25 Years after their last release and 31 years after their formation, Norway’s Da Vinci returns with a new album ‘Ambition Rocks’ though with a press release that hints as a line-up change it’s hard to say exactly who is in the band in 2017 or even if there is a band or this is just a collection of songs recorded over the last decade and a half. It also appears that some of the demos might have been out there for years?
“In 2004 Selboskar and Westlie started to write AOR songs together again and formed Eidsivating with the drummer from Son of Angels, Geir Digernes, and after some years with a lot of songs and different members, this project ended up in today’s Da Vinci”.
Enough of quoting from the press release though I’m still confused as to the age, members and pedigree of the music here – surely all that matters is the music? And that’s where opinions may differ.
‘Vicious Circle’ which kicks things off after a brief and unnecessary intro to these ears sounds rather dated, which in my mind has never been necessarily a bad thing at all, but in this case it might just be a little ‘twee’ – it twists and it postures and has all the right ‘Pomp Rock’ guitar and keyboard flourishes but its the sort of Melodic Rock that used to make me cringe a little in the day, though I know many love those overblown stylings.
The mix that started a little suspect jumps to the fore again for ‘Curious Sensation’ which pushes a melodic guitar figure to the fore and distracts a little from what is a far better song in truth. The keys sound like outtakes from Angel or Buxx or Starcastle… Indeed it’s that ‘Pomp’ sound that pretty much jumps out of every track.
‘I’ve Come All this Way’ is a more straightforward proposition – nice AOR with a sweeping chorus and it’s oddly at that point the album turns for me. ‘See You’ that follows isn’t half bad either – slower melodic AOR plodder that simmers, whilst ‘Rocket of Fame’ manages that ‘dated’ trick again but this time in the best possible way – it’s glorious AOR and along with ‘Painted lady’ and it’s more American AOR stylings makes the album.
In truth for this reviewer at least Da Vinci’s return is a little variable. At its best its as good as those glorious first two releases from way back in the 80’s at its worst it sounds a little run of the mill. Definitely a must for fans but if you don’t have those first two classics I’d bestopping there first.