Melodic hard rock, AOR, whatever you wanna call it, has been all the rage in Europe for the better part of a decade. I enjoy the genre as a whole, but some bands do it better than others. I’ve lost count how many recent AOR releases I’ve listened to that start strong with a few memorable tracks, only to lose steam halfway through. Despite setting myself up for disappointment, I continue to check out these new bands because 1 out of 10 usually sticks. Does Blind Revolution’s debut, Money, Love, Light, make the cut?
Not even a minute into the opening “Guiding Light” and I’m hooked. This song includes all the ingredients of a classic AOR anthem: catchy chorus, delicate keys/synths, guitars front and center delivering punchy riffs and face melting leads. This optimistic quality continues through tracks such as “Miracle” and “Saints of Our Days”. When Blind Revolution aren’t bowing at the altar of the 1980s aesthetic, they show off their soulful side. This is evident on songs such as “Knocking for Love”, “Mary Ann”, and the bonus track, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Dream”. Whitesnake ’87 anyone? These riffs have John Sykes oozing out of them and I love it.
While the majority of the album straddles the line between these two styles, Blind Revolution shows us the depth of their musical palette on ballads like “Never Let You Go” and “Keep on Dreaming”. Another song of note is “Money and Run”. My favorite track next to “Guiding Light”, this track displays that dark AOR sound reminiscent of “Eddie’s Comin’ Out Tonight” by Night Ranger and “Mother, Father” by Journey.
Overall, Money, Love, Light is a strong affair that is bound to stick with me throughout the year. The ballads to rockers ratio is 2 to 9, so if you prefer your AOR meat and potatoes style, this is the album for you. Crank it up and throw your cares aside.
7 out of 10
Label: Rock of Angels Records
Genre: AOR
For fans of: Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Hardline