Album Review - MyLand - No Man's Land

Here we have a very fanciful album that is sheer indulgence. Myland is a band that is not just heavily influenced by Journey, but they could be considered an almost clone. Which is not at all a bad thing, considering that the Journey most people know and pine for died out in the midst of the 1980s, leaving a gap that many bands have struggled to fill. Such as Myland. Their vocalist, Guido Priori is known for lending his pipes to a Journey tribute record and he gladly sees that "No Man's Land" continues along the same path, except with ten original tracks leading the AOR charge. They are headed up by drummer Paolo Morbini who is known in Italian circles as the skin pounder for Exilia and Eva. He also unleashed the first Myland album a few years ago but it slipped under the radar. Perhaps because the music wasn't quite of *this* caliber.

Guido's voice is a nice mingling of Steve Perry and the higher pitched siren raid song of Tony Mills and the new material gives the album a certain spark that the Journey tribute lacked. I wouldn't so much say that he has the vocal quality of Steve Perry, as much as he has the inflections down pats, including the extended "whoa-ohas". His range and tone is more akin to Mills. The heavy Italian accent is actually a shining point for the singer. Some may find it to be an impossible herdle to get over, but with repeated listens, it gives his voice an air of charm that sets him apart. It keeps him being unique while still retaining that essence of Journey-ism that is so prevalent across the course of this disc. The freshness in the original music is always preferred to a regurgitation of the old. A few guest spots help to secure their arrival on the scene, including Tommy Denander who seems to never miss an opportunity to leave his two cents on an AOR disc. Thankfully, his contributions are always of the pleasant kind and help to enhance a song and album rather than leave a nasty distinct smear. Kee Marcello (Europe) also joins in with a few old-school puffy riffs.

AOR lovers will be tingling with excitement over thrilling pieces such as the catchy ear candy uptempo blast of "Age of My Dreams" or the opener "Anytime" with its celebratory chorus. It all begins with a sparkling of keys and a pleading voice.. and then.. flashback straight away to 1984 again. The way this steps up from being ear piercingly delightful, just radiating excitable joy at what seems like the highest level, and then suddenly its like leaping up a few stairs and breaking through the ceiling to get even higher. It's breathtaking to hear that gigantic leap. The guitars here are also absolutely magnificent. The Schon-like melodies are crystal clean and invigoratingly sweet. It's like being cleansed, they are so refreshing, instant and absolutely catchy.

Keyboards flush "The Wind of Late September" as it positively hums with 80s fluffy melodies that leave you floating on a soft synthesizer formed cloud. The guitars just singing along merrily with everything else surging around it in that "Only the Lonely" feel makes this an exquisite piece of AOR. Everything seems so instant, so midtempo that you can't help but be carried away by the enthusiasm and gorgeous melodies that flow past. "How Much Love" reduces the powerful flow a few notches and simmers in the lower register of the midtempo mode. Guitars effortlessly steal the show and are accented by the currents of the song, which you can't help but let them pull you along at their blissful pace.

"(Someday) Love Leaves You" has the thunder electrifying this into Euro-AOR heights. The chorus is pure Journey though, from the vocal phrasing, to the manner the chorus is pieced together. Not to leave off those "Whoaaa yeahs". The winding down and then kick back into the full frontal melodic runaway assault is clever and breaks up any monotony. These are truly cream of the crop songs that have distinct Journey embellishments and atmospheres, but yet also conjure the visions of many other bands such as the high pitched keyboard fluffiness of Shy, the delicious melodies of mid 90s Frontline, the powerful European punch of Skagarack.

And unfortunately there are a few songs that don't quite reach the caliber of the rest. "Heat of Emotioon" seems to be missing something that would elevate it to excellence and "Prisoner of Love" is a mundane melodic rocker. They are moving through the motions, coming across as urgent, but lacking the flush of familarity or the spark of uniqueness that separates other songs from so many other Journey-wannabe bands.

Compare them to Journey, liken them to Eden's Curse, whether you fall in love with this or not all depends on your tolerance of those vocals and your need for another fluffy puff fest in your collection (with emphasis on those delicious guitars). It all sounds nice, and has average to great songs that are astruck by Neal Schon-like guitar splendor from Hox Martino. His knack for that sweet Schon sound coupled with infectious melodies not only steal the show but often run clean away with it. "No Man's Land" may not be completely original, but it does help fill in that Journey-less void quite nicely.

Written by Alanna
Thursday, May 22, 2008
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Ratings

Alanna: 7.5/10

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