Initial impressions can be wrong; for instance there’s an almost ‘Def Leppard meets the modern day’ feeling about ‘Blood Red Saints’ on the basis of opening track ‘Kickin’ Up Dust’. Equally if you loved Bon Jovi’s real early output you’ll love next up ‘Mercy’. Not that it’s not a cool enough opening, it’s just that after those opening shots it gets different, and maybe even better.
Blood Red Saints it transpires are really more AOR than the melodic hard rockers that the first pair might have you believe– the vocals are solid; there’s some great guitar, some great backing vocals and endless soaring melodies.
It’s ballads like ‘Best of Me’ though that really tell you what they are all about – it’s a great song that will have you reaching for ‘Foreigner’ comparisons and that’s really where we are here, assured mid-Atlantic AOR with a touch of real class about them. If you love that then next up ‘Dangerous ‘ simmers , and ‘Love Set Me Up Again’ smolders – it’s hard to pick a favourite from those three class acts.
The remainder of the album I must admit doesn’t quite grab me as a whole as much as the first half, but it’s not as if the quality really dips, just that those first five tracks are so damned good. ‘Better Days’ gets back to the Winger/Bon Jovi rock sound; whilst ‘The Best Thing’ is a sumptuous ballad that works so very well it might even be the best thing here.
Elsewhere ‘Unbreakable’ has one of those acoustic intros that makes you think of a certain song by ‘Mr. Big’: it’s another firm favourite – exactly what makes this type of music so emotionally charged. Add to that tracks like ‘Feels a Lot Like Love’ and big closer ballad ‘Faith’ and you get the feeling that these guys have it down pat.
A remarkable first outing sure to please the pickiest AOR lover.
