PRETTY MAIDS - review added 4th May 2010
Album Review: Pandemonium (2010)
For fans of: Hard Rock... and little drops of heaven
Danish hard rock group Pretty Maids has been around since the early 1980s, and was founded by guitarist Ken Hammer and singer Ronnie Atkins - both of whom are still very much part of the outfit. With numerous line-up changes over the years, Pandemonium was recorded by long-time bassist Kenn Jackson (now no longer with the band), and more recent additions Allan Tschicaja on drums and Morten Sandager on keyboards.
Back in 1983 Pretty Maids already had a record deal and were opening concerts for the likes of Black Sabbath and Rainbow. By 1987 they had released their 3rd LP Future World, an album produced by Roger Glover (Deep Purple, Rainbow). The LP was something of a breakthrough in Europe, America and the Far East, and was followed over the years by numerous other albums, seldom with more than 2 or 3 years between each.
Pandemonium, the band's 12th album, follows 2006's Wake up to the Real World. Produced by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat), the album has a big sound with tons of clarity and a monstrously big vibe. Every performance is first class; from the sleaze-tinged vocals to the epic symphonic keyboards. In fact it's bloody hard to criticise anything on the record. The only downside is that some of the songs are merely 'good', not outstanding. Still, an album full of good songs with the occasional amazing one is not to be sniffed at...
Best moments? The rampant title track will leave you breathless. The chorus of the cleverly titled (think about it) 'I.N.V.U.' is sooo catchy, as is the chorus of the superb 'Little Drops Of Heaven'. The retro-keyboard-led 'Final Day of Innocence' has an understated beauty. The aggressive 'Cielo Drive' shows just how versatile these guys are. The Bon-Jovi-keyboards-meets-power-metal of 'It Comes at Night' is a beast. The Def Leppard X-era 'Old Enough to Know' is a nice slow ballad. Best of the lot though is the power-ballad 'Breathless'. It really is superb and deserves all the praise it has thrown at it. Definitely a song that'll be in the running for ballad of the year.
All in all, this album only misses out on greatness by a mosquito's hair-width. What Pretty Maids have created is so close to brilliance it hurts. One thing is certain: you won't go far wrong buying this. Unless you like reggae. But the less said about that the better.
Check out... All of it, especially 'Breathless'.
Track List:
01. Pandemonium
02. I.N.V.U.
03. Little Drops Of Heaven
04. One World One Truth
05. Final Day of Innocence
06. Cielo Drive
07. It Comes at Night
08. Old Enough to Know
09. Beautiful Madness
10. Breathless
11. It Comes at Night (remix) Bonus track
Label: Frontiers Records
Artist's website(s): Pretty Maids , MySpace
