ANIDAY (Robby Valentine) – Aniday (Out Of Print)

One of you requested a refresh of this album, and deserves it truly as despite of being recently released, it’s out of print. “ANIDAY” is the self-titled debut by this Dutch band, and what makes it stand out is that the mighty Robby Valentine is all over it.
Robby Valentine produces it, he plays pretty much everything on it and has written most of it along with his partner Maria Catharina Schuitemaker who on lead and background vocals delivers a stunning performance.

This is a project that is a showcase for Maria Catharina’s vocal talents that runs alongside Robby’s solo ventures, so fans of the Dutch maestro are in for a real treat and with his much delayed solo album appearing later this year there is much to look forward to if you are partial to his extraordinary talents.
As befits any release that features Robby Valentine, this album is big on production, choruses and arrangements and rather than be keyboard led, this is very much a guitar driven album with the keys playing a somewhat subdued role adding colour and texture to a set of songs which deliver instantly memorable melodies and has hooks aplenty.

“Aniday” is very much a modern, contemporary sounding heavy rock album that lets vocalist Maria Catharina show off her excellent vocal range whether it be on out and out rockers such as “Born Yesterday” or slow burning ballads like “When Loving You Is Wrong”.

Other very good numbers are the eastern flavored “Buscando La Vida”, an epic sounding track with a stunning arrangement and Maria Catharina giving it all on vocals, which I may add has a husky, raspy quality that lifts the album throughout and giving the whole project a edgy quality.

The aforementioned “Born Yesterday” is also a real highlight, which flies out the traps with thick, heavy guitars and a huge chorus. “We Belong” is a song that could be lifted off any Valentine album which is surprising as this track is a Maria Catharina penned song, and at over 6 minutes long has plenty of room for some guitar histrionics from Paul Coenradie.
There is even time for the band to lay down some blues and edgy heavy funk with the songs “Not Much Of A Man” and “Get Funky”, while album closer “Lost The Way” rounds off proceedings nicely with a catchy chorus that with any justice would be gracing the charts worldwide.

Aniday have produced an album of first class modern melodic hard rock, which should appeal to not just Robby Valentine followers but also to a wider audience.
Schuitemaker is a new vocal force to be reckoned with, and there’s a really solid songwriting. The quality is maintained throughout and there is not a weak track on the album. Production is excellent, a huge sound, layered, but never cluttered giving every instrument and voice space to breath and shine.
Highly Recommended.

01 – Can’t Take No More
02 – Hole In My Heart
03 – When Loving You Is Wrong
04 – Buscando La Vida
05 – Born Yesterday
06 – We Belong
07 – Don’t Fool With Me
08 – Dream On
09 – Not Much Of A Man
10 – Get Funky
11 – Leave Me With Your Lies
12 – Lost The Way

Maria Catharina Schuitemaker – vocals
Robby Valentine – guitar, keyboards, bass, synths
Paul Coenradie – guitar
David Clarkson – drums

Out Of Print
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