Music Banter - View Single Post - Bitesize: Trollheart's Daily Album Mini-Reviews

Trollheart · 07-30-2012, 12:59 PM

(Note: it's occurred to me that I've placed certain sections of this review incorrectly. As my comments come last, things like “impression” and “intention” may already telegraph my view of the album, before the comments are read. Basically, it's back to front, and although most of it is fine the two sections need to be switched around. So as of from today I'm putting the “comments” before “intention” and “impression”. I'm also adding another sort of sub-heading, breaking “impression” into “initial impression” and “overall impression”. The initial is how I felt on my very first listen, say from track one, but of course this can change (for better or worse) as the album progresses, and so therefore the overall impression will be the impression I'm left with after having listened to the album all the way through. Now, didn't you really need to know that? )

All roads lead to Fergie!

Artiste: Fergie Frederiksen
Nationality: American
Album: Happiness is the road
Year: 2011
Label: Frontiers
Genre: AOR
Tracks
Angel
Elaine
First to cry
Follow your heart
Happiness is the road
I still believe
Lyin' eyes
Love waits for no-one
Writing on the wall
The future ain't what it used to be
The one
The saviour
Chronological position: Fourth solo album, but he has been involved in more than thirty albums overall, between Toto, Angel, LeRoux, Survivor, Trillion and a whole host more.
Familiarity: Zero
Interesting Factoid: Well, inspiring really. Fergie was diagnosed in 2010 with inoperable cancer of the liver, but unwilling to just accept that, he looked into alternative medicine and seems now to have made almost a total recovery, quite against the rules of medical science.
Initial Impression: Oh man! I love this from the first few notes! Talk about catchy!
Best track(s): Angel, First to cry, Follow your heart, Happiness is the road, Lyin' eyes, Writing on the wall... I'll just stop now, shall I?
Worst track(s): This guy does not do bad tracks...
Comments: My initial annoyance at the theft of the title of Marillion's last album evaporates as this album kicks into gear, and right from the start it's a powerful dive into melodic rock/AOR territory, with the very best of every AOR band you can name, from Night Ranger to Journey and everything in between. There's not all that much information on the album, so I can't tell you who the band is, but they're damn tight! Opener Angel sets the scene, and things just get better from there on.

Known for his work with such luminaries as Toto, Survivor and Trillion, Fergie was in hot water with the first band when he left them but continued to play some of their songs onstage, even using the name Toto! After taking a break from the music business, he found it was in his blood and he couldn't do without it, and lucky he did, or we might not have had albums like this. There are power-hooks all over the place, his voice is rich and strong, commanding and clear, and the music is a perfect backdrop to his voice, hitting mostly the harder edges of the AOR spectrum on songs like First to cry and Writing on the wall, though he can bring it right down to the softest of piano ballads on the likes of Follow your heart, with some beautiful strings backing, where you really get an idea of how versatile an instrument his voice is.

Honestly, there's not a bad track on here, and almost all of them are top-class, so it's hard to choose favourites. There are more hooks in this collection of songs than at an anglers' convention! It's just a total joy, one of those rare finds you come across, where you don't expect all that much and get completely blown away. There are a few tiny niggles: a very familiar guitar solo in First to cry, though I can't quite place it (if anyone reading this can, let me know, as it's driving me mad!), a really Journey-style opening to Elaine and a serious nod to Foreigner's Cold as ice with the keyboard opening on The one, but these are as nothing compared to the overall brilliance of this album. If you like AOR, good melodic rock, well-constructed songs and powerful singing, this is an album you should have in your collection.
Overall Impression: Just got better with every track. Totally blown away.
Intention: Seek out more of this man's music.

07-30-2012, 12:59 PM	#36 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	(Note: it's occurred to me that I've placed certain sections of this review incorrectly. As my comments come last, things like “impression” and “intention” may already telegraph my view of the album, before the comments are read. Basically, it's back to front, and although most of it is fine the two sections need to be switched around. So as of from today I'm putting the “comments” before “intention” and “impression”. I'm also adding another sort of sub-heading, breaking “impression” into “initial impression” and “overall impression”. The initial is how I felt on my very first listen, say from track one, but of course this can change (for better or worse) as the album progresses, and so therefore the overall impression will be the impression I'm left with after having listened to the album all the way through. Now, didn't you really need to know that? ) All roads lead to Fergie! Artiste: Fergie Frederiksen Nationality: American Album: Happiness is the road Year: 2011 Label: Frontiers Genre: AOR Tracks Angel Elaine First to cry Follow your heart Happiness is the road I still believe Lyin' eyes Love waits for no-one Writing on the wall The future ain't what it used to be The one The saviour Chronological position: Fourth solo album, but he has been involved in more than thirty albums overall, between Toto, Angel, LeRoux, Survivor, Trillion and a whole host more. Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: Well, inspiring really. Fergie was diagnosed in 2010 with inoperable cancer of the liver, but unwilling to just accept that, he looked into alternative medicine and seems now to have made almost a total recovery, quite against the rules of medical science. Initial Impression: Oh man! I love this from the first few notes! Talk about catchy! Best track(s): Angel, First to cry, Follow your heart, Happiness is the road, Lyin' eyes, Writing on the wall... I'll just stop now, shall I? Worst track(s): This guy does not do bad tracks... Comments: My initial annoyance at the theft of the title of Marillion's last album evaporates as this album kicks into gear, and right from the start it's a powerful dive into melodic rock/AOR territory, with the very best of every AOR band you can name, from Night Ranger to Journey and everything in between. There's not all that much information on the album, so I can't tell you who the band is, but they're damn tight! Opener Angel sets the scene, and things just get better from there on. Known for his work with such luminaries as Toto, Survivor and Trillion, Fergie was in hot water with the first band when he left them but continued to play some of their songs onstage, even using the name Toto! After taking a break from the music business, he found it was in his blood and he couldn't do without it, and lucky he did, or we might not have had albums like this. There are power-hooks all over the place, his voice is rich and strong, commanding and clear, and the music is a perfect backdrop to his voice, hitting mostly the harder edges of the AOR spectrum on songs like First to cry and Writing on the wall, though he can bring it right down to the softest of piano ballads on the likes of Follow your heart, with some beautiful strings backing, where you really get an idea of how versatile an instrument his voice is. Honestly, there's not a bad track on here, and almost all of them are top-class, so it's hard to choose favourites. There are more hooks in this collection of songs than at an anglers' convention! It's just a total joy, one of those rare finds you come across, where you don't expect all that much and get completely blown away. There are a few tiny niggles: a very familiar guitar solo in First to cry, though I can't quite place it (if anyone reading this can, let me know, as it's driving me mad!), a really Journey-style opening to Elaine and a serious nod to Foreigner's Cold as ice with the keyboard opening on The one, but these are as nothing compared to the overall brilliance of this album. If you like AOR, good melodic rock, well-constructed songs and powerful singing, this is an album you should have in your collection. Overall Impression: Just got better with every track. Totally blown away. Intention: Seek out more of this man's music. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 01-13-2015 at 05:32 AM.