VALENTINE (Robby) – Androgenius Future [reissue 2018]

To support his comeback to touring, some years ago Robby VALENTINE put out “Androgrenius“, a two CD release subtitled ‘Past’ and ‘Future’. The past decade, after a break Robby Valentine returned with the album The Most Beautiful Pain, a very diverse record. Still heavily influenced by Queen but also many different other styles of music even including the theme to Back To The Future. A year later Falling Down In Misanthropolis was released, a much darker sounding album,. Sadly this album was also only released in Japan so the market in Europe was deprived of a good album.
So “Androgrenius” is a compilation album which leans heavily on these last two albums plus new recordings, originally only available from his website and concerts. Now it’s available world wide with this 2018 reissue.

When Robby Valentine created this compilation album he did not just grab a bunch of songs to be scattered in random order on some shiny discs.
This disc called “Future” represents Robby’s harder / modern / guitar driven side and showing the new direction he wanted to take with his band.
‘Save Myself’ features Dutch Idols star Marlies. She made an acoustic album which was written, arranged and produced by Robby and in the future they would collaborate in a band called Aniday.
People expecting another romantic love ballad will be in for a surprise as ‘4th Rate Razorback’ is a dark rock song with many bombastic elements and a catchy chorus. It sounds very modern and a chorus with a “Nanananananahahah” preceded by some glam rock Def Leppard style. Many well known elements welded together in a good rock song.

‘I Should Have Known Better’ also represents the darker part of Valentine, the lyrics are about the betrayal of a loved one. A little more glamour because of the flashy sounds and a high multi vocal Queen-like chorus.
‘Over And Over… Again’ is a rebuild version of his hit-single – slow and heavy this song strolls on slowly, increasing in pace and energy and very different from the piano ballad it used to be.

The intro to ‘Falling Down’ could have been stolen from Queen, the rest of the song maybe too? Following this is ‘Make Way [For The Messenger]’, a sing-a-long hard rock song. Live it is sung by Peter Strykes, former Vandenberg vocalist, he is a guest musician on the album but sadly not for this song.
Now Robby is a very good piano player which he shows in the ‘Piano Solo’ with classical influences from Chopin and Tchaikovsky.

‘A New World’ and ‘I’m Going Under [Sedated]’ are both rock songs from The Most Beautiful Pain, whereas ‘Fear Of Heights’ is also rocking song in but more bluesy. Not only live, but also on this this recording Peter Strykes contributes to the vocals giving it just that bit of extra power.
The next two song are covers. First ‘SOS’ from Abba is sung by bass-player Lilo – this version during the chorus is a bit faster than the original version, a real killer live song. The next is of course a song from Queen, ‘Flick Of The Wrist’.
‘Exodus Elephantes’ is a short heavy guitar piece, the closing song off The Most Beautiful Pain. Can’t tell why but I just really like this piece, gives me goosebumps, always.
‘I Can’t Get Over You’ is a great grand piano ballad with a lovely atmosphere.

If you missed ‘Androgenius / Future’ back in the day this is your opportunity to discover a great selection of songs, not just an ordinary ‘best of’. So tracks were remixed so are not the same of the the original albums
Highly Recommended

01 – Save Myself [Alternate Version]
02 – 4th Rate Razorback
03 – I Should Have Known Better
04 – Over and Over…again
05 – Falling Down
06 – Make Way (For the Messenger)
07 – Piano Solo
08 – A New World
09 – I’m Going Under (Sedated)
10 – Fear of Heights
11 – S.O.S. [Alternate Version]
12 – Flick of the Wrist
13 – Exodus Elephantes
14 – I Can’t Get over You

Keyboards, Backing Vocals [The Valentine Band] – Johan ‘Jay-Jay’ Willems
Bass [The Valentine Band] – Liselotte ‘Lilo’ Hegt
Drums [The Valentine Band] – André Borgman
Drums – Juan Van Emmerloot, Matt Butler
Guitar, Violin [Violtar], Backing Vocals– Cyril Whistler
Harmony Vocals – Johan Willems, Valensia Clarkson, Vinnie Kay
Drums & Piano – Hans van Vondelen
Guest Vocals – Marlies Schuitemaker (1), Sigrid Slagmolen (6), Lilo(11), Peter Strykes (tracks: 9, 10)
Lead Vocals, Harmony Vocals, Piano, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass Guitar, Synthesizer, Sampler, Programmed By, Percussion – Robby Valentine

BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Androgenius-Future-Valentine/dp/B07BYGXFGP
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