FAB BOX – Music From The Fab Box [Avenue Of Allies release +1] (2009) *HQ*

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The italian melodic rock duo FAB BOX formed by Fabrizio Ugolini (former vocalist of hard rock band Revenge) and Massimo Bozzi (whose collaborations include big stars from Italian pop scene) has a knack to create highly melodic songs, showcasing a winning combination consisting of super catchy hooklines, vocal harmonies with guitar riffs and solos.
The outcome is their delicious debut album “Music From The Fab Box” rooted in the classic rock sound that will appeal to fans of Richard Marx, John Waite, Rick Price, King Of Hearts, Mark Spiro, as well as to devotees of Bryan Adams, Glass Tiger, BB Mak and Toto.
The duo is joined by Italian / L.A. based Fabrizio Grossi to produce and play on the album. The three musicians perviously wote songs for for artists like Joseph Williams (Vertigo 2) & Tyketto’s Danny Vaugh (From The Inside).
Over the course of the years these fine songwriters built a considerable catalogue of songs, from which they pick up the best ones for their recording debut “Music From The Fab Box”. The result is a fresh colection of songs with the FM rock style we all love.
There was a self-released version of the album via an Italian company – this is the CD release by specialized label Avenue Of Allies including an extra track.

The songwriter duo shares the lead vocals and also a lot of the instruments. The lead guitars were handled by local luminaries like Paolo Pedretti, Tonino Landini, Andrea Leonardi and Paolo Gennari. The licks and solos of these skilled craftsmen grace every album track and so they add splendidly to make the album an all around enjoyable Rock record.
Furthermore recording credits go to drummer Elyan Fernova, Fabrizio “V.Zee” Grossi (Robin Beck, Glenn Hughes, Ambition) on bass, as well as Marco Bozzi and Melissa Ugolini on background vocals.

Most of the songs are kept in midtempo pace, there’s a couple of uptempo rockers, and smooth ballads. These guys really know how to write a greathook line for a song. The first impressive proof of this is opener “Tell Her I’m Alright”, a rocker easily fitting on a John Waite album with verses accompanied by acoustic guitars, while the ear candy chorus is underlaid with a powerful guitar riff.
“Nobody Tonight” hits the same mark and will win you over with an amazing guitar solo, courtesy of Paolo Pedretti. “Inside” slows down the tempo a bit without abandoning the catchiness and a guitar solo. The poppy intro to “The Key” merges into a rocking rhythm guitar groove which leads to a chorus part full of harmony vocals, before the last section of the song is dominated by the licks of guitar player Andrea Leonardi.

We have a cool acoustic uptempo feel-good tune in “Let Me Try”, before arriving to one of the albums highlights, “Together”. This track was co-written by Joseph Williams for the second Vertigo album and it shows the signature trademarks of Williams-era Toto.
A very strong composition is the ballad “I Still Believe”, with it’s traces of Richard Marx and a very soulful guitar solo by Tonino Landini. We return to midtempo mode with “Reason Of The Heart” and “Call My Name”, a very radio friendly song in the vein of the Rick Price debut, this time the guitar leads are shared by Paolo Pedretti and Paolo Gennari.
Gentle and enriched by piano stylings “You Are The One” is a track with a silky melody, that every hit song writer would love to have in his portfolio.

The hit factor is also reflected in “Always”. Together with Fabrizio and Massimo, Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn is the co-writer of this song and it can also be found on the debut of Danny’s solo project From The Inside.
The rocking shuffle groove of “Yesterday” closes the album, an uplifting tracks which will make you forget some of your everyday worries with it’s catchiness and lightheartedness.

Fab Box, the cleverly named duo of Fabrizio Ugolini and Massimo Bozzi have landed a quite beautiful Melodic Rock / AOR / West Coast album. It swims in the same bay as Richard Marx, On The Rise (a lighter version thereof), John Waite, Rick Price, early Ian Thomas, etc.
A record full of melodic, FM radio airplay material, where elegant arrangements, catchy melodies and classy harmonies are embodied in a pure and clean production, a crossover between the very late Seventies sound and contemporary melodic rock. Fresh, light songs with catchy melodies and classy arrangements.
Highly Recommended

01 – Tell Her I’m Alright
02 – Nobody Tonight
03 – Inside
04 – The Key
05 – A Matter Of Time
06 – Let Me Try
07 – Together
08 – I Still Believe
09 – Reason Of The Heart
10 – Call My Name
11 – You Are The One
12 – Always
13 – Yesterday [CD only]

Massimo Bozzi – lead, backing vocals, guitars, keyboards
Fabrizio Ugolini – lead, backing vocals, guitars
Paolo Pedretti – lead guitar
Tonino Landini – lead guitar
Andrea Leonardi – lead guitar
Paolo Gennari – lead guitar
Fabrizio Grossi – bass
Elyan Fernova – drums
Melissa Ugolini, Marco Bozzi – backing vocals

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www.schmankerl-records.com/206054