![[Image]](../../Images/brunorock.jpg)
More Info: www.brunorock.com
Verdict (Rating): Fresh sounding modern AOR (85%)
When I reviewed Brunorock's demo last year I was suitably impressed and begged some record company to give him a recording contract as I was keen to find out what he could do on a full length album.
In terms of style etc, nothing has changed from the demo. The one element that many people may focus in on is the continued use of a drum machine. For some people this might be a turn off, but I don't have a problem with it. In fact, I tend to think that the drum machine gives the songs a more modern/pop feel. The descriptions I gave for the demo hold true for the whole album. The closest relation in the AOR world is probably Rick Springfield. Describing the music as pop meets rock means that I could describe it as Roxette/Savage Garden meets Bon Jovi/Europe.
The album opens with a the up-tempo "Born Winner" which has a good catchy chorus and makes a suitably good impression, which is just what you want to do at the start of an album. "Anyone But You" and "Unjust" continue in a similar fashion. On "I Am Me" the pace slows slightly and we move away from rock to a more synth pop style. "Let's Call It Blues" is the first song from the demo. Maybe it is because I'm already familiar with them, but this track and the other tunes from the demo ("Silhouette", "Spread Your Wings" and "Save Your Love") are the standout tracks on the album for me. I described "Silhouette" as pop-rock perfection when reviewing the demo and now I'm impressed all over again - infectious stuff. "Where A Dream Never Dies" annoyed me for a while before it clicked with me that it reminded me of Styx's "Love Is The Ritual". Two tracks are sung in Italian - "Luna" & "Century". "Luna" starts like it going to be a big ballad but the chorus has different ideas. "Century" with it's almost dance floor vibe & English chorus closes the album. The most rock orientated tracks are "Two Hearts, One Weapon" and "Spread Your Wings" (which is best described as 'Bon Jovi with a drum machine').
The world of AOR can be a little tired sometimes and it is always good to hear someone doing something a little different. This is a successful endeavor to merge the worlds of rock and pop.
