Album review: KEEL – Keel & The Final Frontier

Rock Candy Records [Release date 29.11.19]

‘The Final Frontier’ - Discovered, mentored and produced by Gene (Kiss) Simmons, Ron Keel’s hard rock band were of and for their times. On “The Final Frontier” the band’s 3rd album (1985), they make a valiant, and occasionally successful attempt to fight their way out of Simmons’ pop metal flat pack, one-size-fits-all production.

The opening (and title) track comes out of its corner swinging, ready for the fray. A join the dots blueprint that’s immediately out punched by the chunky rock charms of ‘Rock’N'Roll Animal’ … appropriately, Keel’s voice howls and wails as the guitars growl and roar. Guitarist Marc Ferrari proves himself to be a songwriter on the rise, contributing the pumped up, Autograph-esque ‘Raised on Rock’, and the rather good chest beating ballad, ‘Tears Of Fire’.

So there was clearly enough evidence to suggest this band has the talent and the chops, but ‘The Final Frontier’ didn’t provide the breakthrough expected.

‘Keel’ – As the decade wore on, rock fans were beginning to look beyond the fierce, undiluted simplicity of Keel’s first 3 albums. And so, with songs contributed by acknowledged hit writers Russell (Prophet) Arcara, Jimmy (Thin Lizzy/Rainbow) Bain and Jack (too many to mention) Ponti, Keel’s 1987 self titled album, produced by the legendary Michael Wagener, was primed to be the breakout release.

Releasing a self titled album, mid career, suggests a marked change in style, or the result of a period of introspection. Neither of these is the case here. The significant change is Wagener. He tightens up the arrangements and adds subtlety and a lightness of touch to a remarkably lean and confident 4th studio album. He pushed Ron Keel and Marc Ferrari to up their songwriting game. ‘United Nations’, ‘I said the Wrong Thing’ and ‘If Love Is A Crime’ all compare favourably with the Ponti/Arcara/Bain material. ‘United Nations’ continues to be the band’s most popular and most played track on Spotify.

And after all that, still no commercial breakthrough. Understandably, the band folded its tent and the members went their separate ways.

Remastering – what both albums have in common is a characteristically gleaming remastering job from the Rock Candy Tech Team. Volume and valve driven warmth have been gained at no loss to the integrity of the original studio recordings. It’s a process of unpacking that has carefully and emphatically revealed each element of the band’s perfect aggregation of clattering drums, muscular riffs, skyscraping vocals and macho bgvs.

In other words, it shows them at their absolute best. And it strongly suggests that if Wagener had got to them earlier, Keel’s career trajectory may well have been significantly different.

Review by Brian McGowan

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)