Recent Reviews

November 2024

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

[ More Music Reviews ]


Unruly Child: Big Blue World
Unruly Child - Big Blue World Music Review

Unruly Child: Big Blue World

Melodic Rock/AOR
4.5/5.0

Facebook Twitter
Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 07.08.2019 | Released: 09.08.2019

Since their resurecction in 2009 by reuniting with original vocalist Marcie Free, Unruly Child has been rather consistent in their musical output. Since 2010, they've dropped four albums beginning with 2010's Worlds Collide, and now arriving with Big Blue World, once more for Frontiers Records.

Unruly Child - Click For Larger Image

Unruly Child

For the sake of brevity, and if you're not familiar with the band, Unruly Child plays classic melodic rock wrapped in an arena and radio friendly package. Their songs are high on melody and harmony, particularly in the vocal and guitar arrangements. Free remains a powerful vocalist singer, not only melodic, but with passion and soulfulness not often found in today's music. After these thing, you'll find Bruce Gowdy's guitar riffs embellishing the song harmony and melody with his solos both complimentary and soaring. Underneath and surrounding Gowdy and Free, you'll discover Guy Allison accenting and flavoring the songs with his keyboard play. Not the least of his contributions is the Hammond soul that undergirds the song, Are These Words Enough.

Turning to some other songs, listeners and faithful fans might find some tunes here to edge more towards melodic hard rock. While sweetened by the vocal arrangements, Living In Someone Else's Dream, All Over The World, The Harder They Fall, and Down And Dirty rock a bit stronger. Alternatively, Beneath A Steady Rain offers a ballad, featuring a fine Allison piano line and melody with Free sounding emotional and passionate. Then a song like Breaking The Chains revisits Unruly Child's AOR roots with acoustic guitar, voice, and soaring guitar lines delivering an arena anthem. All said, Unruly Child's Big Blue World is another fine and entertaining album of their signature AOR melodic rock. But what else would you expect? Easily recommended.


Another Dangerdog Review
Nocturne Wulf 2019 Debut Album Music Review

Nocturne Wulf: Nocturne Wulf

Heavy/Speed/Thrash Metal
4.5/5.0

Hailing from Glasgow, Nocturne Wulf is a new metal band taking the Scottish highlands and the English countryside by storm. Formed a mere three years ago, the band ... [ Read More ]


CraigHartranft.net - New fiction, crime fiction by Craig Hartranft

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

The Bottom Line

Unruly Child's Big Blue World is another fine and entertaining album of their signature AOR melodic rock. But what else would you expect? Easily recommended.

Find A Review

Alphabetical Index

a b c d e f g h i j
k l m n o p q r s t
u v w x y z #
New & Notable
Read the Lionville: Supernatural Album Review

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 ]