The Poodles - Sweet Trade (New Edition)
As the extended title indicates, this album is a reworked version of the Scandi supergroup's 2007 album release, itself a follow up to the headline grabbing debut, 'Metal Will Stand Tall'.
 
The 'New Edition' tag has been brought about through the addition of 2 new tracks, most notably 'Raise The Banner', Sweden's anthem for the 2008 Olympics.
Now, if there's anything that melodic rock bands can claim as their chosen subject, their area of expertise, and even for some, their raison d'etre, it's the rock anthem.
 
Let's define "rock anthem".
It needs to have an inviting, instantly memorable hook. The chorus needs to be of the fist-in-the-air, all-join-in variety, and it helps if the lyrics are celebratory, maybe even triumphant.
'Raise The Banner' possesses all of the above plus a few, non essential, but very-nice-to-have qualities.
The other new track is 'Line Of Fire' - the band's candidate to represent Sweden in the (whisper it) 2007 European Song Contest. It didn't make it. Huge sighs of relief. It's the Euro pantomime's loss and 'Sweet Trade's gain.
 
Anyone who's heard the original 'Sweet Trade' will know that it's a winning, fertile marriage of  cleverly crafted melodic rock and radio friendly, hook heavy boyband pop.
Producers Johan Lyander and Matti Alfonzetti deserve the major part of the credit here. They've cut and tailored the songs to suit a receptive audience, one that's suffering from contemporary metal fatigue, but one that wants its pop to have poise, purpose and bite.

'Streets Of Fire', 'Flesh & Blood' and 'Band Of Brothers' are all structurally tight and lyrically deft, their solid rock framework fleshed out by soaring harmonies and pulse quickening hooks.
'Walk The Line' and 'Without You' add a welcome level of subtlety and sophistication, creating a grown up resonance that's so blatantly and disappointingly absent from much of today's melodic rock.
'Thunderball' and 'Kiss Goodbye' are melodic rock monsters, striding across the album's musical rock landscape like a shaggy haired, axe shredding colossus.
 
Elsewhere, the urgent, compelling, 'Heaven's Closing In', the marvellous ballad 'Shine' and the immediate, poptastic 'Seven Seas' maintain that same high level of songwriting, performance and production.
 
'Sweet Trade' already was an irresistible album, now it's an absolutely essential component of the 21st century melodic rock machine.

Written by Brian
Saturday, August 16, 2008
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Ratings

Brian: 8/10

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Review by Brian

Released by
Lionheart International Records - 2008

Tracklisting
Flesh And Blood
Line Of Fire
Raise The Banner
Streets Of Fire
Seven Seas
Walk The Line
Thunderball
Reach The Sky
We Are One
Without You
Band Of Brothers
Heavens Closing In
Kiss Goodbye
Shine


Style
Modern melodic rock

Related links
Visit the band page

The Poodles - Official Website

Other articles
Metal Will Stand Tall - (Brian)

Sweet Trade - (Brian)



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Ratings
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9 - Genius
10 - Masterpiece
666 - Unrated

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