Robby
Valentine was a huge success in the Netherlands and Japan at the beginning of the 90s with his first, self titled solo outing that produced the top five charting single (in Holland) "Over and Over Again". His style was more pop-
AOR oriented during that period of time, his influences a combination of synthesizer driven melodic rock fused with the pompous over-the-top antics of
Queen. "The Magic Infinity" was another blazing opus of rock and came riding on the coattails of that first brush with fame. As time went on and the albums kept pouring forth ("United", "No Sugar Added", "Believing is Seeing") he started veering off course and completely embraced the realm of bombastic instrumentation and immense vocals. He collaborated with the other Dutch artist that is infatuated with Freddy Mercury,
Valensia for the
Valensia/
Valentine "V" dual efforts that were left in the Land of the Rising Sun. The music was quite experimental at times, the direction that both singers were leaning towards.
Now after all this time he has cranked out another solo disc entitled
The Most Beautiful Pain, and it is absolutely stuffed to the hilt with tracks. Seventeen in total. This is a daunting amount of material for anyone to have to tackle. Luckily though,
Valentine has not cornered himself by painting a certain picture and then trapping himself within it. The album is instead extremely diverse and ranges from the typical melodic rock sound to effects laden dance music. Of course expect the highest amount of drama, for
Valentine is the drama king.
This album is Robby driven and therefore bows to his standards of perfection. You can hear the attention to detail that went into creating this disc. The years have been kind to
The Most Beautiful Pain, as it allowed time to tweak and bring out all the best of the disc. This kind of intricately woven music cannot be birthed overnight and the careful love put into spurring it to life is apparent. It seems to be a very personal album that bears his soul's core. He brings in Johan Williams for extra vocal harmonies and Juan Van Emmerloot and Nop Ton to do the drumming. The rest is all Robby: from piano and keyboards to bass and guitars. If you hear an instrument or some programming, it is him performing and placing it, giving
Valentine total control.
I Should Have Known Better just blasts the album wide open with power, grace and high flying antics. The depth and textures found here are so deep you could just dive into them. For those that are on the lookout for good licks, the axeslinging here is as wicked as anything else. Shredding and ripping wildly, stretching to try and differientiate itself from all the orchestration competing with it. Impressively, Robby handles the six string as well. The theme is classic
Valentine: all about love, or rather, a love that was nothing but promises and will never return.
A New World is darker and even richer, modern tendencies just lightly brushing it. An exceptional track that balances all its nuances with skill and a crisp flow. There is so much happening within the confines of the song that boredom is never an issue. The song twists and turns, dipping down into the void of bitter darkness and then bursting forth with grace and that huge
Queen inspired feel.
I'm Going Under (Sedated) is on the urgent fast track and whips by as a quick rocker with boatloads of vocal harmonies and a snappy hook. Alot of people can probably relate to this one since it echoes the struggles of depression and that desperation has been trapped within the music. A frozen, claustrophic emotion overwashed in the hurry of anxiety.
One of These Days has a divine chorus that is melodic rock gold. Flashbacks to Frontline's "Moving Closer" are well deserved, and comparisons earned honestly. Another fantastic uptempo piece that just spreads its pompous wings and lets it all go. As slick as anything you will likely hear, this poppy, mind numbingly addictive track is killer from start to finish.
The Cold and Lonely Lie is a heart ripping ballad-esque track. It is still very much in the mid tempo sound of things, but has that more gentle, pain eclipsed touch. Love lost and never found, set to piano.
She (Abandoned Heart) is a gorgeous piece bursting at the seams with melodic rock goodness and a magnificent chorus on hand for good measure. Lovely 80s styled
AOR, heavy on the keyboards, that is reminiscent of Zinatra at times.
Supernova is a rollercoaster ride that combines so many styles it can only be said that it is "original". Symphonic, but poppy, modern processes on the vocals, a lavish splattering of glittery glitzy glam, a dash of electronica... a very different piece that is guaranteed to turn heads. It has the wandering style of a Zeppelin track (which it was influenced by). For those keeping track, Arjen Lucassen mixed the song in his studio, and does it ever sound superb.
One Heart settles things down a bit and lets the voice take the lead. Robby just belts this ballad with passion with the lull of strings adding an epic atmosphere in the backdrop.
How Can I Live Without You has its pretty, more stripped back moments as well, allowing the vocals to shine. Down n' out and drowning in a sea of sadness. Who knew you could enjoy someone's misery so much?
Also of note is the
Back to the Future theme, replicated here with all the bombast of the original from the movie soundtrack. A quirky, but recognizable addition. There is also the rocking rush of
Everday Hero and the pompy powerful
Now or Never.
Magical Memories is a glorified tribute to
Queen that just wallows in that style. It is like revisiting the classic band during their best years.
With so much material on hand, the danger is going into Robby
Valentine overkill. As wonderful as big, huge, pompous, keyboard packed music is, one can only take so much before they get tired of it. There are enough deviations from the set track to keep interest up, but it is a hard disc to take in all at once. Plenty of great music on hand though for those that want to relive the glory days of
Queen or the dramatics of Meatloaf at his "I'd Do Anything For Love" epic best, brought kicking and screaming into the new millenium.
This is going to be a do or die album for most listeners. Those that have stuck with
Valentine through his days with Zinatra and through his solo career will know what to expect. However, if this is your first experience with the fusing of pomp and electronica, then you are in for a shellshocked surprise. There really is no other artist out there (well besides
Valensia) that is producing highly theatrical
AOR music in the market right now. This makes
The Most Beautiful Pain a strange and unique curiousity, but one that is well honed to the peak of its musical potential. An overindulgent release of the most fantastical kind.
Written by
Alanna Tuesday, April 18, 2006
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