DEGREED – We Don’t Belong [Japanese Edition +2]

As requested, here’s the Japanese edition of DEGREED‘s second album including two bonus tracks. The Swedish guys impressed the Melodic Rock community with their debut CD full of melodic modern sounds injecting the genre with a vital breath of fresh air.
While heavily touring Europe, Degreed completed their long awaited second album entitled “We Don’t Belong”, initially only released in Japan. While the album was later reissued, the bonus track, special version of title track ‘We Don’t Belong [feat. Godbrother]’ is exclusive of this Japanese edition.

With an improved bright production again handled by Erik Lidbom (who has also co-written some songs), “We Don’t Belong” showcased a more mature Degreed in all aspects: better songwriting, arrangements and playing, while their contagious, catchy melodies and choruses have been refined for an even greater impact.

The notable thing about Degreed is that, although the songs are catchy, you can’t escape the fantastic musical talent of these five guys. It would be easy to just say they are a good band, but there’s much more than that because they have big hooks and catchy choruses reminiscent of ’80s AOR & Melodic Rock and yet they sound so fresh and modern.
While listening to “We Don’t Belong” you can hear inspirations from Journey or Night Ranger, but also many of the good (and few) modern hard rock bands, and Degreed blends all them all into an appetizing cocktail.

They cook into the oven the good of the new with the magic of the past, as co-writing a fantastic melodic track (“In For The Ride”) with legend Bill Champlin, who also sings on the song.
You can’t deny the catchiness of the keyboard filled “Black Cat”, the harder Harem Scarem-like “Blind Hearted” or the broken “What If”.

Modern Melodic Rock pearls like “Access Denied” or the luxury midtempo “Coming Home” (my favorite) are simply irresistible… but there’s more: the lights-in-the-air anthemic title track, the muscular ballad “Follow Her” and the organic, melodious “Follow Her”.

The bonuses for Japan are fabulous too: “Just Another Heartache” is a killer Night Ranger-esque rocker transported to the new century (love the solo), while there’s a very good version of title track “We Don’t Belong” re-worked in conjunction with Japanese band Godbrother.

We were sold with this second effort. Degreed is the new blood of the modern Melodic Hard Rock genre, something they put clear in subsequent albums, but “We Don’t Belong” has something special.
Super Recommended

01. Intro
02. Black Cat
03. What If
04. In For The Ride [feat. Bill Champlin]
05. Inside Of Me
06. Follow Her
07. Blind Hearted
08. Here I Am
09. Access Denied
10. Coming Home
11. We Don’t Belong
JAPAN BONUS TRACKS:
12. Just Another Heartache
13. We Don’t Belong [feat. Godbrother] (exclusive)

Robin Ericsson – Lead Vocals and Bass
Daniel Johansson – Guitars and backing vocals
Jesper Adefelt – Guitars and backing vocals
Micke Jansson – Keyboards
Mats Ericsson – Drums
special guest:
Bill Champlin – guest Vocals, Songwriting

BUY IT
www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00C5XA09G