Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Dalton
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2014
Runtime: 42:23
Rating: 4/5
In the late eighties, Dalton, along with Treat and Europe, were a band everybody in Sweden knew. They had a huge live following, great media exposure, popped up on TV shows and served up a string of radio hits. Like plenty of similar eighties bands, Dalton were swept off the scene by the rise of grunge (in the early nineties). 25 years after their debut »The Race Is On««, the original Dalton lineup got together again, and the band’s reunion was even filmed for a special Swedish TV show. Intense rehearsals and prep followed for a gig where Dalton played in front of German hard rock veterans The Scorpions. Inspired and bursting with fresh creative energy, they started polishing up some old demos and adding new ideas on top. The result is a new album with eleven tracks, made under the watchful eye of producer Erik Mårtensson (Eclipse, W.E.T.).
Bandleader and drummer Mats Dahlberg, a former Treat member who’s also to blame for the band’s name (it comes from his nickname), has delivered with his crew a sequel to the studio debut, a seriously refreshed and upgraded new chapter in the band’s history as far as production goes. Martensson is simply an ace and, as a perfectionist, knows how to squeeze the creative maximum out of the band he works with as producer and idea catalyst in the studio. The songs took a long time to come together, are meticulously polished compositionally, and above all lean stylistically toward the »party time« vibe that’s being cultivated in full force by newer Scandinavian acts like Martensson’s »protégés« Adrenaline Rush, and Crazy Lixx too. Songs with clearly built verses and singable, melodically sharpened choruses carry a positive attitude throughout, and vocalist Bo Lindmark, with his cheeky, roguish yet polished delivery, grabs most of the attention on the album. The band is »vaccinated« with Scandinavian melodic catchiness, and in that Dalton are simply another set of masters who effectively distill the essence of past work in Scandinavian hard rock and melodic rock and, with deft packaging through their own musical lens, serve it up to the crowd again. Tailored to their own musical recipe for the album »Pit Stop«.
The songs may seem predictable and familiar, but armed with a »mighty« production and heartfelt Viking dedication and commitment in the execution, they win you over completely, so it’s hard to accuse the band of stereotyping, even though they’re a textbook example of Scandinavian melodic rock. But there’s zero, or almost zero, of that typical Scandinavian melancholy, which is entirely replaced here by the positivity of the »party time« vibe. You can feel that Dalton are representatives of the old eighties school. Some songs draw inspiration from elements of blues rock and the classic rock ‘n’ roll school. Dropping in a few spots with a rustic bluesy feel (especially the guitar solos) works superbly in loosening up the material and is a welcome boost to the album’s dynamic »flow«.
In closing, it’s fair to say that Dalton have completed their mission with flying colors. A credible comeback! With the excellent album »Pit Stop«, which reflects the newfound creative zeal and drive of comeback kids, it’s easy to believe that Dalton, who are now under the safe wing of the patrons at Italian label Frontiers Records, will soon record a studio follow-up to »Pit Stop« too.
Lineup
Bo Lindmark – vocals
Leif Westfahl – guitar, backing vocals
Ola Lindstrom – keyboards, backing vocals
Anders Lindmark – bass guitar, backing vocals
Mats Dahlberg – drums, backing vocals
Production
Erik Mårtensson
Track list
1. Ready Or Not
2. Hey You
3. Don’t Tell Me Lies
4. Follow Your Dreams
5. Up & Down
6. Bad Love
7. One Voice
8. Here We Are
9. Something For The Pain
10. 50/50
11. TGIF
