We all claim to embrace change, but when it comes to AOR, what we want is more of the same. Only better.
Opinion over 'Atlantis' is already polarising. With maybe one guy in favour and everybody else against. Reminds you of Ogden Nash's words, "Progress is a wonderful thing, but I think we've had enough of it now".
 
What I like most about today's TNT is their refusal to remain trapped in the straitjacket of their own past.
They're moving on, leaving the past behind, with Tony Mills the catalyst.
And so the reactionaries moan and whine, completely missing the point.
 
But what is this Beatles' obsession?
Do TNT need to go back to move on?
I don't have a problem with parodies / tributes (delete as appropriate) per se, but the effect they can have is this : a good parody / pastiche / whatever of such a great band often ends up sounding so much better than the other stuff. Especially when the other stuff is perversely experimental or at best, a tangential departure from the norm.
 
It's a dangerous game, but TNT pull it off. In some cases, just. In other cases, by a huge margin.
Opener 'Hello Hello' is an obvious salute to the sixties in general and the Fab Four in particular. It's a cracking tune, like something written for 'Intuition' given a cutting edge 2008 production sound.
The band bravely follow this with the bone dry humour of 'Peter Sellers Blues'. How many rock bands namecheck David Niven, Peter Ustinov and Sophia Loren. I love that whole pushing-the-boundaries attitude here. Full of full on close harmonies (coached by Manhatten Transfer, you would think), phased guitars and scratch your head lyrics.
Some will rail at the repetitive nature of 'Baby's Got Rhythm'. Others will love the hypnotic rhythms, the radiant bursts of guitar shaped psychedelia and the pounding percussive thump.
 
It's now abundantly clear that, aided and abetted by Mills, LeTekro is pushing TNT out onto the same limb as he did with Vagabond in the nineties. Some fans will share the risk and climb out there with them, others will cling on to safer ground.
 
Elsewhere, 'Bottle Of Wine's multi tracked vocals & handclaps and wall of overdubbed guitars put a slick, contemporary spin on a mere fragment of a tune, working it up into something rather special.
The finely wrought romanticism of 'Missing Kind' cuts its own softly swaying groove through velvet lined rhythms and silky guitar arpeggios.
The beautiful, epic, balladic 'Me & Dad' and the sweet, tender 'The Taste Of Honey' tell us that 'Abbey Road' gets a lot of airplay in the LeTekro and Mills households.
 
On these tracks, in common with every other cut on 'Atlantis', there's as much going on in the shadows as there is in the light. Producer HP Gunderson has an ear for fine textural detail and frequently these sounds bleed through into the foreground. But just as often, frustratingly, they hover just out of reach.
Just one aspect of an endlessly fascinating listen.
Go on, take a chance. Life enhancing or a new coaster for the kitchen table.

Written by Brian
Saturday, October 18, 2008
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Ratings

Brian: 8.5/10

Members: 5.5/10 - Average of 1 ratings.



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Comment by Alanna (Staff) - Monday, October 20, 2008

View Profile Comments: 245 I have not heard the album to comment on the music portion of this review, but the writing itself is brilliant. I love the closing bit about the coasters. I'm anxious to hear "Peter Sellers Blues" simply because I am a David Niven fan myself. Posted by Alanna (Staff) Monday, October 20, 2008

Comment by Brian (Staff) - Monday, October 20, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 Thanks Alannah. It'll be interesting to read your views on the music once you've heard the album. Especially after your 'The New Territory' comments !!! Posted by Brian (Staff) Monday, October 20, 2008

Comment by ThraX (Member) - Thursday, November 6, 2008

View Profile Comments: 135 Ratings: 0 This album is alot better than "The New Territory" but honestly for myself I still don't like it. I've tried to separate the Harnell era from the Mills era and maybe I still can't. This is not a great ablum in my estimation, But it got me listening to the classics of TNT and "Realized Fantasies" is a perfect 10.....This album I'd give a 5.5 Posted by ThraX Thursday, November 6, 2008

Comment by Brian (Staff) - Friday, November 7, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 What I don't understand is the constant "it's not as good as ...", quoting some album from their back catalogue. It's like saying Manchester United's victory against Arsenal wasn't as good as their victory against Chelsea. A good album is a good album. It might be different, but so what. The world has changed beyond recognition since the eighties. Why do we expect music to stand still? Posted by Brian (Staff) Friday, November 7, 2008

Comment by ThraX (Member) - Monday, November 10, 2008

View Profile Comments: 135 Ratings: 0 True I agree with you, but the fact is I don't think this is a good album, it's a little above average. But nothing in this album truly holds my attention and I know I won't be listening to this album within a few months and after that i may never listen to it again, unless for nostalgia!....I refer to the older catalog because they are timeless to me and will always be played over and over again!.....And I never expect music to stand still, I love music that evolves and changes...just can't get into this album!!! Posted by ThraX Monday, November 10, 2008

Comment by Brian (Staff) - Monday, November 10, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 Hi Thrax, I understand what you are saying and yes, I respect your viewpoint. I think with TNT's last 2 albums, you either get it or you don't. Posted by Brian (Staff) Monday, November 10, 2008

Comment by ThraX (Member) - Tuesday, November 11, 2008

View Profile Comments: 135 Ratings: 0 I'm glad you understand, I thought you might think I was coming off as a jerk, which I wasn't just trying to share my view, although I do think Tony Mills is an incredible vocalist! Posted by ThraX Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Comment by Tekrofan (Member) - Saturday, November 15, 2008

View Profile Comments: 4 Ratings: 0 I really like this album, it's a huge improvement over Territory IMO. The vocals and guitars mix really well. For myself, Missing Kind, Taste of Honey, Atlantis, and Had it, Lost it, Found it are the standouts. Missing Kind has a really good silky vocal by Tony Mills, and the bass and guitars work really well, I love the "Month of Sundays" solo. Taste of Honey has a really cool feel to it altogether. Reminds me of Daisy Jayne from Firefly, but I actually prefer this over that. Tony does some great overdubs over himself, and I really love the delicious melodies in the solo. Atlantis goes back to the Knights of the New Thunder style, with more enchanted lyrics, Friedman(!)like background guitars, and soaring vocals by Tony Mills. Had it, Lost it, Found it is a serious shredder, and the closest I've seen TNT get to actual metal. Ronni's riffs are as head-on as usual, and the solo pretty much uses every trick in the book, the drums and bass hammer away, Tony screams his ass off in the chorus, and I really love the lyrics. Posted by Tekrofan Saturday, November 15, 2008

Comment by Brian (Staff) - Sunday, November 16, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 Great, that's two of us now. Posted by Brian (Staff) Sunday, November 16, 2008

Comment by VeX (Member) - Monday, November 17, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 Ratings: 0 Wow!...I'm surprised this album got a 8.5/10 not that this album is bad by any means it's actually got a lot of great stuff going on. "Atlantis" is like mixing TNT with The Beatles, lots of layered vocals and vocal harmonies, sometimes in some songs it just doesn't cut it for me but then there are perfect songs. My favorite is the upbeat happy tune "Love Of My Life" it sounds like classic TNT and he even reminds me of Tony Harnell in this song as well as "Tango Girl" which is totally infectious and sounds just like classic TNT....a solid 7/10....I see my brother ThraX gave it a bad review but in his defense he his the most die hard Tony Harnell fan you'll ever meet. Posted by VeX Monday, November 17, 2008

Comment by VeX (Member) - Thursday, November 20, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 Ratings: 0 I have to re-comment on this album because I've been listening to this album alot lately and liking it more and more upon each listen. When I first listened to it I really liked it and gave it a 7/10 but I feel as if I must up my rating to an 8/10. So Brian I apologize for being in "WOW" of your 8.5/10 rating at first. Fans of the Harnell era I believe will truly love this album. If you bought "The New Territory" and are afraid that it has the same sound, Don't be afraid it has a classic TNT sound with a Beatles type influence. Posted by VeX Thursday, November 20, 2008

Comment by Tekrofan (Member) - Saturday, November 22, 2008

View Profile Comments: 4 Ratings: 0 Nice to see you like it more than last time VeX. I personally feel TH-era TNT fans can get better into this than territory also. My Religion and this have been the prime discs in my player for many times these past months. :) Missing Kind, Love of My Life, Hello Hello, Tango Girl, Atlantis and Taste of Honey are my favs. Posted by Tekrofan Saturday, November 22, 2008

Comment by VeX (Member) - Sunday, November 23, 2008

View Profile Comments: 81 Ratings: 0 Tekrofan, I agree 100% fans of the Harnell era will like this alot better than "The New Territory" Posted by VeX Sunday, November 23, 2008

Comment by Tekrofan (Member) - Wednesday, December 3, 2008

View Profile Comments: 4 Ratings: 0 Must I say, this CD has been playing a lot for me lately. These are the tracks I love repeating: Hello Hello- I really love the way Vic's bass works with Ronni's guitar, Tony does some great backing and lead dubs that really don't make me think anything but classic TNT. As in Tell No Tales-Intuition style harmonies. Atlantis- Now here's one I really love. A medium tempo prog-rocker that crosses over into light-viking metal, with lots of juicy cuts from Diesel, tons of shredding, mystical guitar passages, and some verse vocals by Mills that have a surprisingly singeing Harnell feel to them. The guys honestly couldn't have found a better singer. Taste of Honey- Really blends TNT and Beatles well, I love the vocal dubs in background, and Ronni pulls some nice arpeggiation and Whammying. Missing Kind- I'm not a soft-song guy but this really works. Tony soars with a rather yearning cry, and I love how Ronni dubs arpeggio licks over the slow but hard-edged lead riff. Had it, Lost it, Found it is a serious shredder, and the closest I've seen TNT get to actual metal. Ronni's riffs are as head-on as usual, and the solo pretty much uses every trick in the book, the drums and bass hammer away, Tony screams his ass off in the chorus, and I really love the lyrics. Posted by Tekrofan Wednesday, December 3, 2008