Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Kee Of Hearts
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2017
Runtime: 45:13
Rating: 4/5
Kee Of Hearts is yet another musical story with the Italian label Frontiers Records behind it. The »quirky« name of this freshly formed act comes from mashing together two stage names: Kee Marcello and Tommy Heart. That is, the former Europe guitarist and the singer of German hard rockers Fair Warning. Two guys who have tasted quite a bit of commercial glory in their careers, even if, hand on heart, Heart did so only in Japan.
Last year Marcello put out his fourth studio album, »Scalling Up«, which is a really solid, quality effort. What it lacks is the right lead vocalist, a proper singer. Marcello, who has always loved to sing, simply decided to use his own voice, which, hand on heart, is questionable when it comes to flawless execution. The other hole is of course that there are too many tracks on the album, so the quality wobbles here and there. Well, with Kee of Hearts Marcello has actually landed on an album where his guitar is paired the whole way through with excellent vocal execution, courtesy of the seasoned, routine-hardened Tommy Heart, which means the songs on »Kee of Hearts« work with total confidence. This German-Swedish alliance of two stars is rounded out by bassist Ken Sandin, who once played for the Swedes Alien, and Italian drummer Marco Di Salvia, who otherwise holds down the job in Pino Scotto’s band.
Since the band is really a Frontiers Records project, lurking in the background (or the foreground, whichever you prefer) once again is multi-tasker Alessandro Del Vecchio, who produced the album, shaped the arrangements and signed on once more as the main songwriter. Given his experience, talent, know-how and, last but not least, the routine he’s built up over years of working with all sorts of musicians, Del Vecchio did his job with flying colors this time too. The songs follow, as expected, the musical format of rock crossed with eighties pop, which means we’re talking about a nostalgic product leaning firmly on the AOR days. It’s a recipe Del Vecchio has used countless times, drawing inspiration mostly from bands of the American west coast AOR scene (Journey, Survivor, Night Ranger,…). »Kee of Hearts«, though, sounds European, since that’s the outline breathed into it mainly by Marcello and Heart, each with their own expressive »folklore«, and noticeably so, in what’s an ignition-ready combination of Scandinavian perfectionism and German »hardness«.
Everything here is in its place. The recipe is once again skillfully repackaged and will surely be a joy for fans of melodic rock and AOR to listen to. The songs stand tight and the album doesn’t drop in quality over its whole runtime. Catchy melodies, superb soloing from Marcello, and Heart’s distinctive, commanding vocals, delivering another brilliant vocal performance. The sound is polished. In short, one of the better European achievements in melodic rock this year.
Kee Of Hearts – A New Dimension (official video):
Lineup
Tommy Heart – vocals
Kee Marcello – guitar
Alessandro Del Vecchio – keyboards, backing vocals
Ken Sandin – bass guitar
Marco Di Salvia – drums
Production
Alessandro Del Vecchio
Track list
- The Storm
- A New Dimension
- Crimson Dawn
- Bridge To Heaven
- Stranded
- Mama Don’t Cry
- Invincible
- S.O.S.
- Edge Of Paradise
- Twist Of Fate
- Learn To Love Again
