RONNY LEE – Original Retro (2014)

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Who is this guy called RONNY LEE and his awesome ’80s inspired album “Original Retro”? Where he comes from? The New Jersey area? L.A.?
His songs sounds like from both sides of America, but Ronny hails from Robinson, Illinois.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA and transplanted to the Midwest, seems this songwriter, singer and guitarist is a veteran solo artist who also plays in a band known as Baywood and has provided vocals for several independent film soundtracks.
And that’s precisely how “Original Retro” sounds: all the ten songs on this album easily could have been part of any ‘action movie’ from the 1982 / 1987 era.

All the compositions in “Original Retro” are indeed Ronny Lee’s originals, but they are more than ‘inspired’ by the ’80s; they are carbon copy both in musicality and sound. And the good part of it is that Ronny is a real fan of the AOR / Melodic Rock style from that period.
I mean, all of it; arrangements, playing, production. We have real drums (not programmed), pulsating bass lines, stabbing keyboards, great guitar riffs and catchy choruses.
What is most surprising is the quality of the package: many tracks does not sound like an indie at all. Some cuts were obviously recorded at different period / studios and come out with a ‘demo feel’, but this only adds more charm to the material as a ‘lost Eighties AOR collectible’.

The magical sound from those years akin Journey or Foreigner but fundamentally acts like Preview, Orion The Hunter, Prism, Canadians Refugee and many more is faithfully replicated by Ronny Lee and his session musicians, all truly compelling players and second to none.
The song titles say much of the lovable stuff included into the album, such as the superb “Straight to the Top” (lots of keys), “It’s Been Too Long” akin Preview, the synth pumped “Just One Night” recalling Arc Angel, and the live recorded “Side By Side” with shades of Jimmy Harnen & Synch.

The killer riff-driven AOR “Long After Midnight” feels like a lost Fortune pre-Harlan Cage song (terrific guitar solo) and Ronny sings his heart out, “Easy Street” brings to mind Refugee, and the keyboard cascades of “Hey Mary”, Loverboy and Beau Coup.
On the sweet “Backstreets” you get flashbacks to films such as ‘Karate Kid’, while the action-movie ready “Black Limos & White Lines” surprises with a hard rockin’ delivery both in the sharp riff and Ronny’s performance.

“Original Retro” is a no-brainer for any true ’80s AOR fan.
It’s home-made crafted but has captured the sound & style of the era like few have been able in this new millenium. Ronny Lee has catched ‘the studio atmosphere’ of the Eighties, something so difficult to reproduce these days (even for major bands with larger budget).
As said, if you’re a sucker for ’80s soundtracks / AOR, “Original Retro” is a treat from Heaven, a must have album.
Fooking awesome.

01 – Straight To The Top
02 – Long After Midnight
03 – It’s Been Too Long
04 – Just One Night
05 – Side By Side
06 – Easy Street
07 – Hey Mary
08 – Backstreets
09 – Black Limos & White Lines
10 – Sign Of The Times

BUY IT !
www.cdbaby.com/cd/ronnylee1
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