Mr Quinn - Walking Through Fire (CD)

Mr Quinn is a Swedish hard rock band from the Västerbotten region (up north). ”Walking Through Fire” is the band’s third album and just like on the predecessors the band has its feet firmly tucked down in the classic hard rock soil. It’s quite obvious that the band members grew up with bands like Rainbow, Deep Purple and Uriah Heep. But, there are also some more elements here, like in “My Recall” with its almost theatrical touch of pomp rock and a pinch of AOR. Also “Nothing Last Forever” has a theatrical touch, and a really nice chorus. The band has a new drummer since last time. Former Moon Safari man Tobias Lundgren proggy drum playing fits perfectly. Mr. Quinn are quite close to the musical vein of today’s Europe, but they have actually managed to find a slightly more melodically accessible vein. However, sometimes they are even a bit too poppy, like in the slightly bland AOR song “No Tomorrow”, and where ballad “My Love” is also passes by quite unnoticed. Unfortunately album closer “Don’t Hold Back” is a slight anti-climax, after the highly pleasant “It’s Up To You”. For the most part a really nice album, which despite a couple low points is recommendable.

Janne Stark

Country: Sweden

Year: 2019

Label: Self-released

EUROPE - Bag Of Bones (CD)

”We have gone over the edge, we have lost our minds and we have started playing real rock ’n roll”, says Joey Tempest. I would like to suggest the contrary. Well, not that they don’t play real rock ’n roll, but that they have lost their minds. They are in my eyes wiser than ever! Of course the band will never be able to fully satisfy all their fans, old and new, but Bag Of Bones picks the best of the band’s new sound adopted on Start From The Dark, and mix it with good old classic hard rock, oozing of the seventies. The album kicks off with two mid tempo groove-oriented riff-rockers with a strong melodic feel. They are followed by the more intense Firebox, drawing a bit more towards Secret Society. The title track opens with acoustic guitar and a bit of slide from guest guitarist Joe Bonamassa, moving into a bluesy passage to the up-tempo verse and a heavy bridge. A cool and varied tune, indeed. The thirty second intro Requiem, opens for the lead heavy, but still quite cool, My Woman My Friend. Here Norum rips a solo with his inimitable feeling mixed with technique, and continues to slide in some cool solo licks in the chorus. I do love the guy’s tone, no doubt about that! Demon Head continues to bid you some heavy riff-oriented hard rock, without losing the melody. This is really good! After a break it’s Norum time again. It feels like he on this album has been compensated for the cut-short solos of the previous releases. Me like! I shall also point out that Tempest’s voice really fits the band’s bluesier vibe. Drink And A Smile is a slightly odd acoustic number, which made me think of old Swedish rocker Pugh Rogefeld’s song Grävmaskinen mixed with Joe Bonamassa. Cool on, maybe not for everyone, but still. Doghouse is straight ahead hard rock in the vein of Gotthard with a touch of Zeppelin, while Mercy You Mercy Me draws a bit from the modern riffage of the previous album. The album finishes with the cigarette lighter (now cell phone) ballad Bring It All Home, where Norum again gets to shine. All in all a really great album with a great nod to the old school, and even if Tempests sings they’re not supposed to sing the blues, they do it very well. A great album!

Janne Stark

Year: 2012

Country: Sweden

Label: Gain

BRIAN ROBERTSON - Diamonds And Dirt (CD)

Some things you don’t believe until you see them. Former Thin Lizzy guitarist Brian Robertson, or “Robbo”, have had a rumour about himself working on a solo album for the last ten years, but nothing has really come out of it. So, it seems hell has finally frozen over and pigs started to fly (or if it was vice versa…). It’s finally here! I guess all kudos should go to Sören Lindberg, the manager that finally made it happen. In all honesty, Robbo did put out some type of solo release in 1995 under the moniker The Clan. There was however a bit more to be desired concerning this one however. So, to my great joy I find he has revived, re-recorded and revitalised some of the songs off this rare release. The revitalisation is foremost courtesy of a way better mix and of course the new people surrounding Brian, singer Leif Sundin (Great King Rat, John Norum, MSG etc), bass player Nalle Påhlsson (Treat, Therion etc), drummer Ian Haugland (Europe) and guest singer Liny Wood (aka Linnea Helge), his new clan. The same treatment has also been given to Thin Lizzy’s old Running Back from Jailbreak, which actually has been recorded in two different versions on the album. His new rendition of It’s Only Money ain’t half bad either (one of my favourite Lizzy tunes). Robbo was actually supposed to guest on John Norum’s cover of that song, which, coincidently is also sung by Sundin, where I’m afraid Norum’s version wins by the tip of a nose. Where this album however really shines is in Robbo’s own songs, such as the album title opener, the driving Texas Wind and the cool Devil In My Soul, with it’s really nice guitar arrangements. It features both acoustic and electrice slide guitar, smooth country style licks mixed with really heavy riffing. Robbo used to collaborate with Irish rocker Frankie Miller and he has here paid homage to him by interpreting three of his songs, one of them being the groovy Do It Until We Drop (Drop It!!). Another one is closing track Ain’t Got No Money, sung by one of my all-time favourite singers Rob Lamothe. Among the new recordings of the tracks from The Clan period you’ll find the Robertson/Lynott composition Blues Boy and the almost folkish bluesy That’s All…. One track that definitely sticks out is the cover of Jim White’s 10 Miles To Go On A 9 Mile Road, where Robbo himself handles the vocal bits, which brought Lou Reed in his most narrative mode to mind. A very different, but pretty cool track. Robbo has previously done some guest spots on albums by bands like Lotus, Five Fifteen etc, but in all honesty I haven’t heard Robbo play this good since the Lizzy days. Balnced, cool bluesy, contained, great tone and great feel. It feels like, yes, I can say it without exaggerating – Robbo is back! He’s definitely found his right musical context and the perfect band to work with. A high quality, easy listening cool record that is hard to pop out of the CD player. Mostly diamonds, but also some well placed dirt. Janne Stark

Label: SPV

Year: 2011

Country: UK/Sweden

John Norum - Play Yard Blues (CD)

Talk about a CD with postponed release date, almost competing with Guns ’N Roses ”Chinese Democracy”! The big difference is however that this one was really worth waiting for! When I did a gear-interview with John, at the time the new Europe album was released, he revealed his new solo album would be of the ”bluesier kind”. His last solo album ”Optimus” was more in the same vein as Europe’s reunion-platter with detuned riffs and a more modern approach, an album that didn’t fully hit home with me.

Ok, John, all is now forgiven; ”Play Yard Blues” is the album we (at least I) have been longing for. Here he shows his love for the seventies, both in his own songs and in his interpretations of Frank Marino’s ”Ditch Queen”, Mountain’s ”Travellin’ In The Dark” and Thin Lizzy’s outstanding ”It’s Only Money”. If we start with the cover songs, he hasn’t strayed away too much from the original versions. For example in ”Ditch Queen” he sounds very much like Frank both in his vocals approach and in his lead guitar playing. The influences really shine through. The opening track of the album, “Let It Shine”, also could have been penned by said Marino with its heavy and slightly funky verse riff. If John had to hold back on his solos on the Europe album, he’s really compensated it here. I’m not saying he’s over-playing, but where there’s place for a nice lick, he sure doesn’t rob us of the moment. In “Red Light Green High” he also shows a slightly cooler side, which made me think of bassist Tomas Torberg’s ordinary band Plankton. Norum also sings really laid back and nice on this one, something he also does in “Over And Done”, which stylewise made me think of some of Glenn Hughe’s better solo albums.

A singer John has used on some of his earlier recordings is Leif Sundin, a sadly rarely heard killer vocalist these days. Here he puts his vocal flair on the classic hard rocker “Got My Eyes On You” and the CD’s heaviest and most modern sounding track “Born Again”, the only track with detuned guitars. It however doesn’t stick out in a negative way, but more completes a great collection of tracks. The album ends with the title track that, as the title may suggest, is a play yard for guitarist, an instrumental improvisation number in the sign of blues with Europe colleague Mic Michaeli adding some nice Hammond organ to the brew. I’d also like to give some praise to John’s tasty rhythm boys, the outstandingly groovy Tomas Broman on drums and the aforementioned Plankton bassist Torberg, not forgetting percussionist Peer Stappe. These guys really put the swagger in On-mode in this killer retro-journey. Hats off to a first-rate craft and an album that has found its way nicely into my car stereo and will surely stay there for a long time ahead.

Janne Stark

Genre: Seventies hard rock

Year: 2010

Label: Mascot Reacords

Treat - Coup De Grace (CD)

In the eighties Swedish melodic rock scene there was Europe, there was 220 Volt and there was Treat. First one out to re-unite was Europe, soon followed by 220 Volt, both returning with a vengeance and still rocking, even though the latter has been a bit more in the quiet. Well, a few years ago it was time for Treat! Most of the original line-up, reinforced with ace bassist Nalle Påhlsson set out to return, do some shows and release a compilation with a couple of highly promising new tasters. Shows were played and the interest kept growing. Finally, a new, pure and fresh sounding rocker of an album has been released. The return of Treat now has a proper statement. I did like the early works of the band, but I really fell in love with the band on “Organized Crime”, when the guitars were sharpened and the skills were honed. “Coup de Grace” is like the perfect mix of the two styles, still as melodic as the early works, but with the guitars in the forefront. The sound is anything but dated, but they haven’t gone as far as Europe did to update the sound. Treat indeed stays more true to their legacy and I feel that was definitely the right thing to do. However, as I stated, it doesn’t sound dated, and what it does, thankfully, lack, are the 80s sing-along football choirs, which would really have killed the album (“Tangled Up” has some tendencies, but it still passes with flying colours). Instead it sounds like a Treat that has been rolling with the years, accepting that times are actually changing, but still staying true to the legacy. I think this album will definitely attract new and young listeners of melodic rock. Just like with returning bands such as label mates Giant you immediately recognize the band’s sound and style, but at the same time it doesn’t sound like any repetition of lost glory. Fresh and vibrant, as Gordon Ramsey would’ve put it. I was also a bit afraid Anders/Gary Vikström would bring in some of the vibes from his song writing skills unually aimed for some of the international modern pop/rock acts (N'Sync etc). Thankfully he’s recognized the difference and left these tendencies out of the picture. This is a really nice slab of great sounding melodic rock/AOR that I can highly recommend for both old fans and new.
Janne Stark