Former Toto vocalist Fergie Fredericksen has been through the ringer recently having being diagnosed with inoperable liver cancer so it comes a massive and very pleasant surprise that Fredericksen and his band consisting of Dennis Ward - bass guitar and guitars, keyboards and background vocals, Dirk Bruinenberg – drums, Nathan Eshman – guitars and Eric Ragno – keyboards have produced a supremely uplifting AOR masterpiece. As is often the way with Frontiers Records Dennis Ward also oversees production and is generally the way everything sounds bob on.
Fredericksen is in excellent voice throughout most effectively on the fairly understated ballad "Follow Your Heart" but he's also very good on any number of the more uplifting rockers such as "Elaine" or "Angel". The title track has Jim Peterick's fingerprints all over and would fit nicely onto any of the projects that he's been involved with since he left Survivor and is instantly uplifting as is "I Still Believe in Love" which comes next in the running order.
Happiness is the Road is much better than I think we had any right to expect in 2011 and is a prime example of West Coast AOR. Welcome back Fergie!
Track Listing:
- Angel (Mirror To Your Soul)
- Elaine
- First To Cry
- Follow Your Heart
- Happiness Is The Road
- I Still Believe In Love
- Lyin' Eyes
- Love Waits For No One
- Writing On The Wall
- The Future Ain't What It Used To Be
- The One
- The Saviour
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