Customer Reviews

Pain Is a Megaphone

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I've followed Steve's stuff since I found the first Tories album in a stack of promos a friend was giving away. I wasn't that familiar with the genre of "power pop" at the time, preferring things a little heavier with bands like King's X and Galactic Cowboys. After a few listens, I was blown away.

Steve doesn't disappoint with this new solo disc. Great melodies, hooks, vocal harmonies, etc. This is an album (and I am an album guy) you can set on repeat all and never get bored.

When you hear a well-written chorus, does it ever hit home, and ex-Tories frontman Bertrand nails a bunch here. This is straight rock ballad territory, don't expect any new ground to be trod. Almost everything here is going to sound as if you've heard it before, there's a lot of "hey that sounds like . . ." moments; Beatles, Squeeze, Stevie Wonder, even Lisa Loeb. But it's as well done as anything like this I've ever heard, the guy can sing, play and especially compose. Every song maintains a consistent theme and beat, straight through, and the transitions flow, the songs aren't chopped up, that's basic, and his instincts are near perfect in that regard.

Sterling stuff, a solid CD from start to finish, I find it difficult to make special note of any one song. I'd hate to have to pick a flash single, any one of the first nine would do, but maybe "Dreaming" or "Renting" due to the boffo openings I suppose. If this guy doesn't get big time airplay the world has gone mad, and given the low profile I've seen so far, I guess that confirms what we already knew.

I should mention that because it's MOR pop, that I hate it. But just because it's not my style doesn't mean it isn't fantastic stuff, I have about five of the chorus hooks currently lodged in my head . . . "Letter box love sooonng . . . " Arggh.