STARBREAKER - review added 11th October 2008
Album Review: Love's Dying Wish (2008)
For fans of: hard rock... and Johnny Depp
Looking like a rock version of Johnny Depp in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, ex-TNT front man Tony Harnell has a voice like no other. He always sings two or three octaves higher than seems plausible, yet unfailingly sounds as natural as bitch-slapping a traffic warden.
On this, the second Starbreaker album, he once again teams up with the annoyingly talented Magnus Karlsson to record a selection of stomping melodic rock tracks.
The first album, although patchy and not without a filler or two, had some fabulous music on it. Songs like 'Days Of Confusion' and 'Lies' could hold there own against any other rock song you cared to mention. With huge choruses and an epic depth to the sound, they really were the business.
This album, although more consistent, is missing something. None of the songs are bad as such, it's just that they aren't great. These days I tend to rate an album by how many songs I copy into my favourites file on the iPod. So far, this album hasn't got any.
The title track is almost there, and so is 'Unknown Superstar', but the rest blend into each other like a sweet sounding but gooey porridge. Even now, after listening through once again, I can't recall any of the album. It could be the lobotomy kicking in, but I think the real problem is the choruses. They just aren't memorable enough. That's not good in a style of music built around the strength of the chorus.
It's hard criticizing something that doesn't do anything wrong, but you don't get any marks for nearly in this game.
With all this talent on show, It's hard to know why the end result wasn't spectacular. I really do hope these guys do another album. The first one, for all its faults, was verging on classic status. We'll just have to refer to this as the awkward follow up.
Check out... The first album.
Track List:
1. End Of Alone
2. Evaporate
3. Love's Dying Wish
4. Unknown Superstar
5. Hide
6. Building A Wall
7. Beautiful Disaster
8. Live Your Life
9. Hello Are You Listening
10. Changes Me
11. Day Belongs To Us
12. This Close
Label: Frontiers Records
Band websites: Tony Harnell , Magnus Karlsson
