Stan Bush is an Emmy-winning songwriter/artist whose name may not be as immediately familiar as his work, on this his 13th album, which might just be his best to date we get eight new tracks as well as four blasts from the past including his best known songs ‘The Touch’ and ‘Dare’ – both reworked here from the 80’s Transformers movie.
I first came across Stan back when he released the ‘Heaven’ album as Stan Bush and Barrage back in 1998 but he’s had such a rich and full career it’s not one to re-document again here suffice to say if you love highly melodic rock of the softer more AOR -leaning variety he’s an artist you need to get familiar with.
The album opens with title track ‘Change the World’, a Foreigner-like outing that eases you in beautifully before the first old song ‘Warrior’ raises its head with its Survivor-like dynamic to compliment the opening burst and its wonderful repeated guitar stab. It’s a great song and one that comes from the ‘Shadow Warrior 2’ Video Game.
We’re back to the new stuff quickly though with the feelgood soaring melodies of ‘Born to Win’ which is equally as good as anything here, uplifting and light,and proof that Stan can still come up with the goods. It’s an old song though ‘Never Surrender’ which has a light Rick Springfield leaning, a great refrain, light guitar, a great hook that is the real standout for us, it’s another vintage song though this time from the movie ‘Kickboxer’.
It’s not all about those reworking though the rest of the new tracks see Stan mixing it up and vocally he seems to be in the best form of his life. The songs come thick and fast: ‘The Story of Love’ is sheer Richard Marx territory – a wonderful ballad about how confusing love can be at times. It’s followed by a slew of great melodic rock from the classy AOR and huge chorus of ‘Live Your Dream’ and the sweet refrain of ‘Break These Chains’ to the real passion and melodic fire of ‘The Other Side of Love’, another favorite here.
The album rounds out with those two big numbers – the high tempo pop melodies of keyboard driven ‘Dare’- a truly memorable slab of eighties ‘big movie’ melodic rock; and ‘The Touch’ which is a song that’s always been busting with good clean summer night fun. They are without doubt classics of their era and deservedly so. Final word though goes to another new track ‘The Secret’ – possibly the best of the new songs here and a fitting way to close.
Check it out now!
