Fredrik Burgh, the leader of
Street Talk had considered letting the band go after nearly a decade to pursue other musical outlets. Thankfully something made him reconsider as the greatest hits type compilation "Destination" was anything but the final one. He and sidekick vocalist Goran Edman are giving it another go round and the results speak for themselves.
"V" is one seriously fantastic piece of
AOR. A treasure trove of tracks that tickle the emotions and breathe a sense of serene contentment. It is a finely sculpted example of the genre and a remarkable accomplishment in general.
Fredrik was apparently concerned with having the lack of a budget to put a new album together, so MTM stepped up to the plate to offer their assistance. The end product is pretty thrilling, since the vocals are recorded to absolute perfection and the sound is as bold and crisp as could be. Extra cash to throw at it and more time to carefully write and produce the disc has really paid off in every department. In many ways that makes this the best
Street Talk effort yet. Where consistency, sound and overall presentation is a consideration, things don't get much better than this in the world of
AOR. Most projects simply haven't the budget or are confined under time restraints to pull off a product of this caliber.
From the opening strains of
"Responsible" with its upbeat vibe that is instantly catchy and the Westcoast smooth presence, you are instantly locked into a grand ride of melodic proportions. Waves of keyboards and the silky voice of Edman help to create a number that kicks off the album with as big of a bang as you are going to get out of
Street Talk. The guitar in the middle is cracking good.
"Don't Believe" carries the torch on in a moodier manner and a chorus that is absolutely divine. It sweeps you right away with its charm and charisma despite the fact its easy to get lost in the theme of losing faith in love. An easy thing to do when unhappiness is just a blink away. This is reflected in the music as well.
"If I Could" is not as immediate but has plenty of involving moments to enrapture. It's another uptempo piece that fills the heart with musical joy. Burgh was listening to alot of
TNT while he wrote this and if you listen closely you can hear that inspiration fluttering in and out of the music.
"At the End of the Day" is a solemn ballad dealing with a relationship that has crashed and burned due to absence of communication.
"Family Business" has a depressing undertone lyrically but at first glance its another cracking
AOR piece that moves through the motions with rolling melodic intensity. Maybe there is a shred of hope at the end of a darkened tunnel?
"Just a Little Appetizer" is just that... another song tossed into the fray to get you warmed and prepped for the next. Mirroring
Journey with a splash of Toto on the side, it gets things going with cool harmonies and an easy to embrace familiar feel.
"Something's Gotta Give" wasn't written for the album but instead for a Spanish diva singer. More on the pop side, it has a flavor that is just a tad different yet still meshes with the overall picture of the album. A political twist here as well. Edman is so subdued and just magical throughout.
"Groundhog Day" is the big ballad of
"V" and its a crystal clear glimpse of gorgeousness. So slick and utterly silky it floats by with this beautiful atmosphere that is like an antidote to the tortured soul. You can feel your tension melt away as the acoustic weaves on.
"Sniper" kicks it up a notch and moves into "Energizer Bunny" territory (from previous
Street Talk cd, "Transition"). Strong rhythm guitars and Edman biting a little harder than usual, it works out as a nice break after the soothing lull of the ballad.
"Oh Maddy" pops out with yet another striking chorus and a huge sound that falls away to let the verses speak for themselves. Gentle, loving vocals from Goran here too. The entire song is wonderfully tranquil and seems at ease with itself in a casual, easy going manner.
"Brother Sun and Sister Moon" has this inner warmth that polishes the album off in high fashion. The chorus has more punch but its all midtempo til end. Another one that just flows like water and sparkles like sunlight dancing on the surface.
Like all the
Street Talk releases that came before it, there is not a song here that will jar the senses or take you off guard. If you have heard any of Fredrik's previous works, "Collaboration", "Transition", "Restoration" or the new cuts from "Destination", will know what to expect and they deliver without fail. This is as velvety and warmingly Westcoast
AOR as you will find. The lyrics here are deeper and more mature this time around, but other than that its another typical ace in the hole for the band. The only aspect that could take this from being mere excellent to masterpiece would be a track or two like "Astray" (still ST's finest), but really, you can't complain with the marvelous collection of music assembled for
"V". There is not a faltering failing in the bunch, just eleven of some of the best melodic music you will likely hear this year...or the next.
Written by
Alanna Sunday, July 9, 2006
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