LeBROCK – Action & Romance [Remastered & Expanded]

This blog presented some time ago, in exclusive, LeBROCK, the fascinating new project from Peterborough, UK, and “Action & Romance” is their awesome debut EP. Now here’s the Expanded Edition including new vocal tracks plus great instrumental versions.
LeBrock put themselves into the new synthwave retro ’80s movement, but they are much more a ‘band’ with ‘real instruments’ than the typical projects of this ilk.

First of all, LeBrock isn’t created by a synth / keyboard fan like most the projects from the synthwave scene.
This is a band put together by two musicians with academic formation; guitarist and keyboard player Michael Meadows and vocalist Shaun Phillips. LeBrock’s music of course, is inspired by all the ’80s culture from movies to sci-fi to mainstream music (just check the album cover).

However, their blend of synthwave includes electric guitars, real bass and vocals performed and arranged in a true Melodic Rock manner.
Seriously, just check Shaun’s performance on “Dangerous Dreams”… this guy easily could be the next Vega lead vocalist!

Opener “Galactic Smasher” takes you in a non-stop flight straight to 1984 to movies like Robocop, or Miami Vice TV show.
“Dangerous Dreams” starts with keyboards galore in the best 1986 AOR tradition, an electric guitar riff appears and Shaun Phillips rocks you with his over the top vocals. I would call this AOR / Melodic Rock meets synthwave especially designed foe an action movie of the era.
WoW, this is good, awesome indeed.

Then we have “One Night” and things instantly change; poppy melody but with a FM radio-ready / light AOR feel, and smooth, very smooth elegant vocals. Love this.

LeBrock switch again to rocking synthwave for “Call Me”, again with a strong real electric guitar presence. The track pumps over a synth ryhthm section, and rock more than many ‘real’ rock bands. LeBrock has ‘pulse’, nerve, and that’s whay they are so different… and good. The guitar solo kills, performed by a guest named Chris Geden.
“Takedown” returns to the ‘soundtrack’ style of the opener, and reminds me Airwolf television series and John Carpenter movie soundtracks.

There’s a couple of collaborations, such as with PowerNerd in “I See Murder”, a tune with a feel as coming out from an ’80s slash movie, with Shaun delivering powerful vocal lines and Meadows a melodious guitar solo.
Then “End Of Romance” (with TV Players) is more poppy, radio-ready and again with a OST feeling, this time a comedy.
For the end we have some instrumental versions, being “Dangerous Dreams (Instrumental)” my favorite. Those synths!

This is pure gold ’80s stuff, not a mere copycat from the sounds from that era. LeBrock injects to their music a Rock pulse with real instruments and huge vocals, and the results are fantastic.
“Action & Romance” is a MUST for any ’80s fan. Believe me.

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

01 – Galactic Smasher
02 – Dangerous Dreams
03 – One Night
04 – Call Me
05 – Takedown
06 – I See Murder [with PowerNerd]
07 – End Of Romance [with TV Players]
08 – Dangerous Dreams (Instrumental)
09 – Call Me (Instrumental)
10 – One Night (Instrumental)
11 – End Of Romance (Instrumental)

Shaun Phillips – Vocals
Michael Meadows – Guitars, Synths, Bass, Programming
Guitar Solo on ‘Call Me’ performed by Chris Geden
Produced by LeBrock with Justin Paul Hill & Nigel Geden

BUY IT !
records.real-industries.co.uk/product/lebrock-action-and-romance/
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