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On disc: Hess



Living In Yesterday - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars


www.facebook.com/harry.hess3







Living In Yesterday

Living In Yesterday
(Frontiers Records - 2012)


AOR lovers know Harry Hess as the singer of Harem Scarem, a Canadian AOR legend. For his solo album he hooked up with Harem Scarem band mate Peter Lesperance and drummer Creighton Doane. He also invited some musicians to join him on this journey.

Know Mr. Hess is back with a new album, it's called Living In Yesterday and the title track is the opener. The melodic rocker has a catchy melody line and it will haunt you! While Harry Hess is singing, playing keyboard and some guitars he got Magnus Karlsson to play the solo on the opener. Reach For You has a bluesy touch, it reminds me a bit of Bryan Adams... with Hess singing. But it also has a bombastic edge... At It's Over you can hear Howie Simon doing the solo, but it's the melancholy touch of this tune which will first enchant you - and then Howie Simon's singing guitar.

One of my favorites is Nothing Lasts Forever, mainly for the guitars. But the up-tempo rocker with slower passages is quite infectious. Live this tune should be a lot fun! A different story is Falling Down, this is a balladesque radio rocker. An acoustic version of I Lived For You could have been a movie soundtrack piece, like some of the stuff Bryan Adams did. I think an acoustic version would be even stronger... Anyway, it's a cool ballad. Tommy Denander adds his skills on guitar and keyboard to I Don't Wanna Want You, it's a song with a pop appeal and a slight 80's touch. This track sticks out and I guess it's a love-or-hate one, I'm among the lovers of this one. Mr. Hess and his pals close this album with Where To Run. The closer is a roller coaster ride, a tune with balladesque passages and rock parts, in my opinion not among the strong tunes on this album, but still a good one.

If you like Harem Scarem then don't hesitate to get a copy of Living In Yesterday. I also recommend this one to all lovers of melodic rock.


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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