwise Scandinavian AOR sounding tune an edgy outlook. It’s more Melodic Rock than AOR and the infectious and direct refrain is a real killer with a contrasting low-key mid-break for dynamics sake. Very good.
“The World Is On Fire” is another guitar-driven AOR-rocker where the fat beat goes for a dive into Hard Rock which again brings an edge to the smoother vocal-melodies. The verses comes across as a bit darker but as soon the massive chorus hits, the song goes for a more uplifting outlook and the hook is sharp. The hit-laden chorus is massive and enormously catchy. Great stuff. It’s ballad time when “Can’t Live Without Your Love” comes around and just like the title suggests we’re treated with lots of sugar and sweetness and the song goes into AOR power ballad mode. It’s based on the big keyboards, we get a cinematic saxophone solo and a cheesy chorus that’s infectious but way, way to glossy for my taste. It’s not bad but it feels like I’ve bathed in butter afterwards.
The latest single “True Believer” is an uptempo and straight-forward AOR number with an upbeat groove and some funky bass lines making the beat take on a more live-friendly touch. It’s an uplifting number with feelgood melodies, some chunky guitar-work and a big AOR-refrain that would’ve been a chart-topper back in the 80’s. Very good. Pretty much the same can be said of “We Are One” albeit the keyboards are more prominent here which gives it a glossier sound and it’s not as strong and “Only The Brave” continues this path but with more crunchy guitars, a chunkier groove and a slightly tougher beat. It’s a fine blend of Journey and Survivor with some contagious pop-hooks and a chorus that sticks right off the bat. One of the album’s finest moments indeed.
“Angel Without Wings” is another rockier piece, quite in-your-face with a smoother kind of Hard Rock foundation where the rougher guitars rubs shoulders with slick 80’s sounding keyboards, a song that surely will get folks up on their feet and dig. The chorus here is a real monster and again, back in the days of MTV, this one would’ve been on heavy rotation. Great stuff. Not quite a ballad, “I’ll Be Waiting Tonight” is a slow burner. It’s down-beat with bluesier guitar-licks in the verses but gets more upbeat albeit in a mid-pace way and there’s some Classic Rock elements added too which contrasts nicely with the smooth AOR melodies. It sounds more like US AOR than Scandinavian dito which is a plus here. A good song.
The cover of Richard Marx’ “Arrow Through My Heart” holds verses which brings on a 70’s Classic Rock touch with some edge and is a bit on the heavier side and a Hammond sounding organ adds to the rougher outlook. The groove is fat, the guitar solo is cranked up, the rhythm is beefy and even though we get Melodic Rock melodies and an AOR-ish chorus the song comes across as a bonafide rocker with a chunky live-feel. The chorus is easily embraced with a ton off hooks – very catchy, very good. The album closes with the title-track, a laid-back West Coast meets AOR number. Even though it gets more upbeat with a groovy bass-line, the vocal-melodies remains held-back. It’s a slick tune with a cheesy saxophone and a glossy and fluffy refrain that’s pretty good but it ads more sugar than needed. A decent song that fails to stick around in my head for too long.
All in all, this is Lionville’s finest moment so far. The songs are more memorable than before but what does a lot for me is that they look out side the AOR comfort zone here and there – the bluesy influences, the crunchy guitars, the Classic Rock inserts brings on another dimension to the slick AOR that is the band’s trademark. On the downside there’s still the production issue. Sure it’s well done, packed in a gorgeous soundscape, clean and shining – which is part of the issue. It’s too polished, it doesn’t really breathe and feels a bit stale. Even when it rocks it really doesn’t rock. But maybe that’s how an AOR release should sound, what do I know? But for me, a little edge and some roughness would’ve given this record another point in the final score. But I really like the songs.
6/10
More Lionville reviews:
A World Of Fools
Magic Is Alive
Tracklist:
1. This Time
2. Cross My Heart
3. The World Is On Fire
4. Can’t Live Without Your Love
5. True Believer
6. We Are One
7. Only The Brave
8. Angel Without Wings
9. I’ll Be Waiting Tonight
10. Arrow Through My Heart
11. So Close To Heaven
CD & Festival reviews 