This is Reach and this is a review of their latest Album “
Promise Of A Life”. Hailing from Sweden and were formed in 2012, this power trio are described as “Alternative Rock”. That is a very broad genre, and too be honest I am not even sure these guys fit into that grouping.
Whilst there are the odd moments of heavier guitar work, I cannot hand on heart describe this as a rock album. Heavy pop is the best I can come up with myself. Now I like some of the lighter weight bands out there.
ELO have always been a favorite of mine,
CATS IN SPACE, I really dig, and I would say they actually share many traits with
REACH, but they do have a heavier edge than this band. And whilst the promotional blurb positions them with the likes of
MUSE and
QUEEN, and yes I can see it to a point. They have the bombastic natures of
Mr Bellamy’s band and the campiness of
Freddie, there is overall something lacking for me, in the same way a performer like
MIKA from a few years ago was. Very “Avant Garde” and arty, just mostly not for me.
The vocals are outstanding, there is some great drumming, there is the odd great guitar break, yes, it is obviously very clever, but this isn’t rock. Too be honest it isn’t to this reviewers’ tastes. There were the odd songs I liked, “
New Frontier”, the opening track wasn’t bad, “
Higher Ground”, I really liked and “
The Streets” which was more straight ahead worked for me, all of which were of a more rocking bent. Actually the title track “
The Promise Of A Life” also was very good and I could see the
MUSE connection in its over the top melodrama. But most of the res, whilst none being bad, just didn’t do it for me. I think vast parts of this album were trying to be too arch, too cleaver, too far up itself, and for my tastes far too far removed from the loose term of rock for me to remain interested in it. Sorry but that’s the way it is for me.
Songwriting: 5
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 5
Production: 8
Edited
27 January 2023
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