THOMAS LASSAR (Crystal Blue) – From Now On (2023) *HQ*

Art Of Melody Music are about yo release “From Now On”, the first official solo album by Swedish AOR singer, keyboardist and songwriter THOMAS LASSAR. He started to play piano as a young child, and quickly began playing in local bands in Sweden until the late ’80s when, together with his bandmates, he formed what became then one of Sweden’s most loved, cult, AOR bands; Crystal Blue. Having worked as keyboard player and backing vocalist on the first two albums (“Out From The Blue” in 1993 and “Caught in the Game” in 1994), Thomas took the microphone duties for the third Crystal Blue album, “Detour” (released in 2003 by MTM Music). Despite highly-positive feedback from media and fans all around the world, the band split up.

After years spent performing as session musician for various artists (Last Autumn’s Dream & Charming Grace between others), Thomas felt it was time to go into the studio and start writing and recording some unreleased material, during the pandemic while the world was in lockdown. The result was ten classy AOR tracks “From Now On”, featuring the excellent Rob Marcello (Danger Danger, Marcello-Vestry) as very special guest on three tracks.
It’s one of the finest AOR albums we’ve heard in years. If you are passionate about AOR bands like Journey, Survivor, Work Of Art, then you need to grab the album everyone will be talking about as one of the greatest releases of the decade.

Just take as example the song ‘Whatever I Do’ – this is a catchy blast of top-shelf AOR that immediately reminded me of the Mitch Malloy song ‘Anything at All’. While both songs each have distinct melody lines, they have the same type of anthemic drive and feel, the type of song that will raise your spirits and make your heart soar. In fact, several songs here remind me of that classic album.

All songs are pure melody with classy AOR arrangements. It cannot be a coincidence that my favorite tracks feature guitar solos from Danger Danger’s Rob Marcello – btw, some people still doesn’t know he is the brother of ex Europe Kee Marcello. What a pair of tremendous players.
Along with ‘Whatever I Do’, Rob play guitar on ‘The Only One’ and ‘Turn Back Time’, as said great tunes with those soaring choruses that would have easily made the Top 20 singles chart back in the late ’80s.

Album opener ‘When My Ship Comes In’ has a fantastic melody and I absolutely love the distinctness of the prominent female background vocals in the chorus provided courtesy of Michaela Lassar Persson.
The following track ‘Losing Faith’ offers something different from the rest. A slow burn groove and a darker edge, with a prodigious bridge that reminds me of something Winger have done in some of their songs. Then ‘Take Me Higher’ has a Toto ‘Isolation’-era feel to it, with a keyboard melody that would make the comparing band proud.

As with most albums like this, there are ballads and they are everything you would expect; passionate and heartfelt. ‘Back Where I Started’ is all about pain, regret, and the need to move forward. It will be hard not to reminisce while listening along. The closing title track ‘From Now On’ starts with just a piano before building in steam with the band jumping in before ending with a powerful refrain of the title that sends the track into the stratosphere.

So many wonderful tracks to listen to that I found myself jumping around to what my favorite tracks are. To be honest; all are. I mean, this is keyboard filled, guitar driven AOR with soaring vocals as it used to be, no modern ‘computer-production’ but that classy feeling from the ’80s all over.
A WINNER

01 – When My Ship Comes In
02 – Losing Faith
03 – Whatever I Do
04 – In Control
05 – Back Where I Started
06 – The Beginning Of The End
07 – The Only One
08 – Turn Back Time
09 – Take Me Higher
10 – From Now On

Thomas Lassar: Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Keyboards
Fredrik Fernlund: Guitar
Åke Jennstig: Bass
Fredrik Åkermo: Drums

Special Guests:
Rob Marcello: Guitar Solo on tracks 3, 7, 8
Henrik Johansson: Guitar Solo on track 1
Mats Lariand: Acoustic Guitar on track 4
Michaela Lassar Persson: Backing Vocals on tracks 1, 2, 3, 6

Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Now-Thomas-Lassar/dp/B0BVRKDL7P