MelodicRock.com Reviews


GOTTHARD
HOMERUN
BMG 7432179479-2
Produced by: Von Rohr & Leo Leoni
Released: OUT / Website
Closest Relative: Bon Jovi, Paul Laine
GENRE: Hard Rock
OVERALL: 88%

  1. Wun Ga-Li
  2. Everything Can Change
  3. Take It Easy
  4. Light In Your Eyes
  5. Heaven
  6. Lonely People
  7. Eagle
  8. End Of Time
  9. Say Goodbye
  10. Reason To Live
  11. Come Along
  12. Homerun

Gotthard have matured over the last few years and seem to have cleverly lined themselves up as the European equivalent of Bon Jovi.
They have gone from the harder rocking roots of their first two albums to this, their 6th album, a more mature, refined and laid back dose of good melodic rock.
In many ways, this is their own version of Bon Jovi's These Days or even Crush.
In other words, a step up to appeal to a broader and aging audience. Whether it works is down to personal taste. As with Bon Jovi there are those that love everything they do, and others who long for the glory days of their early harder rocking albums.
The fact is, this is a very good, but very smooth rock record. There are anthem moments, but they are interspaced with mid tempo numbers and half a dozen mellower moments.
The style in places reminds me of the softer moments of Paul Laine's solo work, especially with the rasp in Steve lee's vocals.
The opening number Everything Can Change is the big rock anthem of the album and a great track at that. It's followed by another rocker - a cover of Andy Taylor's hit anthem Take It Easy. It's a good cover, but the accent and translation of the song doesn't quite make it as cool as the original. But at least someone recognizes what a melodic rock God Andy Taylor is!!
The Bon Jovi comparisons are clear with Light In Your Eyes featuring some Richie Sambora / Slippery When Wet inspired vocal/guitar effect and continue on End Of Time taking up a Keep The Faith type rhythm.
Elsewhere, big ballads like Heaven and the following acoustic ballad Lonely People are of high songwriting and production quality.
They are followed by some moody mid tempo rockers and another good ballad Reason To Live. The album ends with the cool mid tempo anthem Homerun. A little cheesy in the lyric, but a cool track.
BOTTOM LINE: A more mature sound to compliment their matured approach and the more laid back nature of the album. The production quality is superb and a pleasure to listen to. The guys do their best American FM rock sound, yet their is still thoroughly European. A good rock album that maybe could have been better with a few punchier numbers, but for fans of the smoother side, this is highly recommended.
The album features some of the better production work I have heard in recent times.
PRODUCTION: 93% SONGS: 85% VIBE: 78%ATTITUDE: 85%
ESSENTIAL FOR: Established fans of the band and fans of the softer more mature side of Bon Jovi & Paul Laine
DISCOGRAPHY:Gotthard . Dial Hard . G . Defrosted . Open . Homerun



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