Impulsia is a studio project which for this album includes Uno Sjöström, Johan Langquist and Marcus Jidell. Joining these guys are Robin Beck (James Christian on Backround vocal of "Too Many Heartaches"), Victoria Theodore (Stevie Wonder's band), Thomas Broman (drums), Pontus Norgren and Pandora (lead vocals on "Oceans Of Love").
I have to say that I'm a sucker for Robin Becks voice, so "Fly Away" makes for a great start to the album as far as I am concerned. The male vocals on "Rosa Lee" have a hint of the David Coverdales to them on this blues meets AOR track. Next up is a competent, but necessary cover of "Layla" which serves no other purpose other than to annoy me. If you are going cover such a well known track, at least have the wit change things around a little rather than simply reproduce the original.
Robin's vocals on the 80s AOR of "Alone" get me back on board, although after a few listens I'm starting to find this track a little pedestrian and predictable. Pandora (A Swedish eurodance act according to Wikipedia) handles the female vocal parts on the duet "Oceans Of Love". Given the title "Slow Down" it is no surprise that the track is a bluesy ballad."Too Many Heartaches" shifts the tempo and the quality in a positive direction.
"Move On" is the sort of AOR track that would be at home on a Glenn Hughes album. Robin is back on vocals for a big 80s style AOR tracked called "Seas To Cross". After a slowish start "Dream On" builds into a decent mid-tempo track. Tagged onto the end of the album are a couple of bonus tracks. I think I prefer the acoustic bonus version of "Rosa Lee" to the earlier version. The instrumental "Rivers Of Tears" is a nice way to end the album.
All the various elements of this album album at first glance seem like they are a very good match to my musical tastes and yet as a whole it sits somewhere around average for me. Maybe the music is too laid back? Maybe the switching between vocalist gives it a disjointed feel? Whatever the reason, I come away thinking that I should have like this more than I actually do.
Rating: 3 stars
