|
|
"Because of a few recurring imperfections, “Nightbound” fails to establish itself as a must-have, even though Find Me offers some fine pieces of muscular, catchy AOR."
|
3/5
|
|
|
|
It's true that Robbie LaBlanc has never really found a setting worthy of Blanc Faces, the band he formed with his brother Brian and the authors of two sublime albums. However, the duo he forms with Daniel Flores in Find Me regularly deliver quality opuses that pleasantly tickle the ear canals of gleaming AOR fans. “Nightbound”, the fifth release from the American-Swedish combo, sees Andi Kravljaca (ex-Seventh Wonder and Silent Call among others) replace Michael Palace on guitar, which could augur more muscular compositions given the new six-stringer's rather metal past.
With the formula already on a solid footing since “Angels In Blue”, fans can rest assured that they'll find here the essential elements that made this band such a success. It's true that Kravljaca's contributions are in stark contrast to Palace's previous offerings. The Bosnian-Swedish musician can sometimes be almost neo-classical ('Nightbound') and reminds us that he's quite a shredder ('Love Always Finds A Way'). But it's a real plus here, bringing a certain originality to the Find Me recipe, while proving a real counterpart to the talent of Robbie LaBlanc, who is as dazzling as ever, despite an excess of introductory shouts that can end up being tiresome.
Added to an abuse of fade-out, this tarnishes an album that boasts some fine nuggets, including the melodic and catchy 'Can't Wait Here Anymore', the 80's Survivor-like 'Love Always Finds A Way', and the Celtic-influenced mid-tempo 'Walk Through The Fire'. It's worth noting that the latter (as well as 'Speechless') was provided by a certain Jim Peterik, who reminds us here that he is an outstanding composer, if not a great singer. An effort has also been made on the choruses, the weak point of “Lightning In A Bottle”, which often grab our attention. Finally, although Alessandro Del Vecchio is no longer part of the line-up, he nonetheless composed a good proportion of the tracks, giving the whole a certain feeling of linearity, even if this is less prevalent than two years ago.
A notch above its predecessor, “Nightbound” doesn't take the step that would have made it a must-have of the genre, the fault of a few imperfections that end up polluting the listening experience of pieces that deserved better. While not totally convincing, this opus nonetheless fulfills the specifications that will allow it to rank unashamedly among the genre's most interesting annual releases. That's not bad at all, and it will allow fans to enjoy a few pleasant listens. - Official website
|
|
|
|
|
TRACK LISTING:
01. Never Be Alone - 4:37
02. I See You In Everyone (cover Survivor) - 4:14
 03. Can't Wait Here Anymore - 4:05
04. Distant Lovers - 3:41
05. Nightbound - 4:24
06. Love Always Finds A Way - 4:33
07. Speechless - 4:43
08. Walk Through The Fire - 3:46
09. Said And Done - 4:17
10. Savage Blue - 3:10
11. The Time Has Come - 3:23
LINEUP:
Andi Kravljaca: Guitares
Daniel Flores: Claviers / Batterie / Chœurs
Jonny Trobro: Basse
Robbie La Blanc: Chant
Rolf Pilotti: Claviers
Fernando Brito: Batterie / Invité
|
|
| |
|
(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top of the page
|
| |
|
|
(0) COMMENT(S)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
READERS
1/5 (1 view(s))
|
STAFF:
3/5 (1 view(s))
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
IN RELATION WITH FIND ME
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
OTHER REVIEWS
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT FIND ME
|
|