Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2024 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
November 2023
- High Spirits: Safe On The Other Side
- Signum Regis: Undivided
- DGM: Life
- Soledriver: Return Me To Light
- Care Of Night: Reconnected
- Secret Sphere: Blackened Heartbeat
- Seventh Crystal: Infinity EP
- Angra: Cycles Of Pain
- Hugo's Voyage: Inception
- DMJ: Sophomore
- Temple Balls: Avalanche
- Ignescent: Fight In Me
October 2023
- Pattern-Seeking Animals: Spooky Action At A Distance
- Overland: S.I.X
- Vitalines: Wheels Within Wheels
- Lynch Mob: Babylon
- District 97: Stay For The Ending
- Lalu: The Fish Who Wanted To Be King
- Entierro: The Gates Of Hell
- Nitrate: Feel The Heat
- Kings Crown: Closer To The Truth
- Theocracy: Mosaic
- Edge Of Forever: Ritual
- Ronnie Atkins: Trinity
September 2023
- Rockett Love: Galactic Circus
- Kerrigan: Bloodmoon
- Taz: Shipwrecked, Vol 2
- Taz: Wake Up & Sweat, Vol 1
- Ronnie Romero: Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
- The Flower Kings: Look At You Now
- Vega: Battlelines
- Blackbird Angels: Solsorte
- Primal Fear: Code Red
- Eclipse: Megalomanium
- Seventh Wonder: Mercy Falls (Reissue 2008/2023)
- Seventh Wonder: The Great Escape (Reissue 2010/2023)
August 2023
- Hurricane: Reconnected
- U.D.O.: Touchdown
- Streetlight: Ignition
- Sarayasign: The Lion's Road
- Neal Morse: The Dreamer - Joseph - Part One
- Rian: Wings
- Icon Of Sin: Legends
- Lancer: Tempest
- King Kobra: We Are Warriors
- Dark Sky: Signs Of The Time
- Hell In The Club: F.U.B.A.R.
- Kent Hilli: Nothing Left To Lose
Cornerstone: Somewhere in America
Cornerstone: Somewhere in America
AOR/Melodic Rock
3.0/5.0
Atom Records/Cargo Records
Website
Facebook
Twitter
MySpace
by Craig Hartranft, 09.19.2011
Previously, they failed to impress. Cornerstone's 2008 release Head Over Heals nearly put me to sleep with their airy and quiet melodic rock. Capitalizing on some minor success and a tour in America, they return with their second full-length work, the aptly titled, Somewhere In America. Thankfully, having some understanding of their style, I didn't nap through the play of this album.
Give Cornerstone some credit. Against their previous ethereal soft side, they try to up their game by trying to deliver some edgier rock on the opener Stay and the later High and Low. The latter is better. Also, more up tempo, but less heavy, is Like A Stranger. Likely the best track offers some slick musicianship in a tight arrangement; kudos to the guitar solo. Then there's the cute pop rock of Being Unaware, a slippery and sweet number. But mostly Somewhere In America is light rock, suitable for your favorite adult-oriented FM radio station. Breathing for You, Right or Wrong, and the closer Strut define this. (At right: Cornerstone looking tough?)
What's curious, the second time around, is the character of Patricia Hillinger vocals. She's strains at the rock stuff, and impresses on the lighter especially on Breathing for You and Right or Wrong. She has a style that could equally fit pop rock or pop country. This makes me wonder what would happen if Cornerstone visited Nashville and added either peddle steel guitar or fiddle to their sound. I suspect they would then turn into another polished Nashville pop-country clone. But, honestly, I think they should explore this avenue.
Nice, friendly, with a careful edge might summarize Cornerstone's Somewhere in America. This is pleasant music for a white wine adult crowd, with a few rock tunes to make them fill hip. Am I now more impressed with Cornerstone? Not likely, but I get where they're coming from. They can be a dangerous addiction, a guilty indulgence, if you're not careful. Beyond those 'blips' of edgier rock, by comparison to everything else, I still want something more adventurous and vigorous from Cornerstone, but I'm not sure what that is. Nevertheless, I'm sure the same reviewers, magazines, et al, will once again drool over Cornerstone and this work.
Tweet
In Short
Nice, friendly, with a careful edge might summarize Cornerstone's Somewhere in America. This is pleasant music for a white wine adult crowd, with a few rock tunes to make them fill hip.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
Album of the Week
We haven't had a new studio album from Brazil's Angra since prior to the COVID pandemic, 2018's Omni. But the quintet has been busy. In 2021, they released Omni Live in Japan where they have a huge fan base ... [ Read More ]