LAST AUTUMN’S DREAM – Fourteen (2018)
Swedish melodic rockers LAST AUTUMN’S DREAM has a tradition; they always released with a metronomic precision a new album each year in Japan few days before Christmas, while the European market is always a little late in the delivery. This is the European version of the band’s new album “Fourteen“, to be released February 2018.
Last Autumn’s Dream celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2018, and this is indeed, their 14th studio album that spells appreciation to Japan since the cover artwork.
Always fronted by singer Mikael Erlandsson (LOVER UNDER COVER / SALUTE), the new album sees the band opting for a more ‘earthy’ sound: not so poppy as some of the latest efforts, and more rockin’ oriented.
This is especially noticeable in the drum sound, less processed, and the overall mix where the guitars gain more presence.
After the short intro ‘Rise An’ Shine’ – which creates a nice atmosphere – first proper song ‘Go!’ is the most ‘hard rocking’ song Last Autumn’s Dream has recorded in years, still retaining their characteristic catchiness.
Erlandsson is in top form, adding more bite to his vocal performance rounding up a tighter Last Autumn’s Dream 2018. In the same vein – even harder – there’s track 9 ‘Get Them All’.
Classic LAD appears in the ridiculously catchy ‘I Don’t Wanna Wait’, the bass-pumped melodic rocker ‘Let The Curtain Fall’, and the typically Swedish rocker ‘Wouldn’t U Like’.
Of course we have the band’s classic ballads, in the form of the beautiful ‘Love Again’, very well arranged and not syruped at all.
However, a prove of this more guitar-oriented material arise again in ‘Siren’, a bluesy midtempo rocker by with quite driven riffs, and ‘Shadow Of The Night’ (made famous by PAT BENATAR in 1982), a track in done in true BON JOVI fashion circa New Jersey era.
LAST AUTUMN’S DREAM never fails in delivering quality material. This “Fourteen” should be their best album in many years, or at least one different in terms of sound.
I loved the poppy, light AORish sound from the last records, but that started to become a little repetitive. This new album shows the band re-capturing the rocking side from their origins not losing any bit of catchiness.
Highly Recommended
01 – Rise An’ Shine
02 – Go!
03 – Siren
04 – I Don’t Wanna Wait
05 – Shadow Of The Night
06 – Turn It Up
07 – Let The Curtain Fall
08 – Wouldn’t U Like
09 – Get Them All
10 – Walkin’ Talkin’ Miracle
11 – Love Again
Mikael Erlandsson (Vocals)
Peter Soderstrom (Guitar)
Jamie Borger (Drums)
Nalle Pahlsson (Bass)
Ulf Wahlberg (Keyboards)
PRE ORDER:
www.amazon.co.uk/Untitled-Last-Autumns-Dream/dp/B076QLPX57
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