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 2024
- Voodoo Circle: Hail To The King
- Lionville: Supernatural
- Starchaser: Into The Great Unkown
- Empires Of Eden: Guardians Of Time
- Lonerider: Down In The Dust
- Seventh Crystal: Entity
- Neal Morse & The Resonance: No Hill For A Climber
- Beardfish: Songs For Beating Hearts
- Impellitteri: War Machine
- Brothers Of Metal: Fimbulvinter
October 2024
- Casandra's Crossing: Garden Of Earthly Delights
- DGM: Endless
- Daytona: Garder la Flamme
- Fate: Reconnect 'N Ignite
- Frost*: Life In The Wires
- Aries Descendant: From The Ashes Of Deceit
- Fans Of The Dark: Video
- Radioactive: Reset
- House Of Lords: Full Tilt Overdrive
- Cleanbreak: We Are The Fire
September 2024
- Sinner's Blood: Dark Horizons
- Serious Black: Rise Of Akhenaton
- Eclipse: Megalomanium II
- SteelCity: Reverence
- Hydra: ReHydrated
- Heartwind: III
- Gabrielle De Val and the Dragonlords: Tiger
- Find Me: Nightbound
- The Nail: The Nail
- Timeless Fairytale: A Story To Tell
- Stryper: When We Were Kings
- Phil Mogg: Moggs Motel
- Pure Reason Revolution: Coming Up To Consciousness
- Jordan Rudess: Permission To Fly
August 2024
- Siege Perilous: Creation's Call EP
- Paralydium: Universe Calls
- Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion Vol. II
- Bite The Bullet: Looking For Paradise
- All For Metal: Gods Of Metal (Year Of The Dragon)
- Hammerfall: Avenge The Fallen
- Jim Peterik & World Stage: Roots & Shoots Vol. 2
Houston: II
Houston: II
AOR/Melodic Rock
4.0/5.0
Facebook
Livewire Records / Cargo Records
by Craig Hartranft, 08.22.2013
How does Houston follow up one of the most popular and well-received AOR melodic rock albums of 2010? Serve up more of the same. Their debut raised eyebrows and tickled ears three years ago. Their second effort, simply II, will likely do the same.
Houston: not in Texas.
Once more it's Eighties AOR melodic rock deja vu. The emphasis is upon strong melody and harmony, from vocal arrangements to sparkling keyboards to stirring guitar lines and leads. It's a formula that Hank Erix (v), Freddie Allen (d) and new member Ricky Delin (k) along with talents like guitarist Tommy Denander know well and so craft good songs. Actually, if he's providing all the leads here, Denander's presence is perhaps the strongest feature here. But that's not saying much considering there's hardly a weak link anywhere between musicianship and composition. The real question may be this: how does doing the same still stay fresh rather than redundant? With something like Glory and Return My Heart, which are saved by the guitar work, it slips more towards the latter. But they are still very good songs within a collection of strong songs. Alternatively, I'm Coming Home (listen below), Talk to Me, 24 Hours, Losing, and the closer Believe leap from your speakers with unexpected liveliness saying the final chapter hasn't been written on classic AOR melodic rock. But, as said before, that's what Houston does best, and with agility and creativity. If you liked the debut, you'll certain dig debut part two. Recommended.
Houston - I'm Coming Home
Tweet
Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.
In Short
If you liked Houston's debut, then you'll dig the debut part II. Solid and classic AOR melodic rock.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
New & Notable
eviewing my archives, I was pleased to find that I have had the privilege to review every Lionville since their self-titled debut in 2011. Formed by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in ... [ Read More ]