NESTOR – Kids In A Ghost Town [Japan Edition +1] (2021) HQ

Be prepared to be blown away… blown away straight to the ’80s! Sweden’s NESTOR will be release tomorrow “Kids In A Ghost Town“, not only ‘the best debut album of the year’, but the best overall.
This is pure Eighties culture, the good and the bad, the fun and the feel-good rock n’ roll of all times… Including a guest appearance by Samantha Fox (!) on vocals on one track, songs like “On The Run“, “Tomorrow“ or “1989“ would have been huge hits back in the day for sure, all wrapped by a huge – mean really huge – production sound.
No doubt about it – and no matter what might come up later this year – “Kids In A Ghost Town” is the real deal.

It’s been quite some time since we’ve been this excited about a new hard rock/AOR release. Nestor from the small city of Falköping has caused some rave in the circuit, after having released three of the songs as videos. One of them, ”Tomorrow”, even includes a guest appearance by Samantha Fox.
The videos are well worth checking out, since they are both professional and quite humorous. Definitely no average film cuts!

Taking their name from Greek mythology, Nestor formed back in 1989 by five childhood friends. And like most dreams of becoming rock stars, theirs faded away with time – but their friendship remained, as did their love of music.
Now over three decades later most or the original members have taken the opportunity to reunite the band! I for one am bloody glad they did as ‘Kids In A Ghost Town’ will sit at the top of the best album list for many a melodic rock fan come the end of this year.

Tobias Gustavsson (lead vocals), Jonny Wemmenstedt (guitar), Marcus Åblad (bass), Martin Frejinger (keyboards) and Mattias Carlsson (drums) is the current band line up. The guys have also brought in some truly great names on other positions.
How about co-songwriting by demon writer, musician and producer Andreas Carlsson for starters? Mixing of the album was done by Sebastian Forslund, while mastering was provided by Thomas ’Plec’ Johansson.
Ah, the quality really speaks for itself! Just hear the title track ”Kids In A Ghost Town” which could easily have fit the solo album Ambition by Tommy Shaw!

‘One The Run’ is one of the best opening stacks I’ve heard in quite some time. A dainty piano opening before a battering salvo of guitar riff and drums beats you into submission. The accompanying video is a true homage to 80-s vidz and would happily sit in the soundtrack to Turbo Kid.
I immediately fell in love with the tone and warmth of Tobias Gustavsson’s vocals. Even a song with a corny lyric like ‘she’s got eyes like Demi Moore and a body like Sharon Stone….she’s a perfect 10!’ can’t detract from the quality. It still hits the mark.

Grand semi-ballads / midtempo tunes have always been a trade mark in the genres of melodic hard rock and AOR, as you all know. No exception here! And these guys do it just as good as the big ones.
Samantha Fox proves to be an inspired choice for the duet ‘Tomorrow’, easily one of this year’s best songs among rock ballads. Just hear the lead and harmony vocals!

Apart from the aforementioned songs the other suggests are the glorious anthem ‘1989’, ‘It Ain’t Me’ has the orchestration that could put in on a Bond movie but with an AOR soundtrack, and ‘These days’ would have been a big hit in any year beginning with ‘Nineteen-Eighty-Something’.
And sure, I guess the guys in Giant would feel as they’ve been robbed if they heard ”Stone Cold Eyes” which is pretty similar to ‘Hold Back The Night’. But it’s a darn good song, a proof that a killer chorus elevates a good song into a great one.

If you’re still not convinced – I can tell you that the sound is smashing and the arrangements top notch. Everyone gets credit; that 80s keyboards are high in the mix, guitar solos swirl, harmonies are to die for, and the vocals are crisp, warm and clean.
Any fan of Giant, Slamer, Seventh Key or for example Khymera will love this. A sure buy! Wow!
A MUST

01 – A Fanfare For The Reliable Rebel (Intro)
02 – On The Run
03 – Kids In A Ghost Town
04 – Stone Cold Eyes
05 – Perfect 10 (Eyes Like Demi Moore)
06 – These Days
07 – Tomorrow (Feat. Samantha Fox)
08 – We Are Not OK
09 – Firesign
10 – 1989
11 – It Ain’t Me
JAPAN BONUS:
12 – Perfect 10 (Eyes Like Demi Moore) [Acoustic]

Jonny Wemmenstedt (guitar)
Mattias Carlsson (drums)
Tobias Gustavsson (vocals)
Marcus Åblad (bass)
Martin Frejinger (keyboards)

BUY
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MICP-11652