OPTIMYSTICAL - review added 14th July 2009
Album Review: Distant Encounters (2009)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and massive line-ups
Optimystical isn't a band as such, more a musical get-together led by Swedish songwriter Robin Vagh. The project didn't have a specific start date, more it grew from an ongoing project that gained the name Optimystical in 2006.
A small town's worth of musician's have worked on this album over the years... although in the most part it's still a cohesive piece of work. The line-up is Robin Vagh on guitars and keyboards, Anders Rosell, Chrustian Muhr, and Magnus Frid on drums, Jan-Åke Jönsson on bass, Johan Sjöberg on bass and keyboards, Per Broddesson, Fredrik Fencke and Mikael Lavêr on guitars, Tom Rask on keyboards, and finally Jonas Blum and Ronnie Hagstedt on vocals. Robin also produced and wrote all songs, although a few other names are mentioned as co-lyricists.
As mentioned, Distant Encounters is a reasonably solid piece of work considering the number of people who worked on it. The sound is typical melodious hard rock fare with nods to 80's hair metal, pompous glam, understated AOR and bluesy pop. The performances comfortably cover the expansive middle ground of rock; there's little that's exceptional and nowt that'll make you throw a slipper at the off switch.
First track 'Sunburst in the Midnight' is a classic sounding 80's rock track with tuneful vocals and a monstrous chorus. It's thoroughly unoriginal stuff, but you can't help but tap and hum along to it. 'Happen' is another good entry. It's not quite as bouncy as the first track, but still has that appealing Giant/Def Leppard pop-rock sound. 'Outcast' sees Jonas Blum, rather than Ronnie Hagstedt, singing. He initially sounds a touch ropey but soon finds his way and ends up giving this throbbing track a bucket load of character. 'Tonite' features Jonas too. It's an excellent moody number that deserves all the praise it gets. The guitars boast the perfect heaviness and the song as a whole comes across like Genesis mixed with Doro.
'Startide Rising' is okay but nothing more, whilst the ballad-tainted 'Face in the Window' is both brilliant and mundane at the same time. It should be an excellent song but doesn't quite get there. Hard to know why - maybe with a few dozen more listens it'll develop into something mind blowing. 'Lost Horizon' rocks things up again in a mid-paced, drum bashing fashion. Ronnie Hagstedt's vocals are smooth yet gravelly and the chorus, especially combined with the backing vocals, sounds great.
'In Our World' has a strong scent of Joe Lynn Turner era Rainbow about it. The vocals aren't that far behind JLT's and the song as a whole is rather good. 'Jennifer' hints at Rainbow too, although the chorus goes off at a tangent to almost touch the sounds of vintage Van Halen.
'The Unexpected' is a sloth-speed number that broods through the verses and sounds like it's leading to a monumentally brilliant chorus. Sadly the chorus is ultimately a real let down; it's out of tune, out of time and not actually that exciting. Shame. Final track 'I Go Blind' is a sly stormer with an understated sound that grabs you from nowhere with a really feel good chorus.
This debut album from the Optimystical project ends up being rather good. There are no grab-you-by-the-throat moments but there's plenty to like. It's all been done before with a lot more style... but don't for one minute let that put you off. This is still worth several listens.
Check out... All of it I guess, it's pretty well balanced all the way through.
Track List:
1. Sunburst in the Midnight
2. Happen
3. Outcast
4. Tonite
5. Startide Rising
6. Face in the Window
7. Lost Horizon
8. In Our World
9. Jennifer
10. The Unexpected
11. The Storm
12. I Go Blind
Label: Avenue Of Allies Music
Artist's website(s): Optimystical , MySpace
