ROUND-UP: MELODIC ROCK
Stardust Highway To Heartbreak FRONTIERS
For a single agonising moment, it looked as though Stardust had dropped the ball. With Runaway, the opening number of this, their full-length debut album, the Hungarian band knock the ball clean out of the park with a combination of rhythm guitarist Adam Stewart’s crystalline vocals, a hook of pure gold, and the interplay between keyboards and guitar.
But then comes – gulp! – a remake of Pat Benatar’s Heartbreaker. It’s a decent enough rendition, and nobody minds a cover when it’s done with expertise and a little spin, but c’mon – two songs in?! Thankfully, what follows blows those doubts out of the water with ease.
Four years ago Stardust whetted our appetite with an EP produced by Michael Wagener. Now, thanks to songwriting help from Mark Spiro and Tommy Denander, the band have risen to the challenge of the next step. Highway To Heartbreak suggests they have plenty more to offer, although with Spiro having a major hand in almost half of these dozen songs it’ll be interesting to see how independent they become. ■■■■■■■■■■
Louisiana’s LeRoux One Of Those Days
GULF COAST
This one snuck out in the summertime and deserves mention here (in fact, but for a lack of a decent photo it would have been the lead choice). With past members including Terry Brock and the late Fergie Frederiksen, LeRoux continue to marinade delicious soft rock with Cajun spices. Their first album in a decade, One Of Those Days was produced by Jeff Glixman and satisfies in every way. ■■■■■■■■■■
Signal Red Alien Nation
ESCAPE MUSIC
Despite the involvement of others including Steve Newman on bass, Signal Red are a duo of frontman Lee Small (Lionheart, Phenomena, Shy and more) and guitarist/keyboard player Steve Grocott, currently a member of Ten. This second album reapplies the formula of 2018’s wellreceived Under Radar, with forceful song structures, deep-tread melodies, Small’s exquisite voice and Grocott’s fret-melting. ■■■■■■■■■■
Alien
Into The Future
AOR HEAVEN
In the name of Spock, what were you thinking, Alien? For reasons best known to themselves – their website suggests it’s due to seeking the addition of younger fans – the veteran Swedes have toughened up their sound on this sixth album. Next time around please file this mediocrity under ‘Mid-life crisis’ and, should your fans forgive you, get back to what you do best. ■■■■■■■■■■
PJ Farley
Accent The Change
HIGHVOLMUSIC
Four years after Boutique Sound Frames, Trixter’s bassist is back with a second solo record. The New Jersey man packs an inoffensive voice, and his kickaround pop-rock ditties such as Wait And Fade, Walking Backwards and Chokehold are bouncy, direct and distinctly hummable enough, but it’s the excellent High than confirms a talent for crafting tunes of depth and substance. ■■■■■■■■■■