In 25 words or less: Andreas Novak is an artist to check out that’s for sure, the Swedish AOR / Melodic Rock scene is alive and well…..
A new addition to Melodic Rock Records is some awesome AOR / Melodic Rock courtesy of Swedish singer / guitarist Andreas Novak current frontman for House Of Shakira. This is his second solo album and is most definitely this is an album people need to tell you about as it really is a killer record. There’s so many shades of different styles in the songs and his vocals are perfectly suited to these songs. To me it has a Journey-esque feeling with its diversity and that’s a good thing!
The opening track is ‘Highway To Anywhere’ which is a perfectly created AOR song, I think I heard a little subtle tribute to ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ in there too, nice. If the album continues on this strength we may be looking at a classic. The album runs through some more AOR gems but it’s when we get to ‘Keep This Flame’ we get to hear not only his soaring vocals but his amazing guitar work, a killer track that’s a stand out so far. There hasn’t been a bad song yet, some of it may be considered as filler but they are still good tracks just not the stand outs that they’re in the midst of.
The album kicks up a notch with ‘A New Hope’ now this is awesome!! If a second single was to be released after obvious choice ‘Highway To Anywhere’ it’d have to be this one. ‘Light Years’ is another stand out as the album starts to come to an end. Novak’s guitar work on all the tracks is at the forefront but never too in your face which is exactly how you want it. The next track sounds like it should’ve been Bad English’s biggest hit, wow, this one ‘Yesterday’s Rain’ is second to last and has jumped out as a surprise rocker, check this one out for sure if only for it’s guitar outro. If you think this track sounds famililar, then yes, it also features on W.E.T’s smashing release of a couple of years ago.
Finishing off the album is an acoustic driven track ‘2009’ that should’ve been earlier on the album to let ‘Yesterday’s Rain’ shred it out until the end. But nonetheless it’s a great AOR track and a great end to a great album. Andreas Novak is an artist to check out that’s for sure, the Swedish AOR / Melodic Rock scene is alive and well.
Track listing:
Highway To Anywhere
I Must Be Mad
Days Of Our Lives
Dare To Believe
Keep This Flame
No Vacation
Part Of Your Plan
A New Hope
Light Years
Mr. Cred.
Yesterday’s Rain
2009
Essential Information
Released: Out Now
Label: Melodic Rock Records
Website: www.novak.nu
Check It Out If You Like: House Of Shakira, AOR / Melodic Rock
