Spin Gallery: Embrace

Listing all the artists that multi-instrumentalist and producer Tommy Denander has been involved with in one capacity or another, would by itself fill this review and then some. Whether it's Frederiksen – Denander (with Fergie Frederiksen ex of Toto), Radioactive, Stryper, Paul Stanley, or Toto themselves, his input always guarantees quality of performance and clarity of sound. So to have him write, perform and produce on Spin Gallery's second album Embrace should already be giving an indication that what is contained within could be pretty special.

The debut album from the band hit the streets back in 2004 and saw Denander team up with singer and co-writer Kristopher Lagerstrom along with fellow vocalists Christian Antblad and Magnus Weidenmo. Together the three singers created a multi layered vocal master class over the quirky, melodic back drop of Denander's slick, poppy, yet rocking songs.

Five years on and Spin Gallery are now in essence Denander and Lagerstrom with the percussive talents of Glen Marks. So having relied so heavily on the triangular attack of three singers on the debut, has Embrace suffered from featuring Lagerstrom alone behind the mic? Resoundingly the answer to that is NO! With the producing talents that Tommy brings to the table, Lagerstrom's performances are layered to give the effect of beautiful harmonies and whilst the music itself is of the highest quality, vocally the album is a sublime revelation. Every note sung is uplifting and joyous and considering some of the lyrical content is intensely deep and dark, that in itself is a feat to be proud of.

The melodies contained within the music are to die for as well, this isn't in any way straight ahead AOR, the themes investigated are too wide and varied to be put into that restrictive box. However any AOR fan worth their salt will find a huge amount of pleasure in the dense thick keyboard and guitar passages spread liberally throughout Embrace. A prime example is the angular staccato riff and piano interplay in the verse of "Stone By Stone" that is played against a huge vocal and chorus hook that just refuses to lose impact with every listen. The light poppy "Eyes Wide Open" has an almost a-Ha like keyboard line that once more slides beautifully alongside Lagerstrom's Joey Tempest meets Jon Anderson, slick, fragile, yet commanding voice.

Everywhere you turn the quality refuses to dip, "Indulge", the only true (power) ballad on show is perfectly paced and devoid of cliché, whereas "Blood In My Veins" while keeping the tempo sedate uses a plaintive acoustic guitar to highlight one of the simplest vocals on the album and a rich almost Robert Plant sheen is evident in places. "Everything Fades" is almost New Wave in it's attack, while "Brilliance of the Drugs" reminds of Kip Winger in it's complexity and atmosphere.

Lagerstrom whilst not accompanied on the majority of the songs is joined by two special guests in the shape of Robin Beck, whose Ann Wilson like roar blends well on "Just A Momentary Why" and the tremendous talent that is Dan Reed adds his superb rougher tones to the best track on the album "You Do The Things You Do". Reed's voice is a welcome contrast to the silky smooth tones that grace the rest of the songs.

As mentioned earlier, the sound on this album really couldn't be improved on and with songs and performances as strong as this, Embrace is not just one of the best Frontiers Records albums I've heard all year, it's one of the best albums I've heard all year, period.

Track Listing
1. Embrace
2. Stone By Stone
3. Just a Momentary Why
4. Brilliance of the Dugs
5. Eyes Wide Open
6. Blood In My Veins
7. You Do The Things You Do
8. Indulge
9. Without Love
10. Tie Toe
11. Everything Fades
12. The End

Added: January 3rd 2010
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Label's Web Site
Hits: 3283
Language: english

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