Album review: VEGA – Only Human

June 2nd, 2018 by andynathan

Release Date 11.05.18

British melodic rock standard bearers Vega are not ones to let the grass grow under their feet, this being their fifth album since 2010. Its predecessor ‘Who We Are’ was their most consistently convincing yet and indeed was voted GRTR! writers’ album of 2016, so the bar has been set very high for the latest release.

Although the verse is not the most convincing with a strange distortion on Nick Workman’s vocals, lead off track ‘Lets Have Fun Tonight’ has a huge chorus which, with its ‘be the life, be the soul’ refrain I can visualise as the opening track in a live set already stuffed with anthems.

From the outset Vega always had a modern approach avoiding traditional visual and musical clichés, but with every album they edge closer to the mainstream. In particular the fast fingered Marcus Thurston is given more scope to shine on album than before with his solos notably on ‘Worth Dying For’, the lyrics a trademark positive call to arms, and ‘Mess You Made’.

Introduced by a spoof US radio announcement, ‘Last Man Standing’ has a distinct Bon Jovi feel, with Nick’s vocal inflexions, the song structure and even in the song title. Other songs are typical Vega with all the hallmarks of the Martin Brothers hook-filled writing style, ‘All Over Now’ up tempo in feel and with prominent keyboards, while the typically anthemic title track has a U2 esque feel to it with Jon Bon Jovi-style whispered vocals on the pre-chorus bridge.

They strike the difficult balance between sticking to what they do best and progressing with some new sounds, such as on ‘Come Back Again’ which has a slower tempo with almost military drumming and prominent synths. There is a brief but slight dip in quality in the middle with ‘Gravity’ and the piano-led ‘Standing Still’, the latter having perhaps too much of a modern pop vibe for my taste.

‘Turning Pages’ has a slow, dreamy feel in tune with its evocative lyrical message but the album ends on a more up tempo note: ‘Fade Away’ could be a missing track off Bryan Adams’ Waking Up the Neighbours’ and ‘Go to War’ has another huge, anthemic hook.

With this album Vega’s hot streak continues. A deserved breakthrough out of the cult melodic rock scene and into mainstream success has so far eluded them, but this strong album gives them as good a chance as any. **** 1/2

Review by Andy Nathan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)