Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Houston
Label: Cargo Records
Release: 2013
Duration: 45:23
Rating: 4.5/5
Houston are one of the Swedish AOR / Melodic Rock revivalists who, with their self-titled studio debut successfully hopped on the train of northern European bands making sure AOR doesn’t get forgotten by accident in 2013, let alone in the new millennium. Let’s be honest. Houston are weighed down by genericness, no doubt about that. Still, the 2010 debut clearly and unmistakably showed that the project had the potential to deliver more down the road.
So even before 2011 was out, Houston released the EP »Relaunch«. It made the fans who’d been won over by the debut especially happy, but otherwise it didn’t deliver anything notably special or brilliantly insightful. In an expressive sense, that is. The new studio album, simply called »II.«, is kneaded from a completely different dough. With it, Houston have officially grown into a trio, too. Vocalist Hampus Hank Erix and drummer Freddie Allen took Ricky Delin into the fold and made him keyboardist and backing vocalist. Delin is a seasoned sound engineer who has worked with plenty of top-notch musicians over the years, but he’s best known for his work in Radioactive and Prisoner, where he and the splendid guitar wizard Tommy Denadner crafted some outstanding AOR anthems.
»II.« is a leap to a decidedly higher level compared to the debut! Though still a project, on the new album Houston feel like a highly cohesive band with a clearly crafted vision. They invited a whole galaxy of masters into the studio to play the key instruments in the arrangements and add color to the lead vocals, especially the chorus melodies. The writing of the basic arrangements was mostly handled by Allen and Delin, who this time around delivered some truly tantalizingly memorable AOR anthems! The production is top-notch. Alive. Richly contrasted. It grabs your ears instantly!
First among them is Glory. The album opener, in other words. It answers every question. Yes. »II.« beats the debut across the board. The production is even more intense in how it colors the sonic landscapes, the sound is warmer still, and the warm, active bass line stands out much better in the mix. And the vocal harmonies have definitely been refined further. You can feel that Houston, beefed up with Delin, have become a truly mighty fortress that you can no longer overlook on today’s international melodic rock scene. The combo of the riff and the typical engraved blanket of eighties synth sound, weighed down by the occasional use of a vocoder that adds an extra veil of »pizzazz« to the vocal harmonies, works even more effectively and more convincingly than it did on the 2010 debut.
Ten songs, ten polished, perfectly finished and clearly defined entities. From head to toe. They all carry the trademarks of studio perfection from the famed Scandinavian school. Right after the opener Glory, I’m Coming Home confirms it. The atmospheric crescendo is once again effectively captured in a vivid chorus melody, and that carries on later in the album with the chorus of the Survivor-flavored Return My Heart. It’s one of the album’s strongest choruses and clearly signals (in the extended instrumental outro) that with »II.« Houston are getting close to the perfection of a band like Work Of Art. The quality of these traits doesn’t let up as the album goes on. The dynamic flow of events is kept alive by the many colors of the lead ideas.
Even though Houston don’t deliver anything new or unheard, with this album they’ve stepped up from everyday mediocrity into the ranks of masters of top-notch replication. »II.« is an AOR »par excellence« album! Produced and arranged at a truly high level, it’s one of the best achievements in melodic rock releases this year. Heard it before, but repackaged and served up again in the best possible manner!
Later on in the album too, as Talk To Me rolls in, then especially 24. Hours and On the Radio, which keep up an exceptional pomp of highly vibrant atmosphere through superbly polished chorus melodies, »II.« works triumphantly. And that’s not all. Here comes Losing! It’s the most wound-up song, with a real drama moment in its hypnotically infectious new chorus, and as such it delivers yet another highlight of the new Houston album. Back to the Summer of Love and Just Friends are a touch predictable, sure, but in the grand scheme of things they in no way spoil the great merits of this release.
Honestly and straight up, this is an album that all lovers of AOR music and the melodic rock revival of the orthodox Scandinavian school simply have to check out. »II.« is the album with which Houston have signed up among the acts you should take dead seriously from now on, because they’re entering the league of those masters who currently set the very peak of quality in the modern AOR/melodic rock revival! I’ll say it again – one of the best AOR releases this year!
Lineup
Hank Erix – vocals, backing vocals
Ricky Delin – keyboards, backing vocals
Freddie Allen – drums
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Soufian Ma’aoui – bass guitar
Tommy Denander – guitar
Calle Hammer – guitar, keyboards
Jay Cutter – keyboards on the intro sound loop
Minnah Karlsson – vocal duets
Victor Lundberg – backing vocals
Kristoffer Lagerstrom – backing vocals
Geir Ronning – backing vocals
Jessa Slatter – backing vocals
Catharina Lindqvist – voice / spoken word
Production
Houston
Track list
1. Glory
2. I’m Coming Home
3. Return My Heart
4. Talk To Me
5. Back To The Summer Of Love
6. 24 Hours
7. On The Radio
8. Losing
9. Just Friends
10. Believe
