Album review : RONNIE ROMERO – Too Many Lies Too Many Masters

Frontiers [release date : 15.09.23]

Ronnie Romero’s third “solo” album is delivered by a pretty cool hard rock trio rounded out by guitarist Jose Rubio and drummer, Andy C.

The label make a point of telling us that this is the first “solo” album where Romero has written or co-written every song. The results are mixed.

But there’s no doubting that Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters is a rock hard, hard rockin’ album, with Romero cranking the rock’n’roll machine back to his days with Rainbow and Sunstorm (which wasn’t all that long ago, to be honest).

Some tracks never truly get off the ground, but for most of the album, the trio (with some outside help) construct some modestly impressive bricks-and-mortar hard rock action, and there’s handful where they really find their groove.

‘I’ve Been Losing You’ and ‘A Distant Shore’ gather together less-is-more arrangements, both proving that you don’t need to be bombastic to be exciting.

The kinetic title track’s simple polemic distinguishes itself through Romero’s scorched voice and sheer effervescent energy.

Nowadays, the rigours of the genre demand a little more than loud guitars, fast fingers and a declamatory chorus, and so ‘Girl, Don’t Listen To The Radio’ matches a sense of perspective to the primal thrill of drums and red hot guitar riffery, while ‘Crossroad’, as the title suggests, submerges itself in a distant delta blues.

And in fairness, the album’s highs really do make the lows seem insignificant. ***

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 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)