Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Andreas NOVAK: "NoVakation"


Rating: 8/10

Label: MelodicRock Records 2011

Review by Kimmo Toivonen

Former Mind's Eye and current House Of Shakira vocalist Andreas Novak has been working on this album since 2009 I believe, and now it's finally in the stores. Novak's first album "Forever Endavour" was favourably reviewed by us, yet I've personally managed to miss it completely. A mistake soon to be corrected, because I'm quite impressed by this album and Mr. Novak's talent as a songwriter and singer.

Danny Bowes of Thunder, Europe's Joey Tempest, Glenn Hughes. Those are some of the vocalists who Andreas Novak's style and voice remind me of. When it comes to the music style, I'd say that what's on offer here is classic AOR with aa touch of the bluesy rocking style of Thunder and Glenn Hughes' various projects. Everything's superbly played and sung, and when Novak hits the bullseye with his songwriting, he's frighteningly good.

The best tracks of the album for me are the perfect on-the-road song "Highway To Anywhere" (with some cool Journey'isms embedded in there), the fantastic "The New Hope" and a fine version of "Yesterday's Rain", previously recorded by the Harry Hess-fronted project First Signal. I'll go on record saying that Novak's version is better.

On the second half of the album there are a few songs that seem to just float by, hence the rating. Otherwise it's all good, and Novak's vocals are excellent. I'm looking forward to the next House Of Shakira album, with his songwriting input and vocals it really cannot be anything other than good!

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