Reviews roundup – Newman vs. Farraday

Reviews roundup – Newman vs. Farraday

Newman vs. Farraday.  Sounds like a middle order wrestling bout from 1978, but it’s actually a couple of the finest melodic rock albums you’ll hear this year starting with the latest from Steve Newman.

NEWMAN
Siren
AOR Heaven

After a busy 2011, which saw Newman making an album with Mark Thompson-Smith, as well as his own dark and reflective “Under Southern Skies”, it’s been all quiet onthe recording front. He spent the time moving and upgrading his recording studio, but here he comes again with a new, harder edged album.

But it still falls comfortably into the AOR genre, but with the guitars notched up a few degrees and an array of special guests alongside regular drummer, Rob McEwen. So, Shaun Bessant guests on ‘When It Comes To Love’ and Robert Säll from W.E.T. guests on ‘Feel Her Again’.  Although he’s a top notch songwriter, he’s also brought in Pete Newdeck (Eden’s Curse, Tainted Nation) for a couple of songs and Nick Workman (Vega, Kick) for the splendid ‘When It Comes To Love’.

Long time fans will love this, as it harks back to the glory days of eighties melodic rocks, flitting from the more mainstream sounds of ‘Scar Of Love’ to the bluesier likes of ‘Another Bitch Of A Night’.  It’s wall to wall quality with only a couple of lesser numbers getting in the way.  But, pound for pound, this is as good a slab of melodic rock as you’re likely to get.

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Farraday
Shade Of Love
AOR Heaven

Steve Newman may have been around for ever but Roy Da Vis and Stathis Spiliotopoulos (who are Farraday) are new to the game with this, their debut album.

I say new, but both men have plying their trade over in Greece for quite some time now, before getting together last year to put together their dream project.  Which is why a couple of these songs first appeared on and EP by a band called Bad Medicine (big clue).  Da Vis was a member of the band, Spiliotopoulos was recording them and it was (musical) love at first sight.

Again, it looks back to the eighties as the peak years for melodic rock (as well as the peak years for the use of parentheses), which is why one of the highlights is called ‘Rock U (The Old Fashion Way)’.  That one is a bit Foreigner like, whereas the title track, ‘Shade Of Love’, is 1987 era Whitesnake.  Vocally, I won’t be the first one to point out the similarities to White Lion, bit when the songs are as good as they are here, you really don’t care.

It may be retro, but it’s retro done right.  An absolute treat.

Buy at Amazon