Chez Kane – Reckless

Having reviewed albums this week ranging from black metal and grindcore to traditional metal and thrashing speed, what better way to cleanse our palette than with some sexually charged AOR? Yeah, you might want to crack open a window for this review, cuz it’s about to get steamy. Since her eponymous 2021 debut album, Chez Kane has been thee hottest name in AOR, both figuratively and literally speaking. In collaboration with songwriting/production partner Danny Rexon of Crazy Lixx fame, her output effortlessly channels the finest moments of the era it attempts to capture. Her debut (which I was late to the party on) was good. 2022’s Powerzone was even better. With her latest album, Reckless, Kane reminds us why third time is the charm.

Yet again, Rexon sits at the driver’s seat, only this time around, he’s joined by Kane, who for the first time contributes in a writing capacity. How she does so and on what songs, I don’t know. What I do know is that Reckless sees Kane and Rexon take their songcraft to an even higher plane in terms of writing, instrumentation, production, and overall execution. There are a couple songs towards the end that I’m rather indifferent towards, but even these tunes smoke the copy-paste Eclipse clones clogging up the AOR field today (Ironically, Eclipse frontman Erik Mårtensson mastered this album, but I digress). From start to finish, Reckless is a neon-drenched trip down memory lane, melodic nostalgia switched to overdrive.

The opening title track establishes the mood from the get-go, taking charge with its arena rock maneuvers and genuinely retro production. If you told me this was a song Desmond Child wrote 35+ years ago, I’d believe it. Admittedly, this assessment can be made for most of the album, especially cuts like “Night of Passion”, “Tongue of Love”, and the closing “Bodyrock” with their gargantuan choruses and lush atmosphere. Musically speaking, we’ve got an even balance of flashy synths and tube screamin’ guitars, with neither overpowering the other on these straightforward AOR bangers. And when the latter does take charge, it’s for good reason.

Much like Powerzone before it, Reckless does boast some overtly metal moments; just don’t expect anything in the way of mosh riffs or blast beats (obviously). The metal in which Kane likes to dabble in draws from the tradition of Turbo era Judas Priest or Night Ranger at their most coked out and chaotic. In other words, glam metal! There’s no denying the headbanging demeanor of “Personal Rock N’ Roll” (There’s even hints of Meat Loaf in this one), “Strip Me Down”, “Love Tornado”, and “Bad Girl”. The tempos are upbeat and the riffs are dripping with Aqua Net, yet while still retaining enough of that AOR charm to appeal to your favorite divorcee party aunt.

Amazingly, I’ve made it five paragraphs without addressing the elephant in the room head-on, that being this album is horny as all hell. If this were any other band, releasing an album with songs entitled “Tongue of Love” and “Love Tornado” back to back would veer on Spinal Tap levels of absurdity. When it comes to Chez Kane, not only has this eroticism become a trademark, but she delivers it with equal measures cheekiness and class. Her vocals bleed power and passion, no doubt: All delivered with a mischievous grin that serves as the cherry on top. Kane had fun recording this album, and it shows. Surely, you’ll have fun listening to it.

8 out of 10

Label: Frontiers Records

Genre: AOR

For fans of: Heart, Saraya, Lee Aaron