DREAM POLICE - review added 18th February 2009
Album Review: Dream Police (Self Titled) (1990)
For fans of: hard rock... and a touch of slide guitar and rock harmonica
This eponymous debut by Dream Police was released in 1990, but Sony re-released it 2008. We thought it only fair to have a good look at this cult classic and see what all the fuss is about.
The Norwegian band, recently reformed for a one-off gig, consist of Odd René Andersen on vocals, Trond Holter on guitar, Rino Johannessen on bass and Ole Petter Hansen on drums. The sound is a bluesy jambalaya marinade spread on a hard rocking chicken breast. There's a vast mix of influences flitting around which keeps the album fresh and tasty.
'Hot Legs' opens the album. It starts with a slow, Deep South harmonica intro. You can imagine the band slumped on rocking chairs on their front porch chewing blades of grass. The song quickly bursts into life with a 6-lane-highway of a riff. The result is a track with the body of John Lee Hooker and the face of Motley Crue.
'Rock Dolls' is more of traditional rock number, whilst 'When The Sun Goes Down' goes straight for the emotional nerve centre of the listener. The song has overtones of the Steinberg/Kelly track 'True Colors', but with beautifully operatic guitar soloing layered over the top.
'Rock Me' has the one of biggest choruses on the album - a proper sing along effort you can't help but join in with. 'On Fire' is only an ant's pube behind. As an overall entity it's probably an ever better song. Neither gets close to 'Surrender' though, a speaker melting tear factory of a ballad. Comfortably the best song on the album, 'Surrender' wouldn't have sounded out of place on any of the big rock albums of the late 80's and early 90's. It's this song that best showcases Odd René Andersen's smoky vocals, which are quietly reminiscent of Dave Meniketti from Y&T.
Dream Police is a clash of Norwegian musicians and all-out American style. None of the songs are the best in their respective genres, but they are all seriously good also-rans. The musicianship and singing really are exquisite, and all the album misses are a few more Grand Canyon proportioned tracks.
Check out... The guitar work. Why is Trond Holter not more famous?
Track List:
1. Hot Legs
2. Rock Dolls
3. When The Sun Goes Down
4. Rock Me
5. Little Angel
6. Moving
7. On Fire
8. Surrender
9. Need Your Lovin`
10. Hit And Run
11. Uncle Gus
Label: Sony BMG
Artist's websites: Dream Police , MySpace
