This is unashamed, unadulterated Eighties'
AOR.
I'm generally not a big fan of copycat sounds unless something new is added.
But occasionally, such is a band's burning, passionate love of the genre that the music they produce sounds fresh, new and invigorating.
And so it is with the head scratchingly named
8-IS and their clumsily titled debut,
'Frame Of Us', an album filled with well written songs, carefully and lovingly crafted in the image of
AOR in its golden years.
Like Eye's '2 Hearts' EP, 8-Is have captured the essence of eighties' melodic rock, with tracks like the balladic
'Lady' and
'The Final Curtain' harnessing chest beating drama with a gloriously optimistic, multi layered melody, underpinned by beautifully orchestrated keyboards.
In places the band will remind you of
Glen Burtnik and Stan Meissner. They have that same ability to write an awesome rock melody, with a few twists and turns that take it out of the norm, even if their lyrics are unchallenging and profoundly clichéd.
There's an elegant grace running through
'On And On' and
'If You Turn Around', both of which come later in the running order, but both of which you eventually welcome with a lift of recognition, fervently wishing they could stay for a while longer.
Headline space is allocated, understandably, to the more immediate tracks. Openers,
'Everlasting Love' and
'I'll Be There' are mesmerising entry points with sensational tunes which linger on in your mind long after the finals notes have faded.
Album closer, '
Tomorrow Comes Tonight' opens on a rippling piano motif, reminiscent of Peter Cetera's early solo stuff. That piano carries the song effortlessly for a couple of minutes, cruising comfortably into each big chorus, resisting the temptation to throw in the kitchen sink, and all the better for doing so.
Impressive debut. One to watch.
Written by
Brian Saturday, January 1, 2011
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