Rapid Fire Entertainment/Border Import
Julie Westlake and HYDROGYN returns with their sixth album since 2004. The band first album, “Best Served with Volume” appeared some eight years ago, and now they have seen the release of the ir fifth studio outing. One live and one DVD has also seen the light of day, and players like James Lomenzo and Jeff Young, both with a past including a.o. MEGADETH adds some star quality to the band. Sponsored by the likes of Budweiser and Harley Davidson the band has scored on the US charts, but over here in Scandinavia they are a more unknown entity. The info promises a return to their more melodic roots, let´s hope so…
Opener “Something to Say” delivers with a simple but effective riff and a rather strong refrain. The delicate balance betwixt 80´s/pop/90´s/00´s is sometimes quite stunning, and sometimes just not rightly adjusted. “Scream” is the worst case scenario with loops and all, which overshadows a not too bad refrain. The straighter they get, the less intriguing, as in “Feeling”. On the plus side there is the intense “Heated Nights”, which, together with the groovy “Don´tcha Walk Away” and the HEART-like “Roseline´s Song” are the absolutely best moments on the album. The European bonus “Un Monde Perdu” seems a bit over the top but has its moments. The album ranges from pop loops to modern grooves, I wonder where their hearts really are?
Track List
Something to Say
Forbidden Kind
Scream
I Don´t Know How
Heated Nights
Creeper
Don´tcha Walk Away
Roseline´s Song
Feeling
Alone
It Doesn´t Matter
Un Monde Perdu (European Bonus Track)
www.hydrogyn.com
