FM - Rockville

FM

Rockville

by YngwieViking at 18 March 2013, 5:22 PM

After their reunion in 2007 and the 2010 releasing of “Metropolis” plus a few line-up changes along the way, now FM is back with an incredible collection of eleven classy songs, in order to fulfill all the -old fans- expectations. But the real question is do they exceed their past success by bringing their rooted Classic AOR / Melodic Rock music into the 2013 overcrowded market?

The reality is that they're in fine shape, the new member Guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick reveals here his full technical and melodic potential with a juicy & tasty tone, and of course, the soulful voice of Steve Overland are as always magnificent, seconded by an amazing backing-vocal choir powerful but sickly sweet in the same time. The technical side is flawless and the production is incredibly warm yet efficient but always very clear and polished in the most elegant AOR trend.

The songwriting is top notch, the triptych opening constituted by “Tough Love”, “Wake Up the World”, “Only Foolin” is stunning, their own signature sound and style is very obvious and easily discernible: A recognizable sound with lush arrangements, a branded classic melodic rock naturally mixed with some hints of mature AOR or groovy Blues Rock, which is still very sharp, energetic and reliable.

In fact it’s the perfect summary of what FM is all about since the mid-eighties and its artistic evolution: a band stuck in between two great era for Rock music, "Show Me The Way" carries the Heritage of  mythic album "Tough It Out" range  nicely, while “Better Late Than Never” is particularly tagged by the British method from the 70s, that’s why “Rockville” is so remarkable, because they had provided another time, a full stack of catchy songs to demonstrate once again their pure mastery and their craft by mixing in homogeneity both genre wonderfully.

With the fast pace and hard temper of the heaviest song “Crosstown Train”, full of fat Guitar riff or with the brilliant final cut “High Cost of Loving” we are also treated really well and blessed by their gifts, their abilities for creating some (aspiring) hit-singles are more than vivid, their rocking instinct is still intact and perfectly employed, nevertheless I have a soft spot for the ballad “Story of My Life” a fine crafted song in the traditional FM fashion with emotional vocal crooning and an astonishingly simple but superbly well composed melody.

Since their second coming,  they had pleased their fan base in many ways ,  they even managed to surpass with "Rockville" the triumph of “Metropolis” in every departments and. Finally, I will gave an answer to my early previous own interrogations: Well, no my friends, Steve Overland and the FM guys aren't in no such way as stretching themselves to look like something they aren't, learning to growl, wearing war paints, transforming the band's legendary sound in to something more contemporary in order to sell more or reaching out to a brand-new teenage audience…The whole world will ignore “Rockville”, but the AOR planet will surely adore it …To be continued!