KICK – Memoirs [CD version exclusive bonus tracks]

British Melodic Hard Rockers KICK released three albums before disbanded in 2005. The idea to reform Kick aroused in 2011, but with singer Nick Workman busy finding success with Vega, the Jones bothers Mikey & Chris decided to record this new KICK album “Memoirs” with Mikey on lead vocals.
This CD version includes two exclusive bonus tracks, and we have as well the three digital download bonuses.

Kick were signed to Sanctuary in 1998 and released their great debut ‘Consider This…’ that same year with their sophomore effort ‘Sweet Lick Of Fire’ following some 3 years later.
Much to everyone’s surprise – as tours with the likes of Thunder, Magnum, TNT and record sales were going considerably well – they were dropped soon after. The band put out their third effort ‘New Horizon’ in 2004 but it didn’t exactly ‘kick up’ much of a storm and they broke up shortly after it hit the streets.

After Kick disbanded in 2005, bass player, second vocalist and the band’s main songwriter Mikey Jones didn’t sit still for long however. He released a solo album, and later with his brother Chris and again with Nick Workman at the mic they recorded the very early songs they wrote together ten years before, but never released.
The project was called WildKard, another awesome Melodic Rock outfit.

But as said, for this Kick comeback album Workman wasn’t available, so Mikey Jones did the lead vocals. In fact, the entire album was recorded by the Jones bros.
“Memoirs” combines the Melodic Hard Rock bliss of Kick’s debut with some modernity of the band’s third recording, but also I hear some hints of Jones’ previous bands XL (late ’80s Def Leppard style) and FreeFall, with some Harem Scarem touches.

Mostly uptempo, these melodic rockers have a strong Def Lepp, Stun Leer, Gun (Scottish band) and Harem Sacrem influences indeed, as heard on “Doesn’t Take Much”, “Round & Round”, the Thunder-esque “Come Back” and the harmony-filled “Highway To The Sun” & “Never Lost That Feeling”.
We have AORish oriented numbers in the keyboard infused “Radio” and the Wildkard-like “The Futures Ours”, while the calmer “Words Of Advice” recalls the XL years. “Thrill Seeking Junkie” and “Urban Refugee” sports some modern-hard touches like say, Degreed, and 2000’s Harem Scarem.

This CD version includes the exclusive tracks ‘Fallen Angel 1994’, and ‘The End Of Time 2006′, the former from the XL years, the latter recorded after Kick originally disbanded. Both are very good, and collectibles, only appeared on CD.
Then there’s 3 tracks only available in the digital download version of the album (however seems there’s a CD version with these, replacing the original 2 bonuses). All worthwhile material.

This new Kick incarnation was strongly guitar dominated with occasional and well placed synths, but what rule here is the profuse use of harmony vocals. As Mikey Jones’ leads aren’t that clean as former singer Nick Workman, they cleverly arranged the vocal parts reinforcing the main lines with tons of background vocals which results in a multi-layered delivery.
I don’t know you, but I really like this.

“Memoirs” sounds typically Nineties British Melodic Hard Rock – in short, typically Kick. If you like all, I mean all, the bands mentioned above, there’s something of them in this recording, an enjoyable collection of songs with nice melodies and hooks.
Highly Recommended

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01 – Doesn’t Take Much
02 – Thrill Seeking Junkie
03 – Radio
04 – Come Back
05 – Urban Refugee
06 – Round & Round
07 – Words Of Advice
08 – Highway To The Sun
09 – The Futures Ours
10 – Never Lost That Feeling
11 – Nothing More To Say
12 – Fallen Angel 1994 (Bonus Track – CD only)
13 – The End Of Time 2006 (Bonus Track – CD only)
14 – The Miracle (Digital Bonus Track)
15 – Devoted (Digital Bonus Track)
16 – From This Day On (Digital Bonus Track)

Mikey Jones – vocals, bass, guitars, drums, programming
Chris Jones – guitars, vocals

Try here:
www.bol.com/nl/p/memoirs/9200000020314520/