Album review: RADIOACTIVE – X.X.X
Frontiers Records (Release date 11.03.22)
Few people in the melodic rock world have as lengthy or prolific track record as Tommy Denander. While best known for playing on or producing records for a dizzying roster of artists and, for UK fans, being a fixture at Firefest as guitarist for the likes of Jimi Jamison and Mitch Malloy, he has also released his own records under the ‘Radioactive’ handle with an array of guest singers.
‘XXX’ is the first such in seven years, the first on Frontiers Records and titled to mark 30 years since the debut was recorded with most of Toto, albeit that it was only released some years later.
My first impression of the album was an unusual in that there was a clear sound rather than genre being aimed at, specifically the albums produced by Mutt Lange(of whom more anon) in his 1979-1981 period with razor sharp guitars and big drums, before as the eighties progressed he became obsessed by technological perfection.
The AC/DC albums of the time and Def Leppard’s ‘High and Dry’ were the prime imprints, but on opener ‘Monkey on our Backs’, boasting excellent vocals from Jerome Mazza the comparison is with the rockier numbers on ‘Foreigner 4’. However on ‘The Deed is Done’, with Robin McAuley singing, the AC/DC vibe is strong and the song rather lacks melody.
The album as a whole will shock those weaned on the smooth AOR of the first couple of Radioactive releases and on ‘Remember the Ghosts’ even Robbie Le Blanc sings in a far heavier and rawer manner which may surprise those used to his work in Blanc Faces and Find Me and last year’s Denander- produced solo album .
‘Written in the Scars’ is the one song that has a direct line to the earlier Radioactive material, a superb ballad with a classy, soulful feel, smoothly sung by Christian Ingebrigtsen (long ago a member of hitmaking boy band A1!) with some bluesy guitar work from Tommy. ‘If Today Was Your Last Day’ is a grower with a fine chorus and a funkiness reminding me a little of Dan Reed Network and Bon Jovi-ish ‘heys’ and a big drum sound.
Tommy Denander even persuaded Mutt Lange to co-write (though not produce) a couple of songs and the arrangements and big chorus with gang vocals of the Robin McAuley-sung ‘Move It’ is pure Def Leppard, though the other, ‘I Have a Dream’ is altogether different, unpredictable and with a contemporary feel, particularly in the synth led verses.
Tommy’s speedy but melodic lead guitar work is splendidly to the fore on ‘Youmankind’ (sic), with a brilliant ending that makes you want to go back and play it again, and ‘Voodoo Queen’ with Robbie Le Blanc again unexpectedly outside his comfort zone. Both are rather AC/DC esque but in a good way.
Oddly and disappointingly the last two songs, which see two further singers brought into the mix, are a letdown. ‘Drag Me Through the Mud’ , featuring Revival Black’s Dan Byrne, is an average rocker at best and ‘California’, with veteran singer songwriter Clif Magness, is surely a pastiche of any number of DLR era Van Halen songs but without their charm.
This album was nothing like I expected with Radioactive taking a totally new direction to that which I was familiar with. It is inconsistent but as you would expect from the talent on view, when done well it really rocks. *** 3/4
Review by Andy Nathan
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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
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