MICHAEL KRATZ – Cross That Line (2017)
Danish artist MICHAEL KRATZ has been signed by Art Of Melody Music / Burning Minds Music for the European release of his next album, mainwhile the singer / songwriter is releasing “Cross That Line“, a re-recorded version of one of his early works.
This is a delicious collection of melodic rock, power rock&pop and light AOR.
Kratz has had a long and rewarding career in the music business, especially in his home country. Having achieved multiple gold releases as the drummer of mainstream pop act Kandis, his fanbase grew, thanks to his remarkable skills as a musician, which enables him to play any style of Rock music.
He has composed songs for varied artists, and has recorded with renowned musicians including Toto members.
While seems his next album will be AOR / Westcoast oriented, “Cross That Line” is almost exclusively Melodic Rock.
Midtempo ‘Need You to Be Mine’ is one of my favorites showcasing Kratz really good tenor vocals, title track ‘Cross That Line’ has some of Toto / Streetalk, and if you need intense power pop ala Rick Springfield then check ‘I Don’t Know How’.
‘Don’t You Know’ adds cool keys over the bass-pumped verses, there’s nice atmospheres in ‘Until We’re Together’ a song that bring to mind Swedes Coastline, while ‘Holding on Again’ is pure melodic rock in the vein of Dion Bayman.
‘You and I Are Meant to Be’ is the fine ballad acoustically driven, ‘Like Father, Like Son’ is another highlight to me with its increasing rhythm, before closing the disc with the gentle, slow melody of ‘Evil Rumours’.
“Cross That Line” is the kind of records that back in the ’80s were known as ‘solo artist album’, where a songwriter / vocalist found the chance to record his own songs.
As happened during the golden decade, most the material here is radio-friendly, easy to the ears melodic rock / rock&pop, and although we aren’t in the ’80s anymore, Michael Kratz style & sound belongs to that era.
A really good album that will delight all fans of the artists mentioned above.
0dayrox Exclusive
01 – Cross That Line
02 – I Don’t Know How
03 – Need You to Be Mine
04 – Sleeping Mama
05 – Don’t You Know
06 – Until We’re Together
07 – Holding on Again
08 – Lonely Soldier
09 – Hypnotized
10 – You and I Are Meant to Be
11 – Like Father, Like Son
12 – Evil Rumours
Michael Kratz – lead vocals
Ole Viinberg, Kasper Viinberg, Michael Kratz: backing vocals
Kasper Viinberg – drums, bass, guitars, keyboards
BUY IT !
www.amazon.de/Cross-That-Line-Michael-Kratz/dp/B0757MPQJV
.
