Album review: LAST AUTUMN’S DREAM – Paintings

AOR Heaven [Released 26.02.16]

Album number twelve from Last Autumn’s Dream who, with a couple of exceptions, release a new album at the start of each year. The line-up is the same as 2015′s ‘Level Eleven’, making this the second album to feature guitarist Peter ‘Pac’ Söders as a fully fledged member of the band. They are no longer seen as a studio based band as they played last year’s inaugural Rockingham festival.

There are no surprises as with Last Autumn’s Dream you get high quality melodic rock meets AOR, topped off by the distinctive vocals of Mikael Erlandsson. That could be the slight undoing of this band as some of their albums can blend into the background, bar a couple of stand out songs.

On ‘Paintings’ this one is one of the better ones, with a couple of curveballs in the sax on ‘Too Late’ and the vocal harmonies/backing effects on ‘In Case Of Landing On Water’. The latter may surprise fans as much more softer than their normal output. More keys on this album in parts, no doubt due to Ulf Wahlberg being credited as a full member of the band.

It wouldn’t be a Last Autumn’s Dream album without a cover and this time they have a go at REO Speedwagon’s ‘Take It On The Run’. I am not overly convinced by this version, close but no cigar.

One of their better albums and to be honest you will never hear a duff Last Autumn’s Dream album. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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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)