As one of my favorite singers it was happy news when it was reveled that Robin McAuley would release a new solo album, his first since Business As Usual back in 1999. With great albums behind him with acts such as Grand Prix, MSG and more recent two great records with Black Swan that also featured guitarist Reb Beach (Whitesnake, Winger), bassist Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner) and drummer Matt Starr (Mr Big, Ace Frehley) expectations were high especially as his last solo album Standing On The Edge (2021) was such a joy. The new album is made by the same gang that did the previous album which means a co-lab between McAuley and Frontiers go-to-guy Alessandro Del Vecchio in the song-writing department with Del Vecchio holding production duties.
The opening title-track and the album’s first taster is quite recognizable from the last album. It opens with a sombre piano-intro that goes directly into a rockier Melodic Rock stomp on a chunky guitar-riff and an upbeat rhythm. It’s a mid-paced number yet quite straight ahead with striking vocal arrangements and a smooth yet not glossy refrain with a big infectious catchiness. Great stuff. Some clean 80’s riffery on a bumpy groove kick-starts the upbeat “Dead As A Bone”. Again, it comes in mid tempo but it’s guitar driven with a slight Dokken touch but more so it feels like it could have been used for Black Swan. It’s quite edgy and more a melodic Hard Rock number with a distinct chorus that hits right away. Very good.
“Bless Me Father” is a juicy rocker that starts off with a held-back verses that at the same time holds a solid beat. It then takes off on a more punchy rhythm with a rougher guitar sound on a straight forward note. The main melody here is strong and the chorus is even stronger, very immediate and memorable. Very good. Second single “Feel Like Hell” is one heavy burner – darker in sound, a beefy rhythm-section and some muscular riffage with an ominous keyboard to add to the somewhat ghostly atmosphere. It’s faster in tempo and throws in a slight Metal touch which contrasts brilliantly with the direct vocal melodies and the big, catchy chorus. A killer track.
We get a late 80’s/early 90’s type of power ballad with “Can’t Go On”, a song where acoustic guitars and keyboards sits inside a big soundscape and that style-wise could have come from any of the three McAuley-Schenker records with a slight Scorpions touch. While coming off as slightly generic it’s at the same time so damn catchy it’s hard to resist, especially the chorus that etches itself like a tattoo to the brain. A good tune. “The Endless Mile” blends crunchy, George Lynch like riffing and an upbeat rhythm with poppier arrangements. The song holds more laid-back verses albeit not soft but the chorus takes on a tougher vibe. It’s a catchy tune but not as strong as the previous ones.
“Fading Away” takes on a rougher Hard Rock edge with rowdy guitars at the front and the main riff is really right in your face. The song holds a bluesier vibe and a juicy, rhythmic groove where the distinct main-melody catches on right away. The chorus is more Melodic Rock driven with a smoother outlook without losing its edge. Another good song yet a step or two away from great. Carried on a fat, meaty rhythm “My Only Son” holds a raunchy guitar sound even in the more held-back verses. Atmospheric keyboards lies all over the track which lifts the chorus some. But again, even though I dig the track there’s something missing here and the chorus just doesn’t take off like the choruses did on the first half of the record.
On a straight forward note, “When The Time Has Come” is an uptempo rocker with a live-friendly outlook. High on energy and a busy rowdiness the song is another one that could have fitted a Black Swan record like a glove. Again, the verses slow things down a bit but the big refrain takes a home-run with a highly catchy vocal-line. Very good. With some classic 80’s metal-riffage “Stronger Than Before” is a real jaw-puncher. It’s a heavy number, ballsy and muscular but never short of a hook. It’s a kick-ass tune right in the middle of Hard Rock and Melodic Rock which is the big chorus. Great. With a riff that’s the love-child of George Lynch and Reb Beach, closing track “Who I Am” also brings on traces of the rougher parts of McAuley-Schenker. It’s beefy rocker but also quite melodic with embracing melodies with a background keyboard to beef the sound up. Good one.
While not as strong as Standing On The Edge, McAuley has released another solid effort with this album. While Del Vecchio has been criticized for being involved in too many projects which gets too same-sounding – I do agree on that at times – it’s nothing that shines through on McAuley’s records. It’s of course a Melodic Rock record we get here but this one is a bit edgier, rougher, more guitar-driven and Hard Rock-laden than the previous one but it only suits the songs here. McAuley himself makes another magnificent performance, the guy’s 70 years old and he hasn’t lost any range or strength which is impressive to say the least. Not exactly as good as the last one but still very much worth a buy.
7/10
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Tracklist:
1. Alive
2. Dead As A Bone
3. Bless Me Father
4. Feel Like Hell
5. Can’t Go On
6. The Endless Mile
7. Fading Away
8. My Only Son
9. When The Time Has Come
10. Stronger Than Before
11. Who I Am
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