Helix: Bastard Of The Blues
Readers of a certain age should recall Helix with a mixture of affection and disbelief, the former emotion for having made some great records during the 1980s and the latter their continued existance – the canadians, now 40 years older, looked grizzled in their heyday. The band have always placed the emphasis on fun, from vocalist Brian Vollmer’s habit of performing somersaults onstage to the filming of an ‘adult’ version of their 1984 song Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ with porn star Traci Lords, and it seems that little has changed. Don’t be fooled by the title, this isn’t some hair metal band playing the blues card in its twilight years. Thirteen albums into their career, Helix continue to serve up raucous, uncomplicated hard rock that’s big on hooks and starved of frills or pretension. The title track is a bold, opening statement and their sense of humour with even Jesus (Wasn’t Loved In His Hometown), another first-rate anthem. The quality levels don’t dip as one belter follows another, from Winning Is The Best Revenge to Hellbound For A Heartache. Great stuff. (8⁄10)
Skyscraper: Elevation
It’s been a long time coming, but the debut from this Anglo-Norwegian project featuring former members of Airrace, Quireboys and Northern Light is worth the wait. Lee Small (Shy/Phenomena/United Nations) is a ridiculously gifted singer in the mould of Glenn Hughes, and tracks Sail Away and Barricades mix class with commerciality. (8⁄10)
Grand Design: Thrill Of The Night
The music of Grand Design is accompanied by a whiff of hairspray, sports a huge grin and carries a copy of Def Leppard’s Hysteria under its arm. Fronted by the helium-voiced Pelle Saether these Swedes don’t take life too seriously and nobody is attempting to reinvent the wheel but if you cannot enjoy a song like Rawk ‘N’ Roll Heart Attack and U Got Me Good then the problem is yours alone. (8⁄10)
Adrenaline Rush: Adrenaline Rush
Fronted by the delicious Tåve Wanning, and produced by Erik Mårtensson of Eclipse/WET, Adrenaline Rush make no bones about aiming for territory carved by Danger Danger, Mötley Crüe, Warrant and Treat. There is much to commend the Swedes, despite the obvious nature of Girls Gone Wild and Want It All. (7⁄10)
Moon Land featuring Lenna Kuurmaa: Moon Land featuring Lenna Kuurmaa
Besides being a member of the all-female pop group Vanilla Ninja, Lenna Kuurmaa is an actress and TV personality from Estonia, a nation that she has represented in the Eurovision Song Contest. This inoffensive, slightly flimsy album was created with the aid of the ubiquitous Alessandro Del Vecchio. (7⁄10)
