Michael Kiske fans expecting the singer's latest project, Place Vendome, to be another modern-rock tour de force like 2003's SupaRed or a return to the power-metal of his Helloween years may be disappointed with this decidedly AOR CD. Kiske's genre-hopping may have raised a few eyebrows, but Place Vendome is given added credibility by the presence of three members from Pink Cream 69 (bassist/producer Dennis Ward, guitarist Uwe Reitenauer and drummer Kosta Zafiriou), along with Vanden Plas keyboard player Gunter Werno. In fact, the PC69 guys wrote these songs, which sound like a mix of PC69, Foreigner and Journey. No kidding.
While much of this self-titled album finds middle ground in safe and friendly melodic rock, the album's best (and least traditional) songs are "I Will Be Waiting," which has two distinct bridges - one in the middle and one at the end - and the progressive-leaning closer "Sign of the Times." The other eight songs are filled with mid-tempo ballads, sweet background vocals, bouncy synths and Eighies-era radio-friendly arrangements. Keeper of the Seven Keys, it ain't. But Kiske's full of surprises, and Place Vendome is his latest attempt reinvent himself. And why not? The man can still sing.
But that doesn't explain why this outfit is named after a Parisian landmark.
Track Listing:
1) Cross the Line
2) I Will Be Waiting
3) Too Late
4) I Will Be Gone
5) The Setting Sun
6) Place Vendome
7) Heaven's Door
8) Right Here
9) Magic Carpet Ride
10) Sign of the Times
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