Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: FM
Label: Membran
Released: 2013
Runtime: 51:08
Rating: 5/5
FM are legendary British AOR heavyweights enjoying a second spring. Unlike the Scots Strangeways, who just can’t seem to get back on their feet with their new releases, FM knocked out an excellent comeback album in 2010 called »Metropolis«. And with the new album »Rockville«, there’s no end in sight to that beautiful story! The first »Rockville« album, that is. The first? Yep, really. In March 2013, FM put out not one but two albums, 14 days apart. »Rockville« is the first, released on March 11, 2013, with »Rockville II« following 14 days later. It was originally meant to be a double album, but FM decided to split it into two separate releases.
FM are bursting at the seams with fresh ideas. The main engine and driving force of the band is without a doubt vocalist Steve Overland. The man is always busy. Even back when FM were more or less dormant, Overland was handling vocals for Shadowman and The Ladder, put out two solo studio albums, and in 2000 kicked off the short-lived project So! with FM drummer Pete Jupp. That creativity of Steve Overland’s spills over into the creative chemistry of the new FM.
The new FM sound like FM, of course! At the same time, as they’ve matured, they’ve soaked up influences from those Steve Overland side activities, though first and foremost they still sound like FM. The uniqueness of Steve Overland’s vocal delivery is a game-changer for any musical body this singer finds himself in. So the recognizable core of FM’s musical essence is right here. And the young AOR imitators can once again only learn from them! The riff voltage is perfected, calibrated to just the right strength within the sound picture, and in the background the keyboards, with the warmth of that Hammond sound, creep in more and more often, effectively keeping the riff-driven erection of the guitar playing going. FM are aging like fine old wine. And they know how to dose an album with strong waves of shifting moods that set off goosebumps at the atmospheric peaks.
The song »Only Foolin’« is a prime example of an FM hit written for new times. It carries the typical essence of the way the eighties’ AOR firebrands used to build songs. A cowbell is cleverly slipped in alongside, adding chunky power to the rhythms, and the link between verse and chorus is outstanding! They’re joined by a pre-chorus that teases the listener step by step and effectively leads them into the crescendo of the triumphant chorus melody. »Only Foolin’«? You can’t get more FM than this. A »bomb« of a track. A track that should have been an evergreen radio hit, had FM come out with it in the eighties. The airwaves could be full of it today too, but of course that won’t happen. The eighties are over. The power of the riff, paired with the soulful delivery of the exceptional Steve Overland and a proper pinch of pop rhetoric. Everything is subordinated to finding the perfect payoff in how the melody plays out. Not to mention the erogenous ear massage of Jim Kirkpatrick’s fascinating solo spot. »Only Foolin’« actually came out last year on the EP of the same name. It was a mix of new material (three new songs) and live recordings. FM are very active live again, especially in the British Isles. With a bit of luck, some of you caught them at Sweden Rock festival two years ago.
Bombast is not lacking on this album for even a moment. It flows exceptionally well, and it’s an exceptional optimization of how to define seductive lead motifs that get under your skin »on first listen«. Fans of the classic AOR formula will enjoy the full payout. Def Leppard can only dream today of the kind of AOR songwriting brilliance that FM have in the pinky of their left hand. If we’re looking for another track as hard to resist as »Only Foolin’«, further into the album it’s definitely »Show Me The Way«. It’s a somewhat restrained but deeply felt, half-ballad masterpiece, where FM’s exceptional songwriting power (at a mature age) is shown off once more. The kind of song you can’t take anything away from and can’t add anything to.
Even though Def Leppard and FM are light-years apart, it’s FM, with their current activity, who are an extremely welcome reborn classic lineup enjoying a new spring, filling the gap on the AOR scene that Def Leppard are unable to fill. Whether they won’t or can’t – you inconsolable ones, just bury all hope right now. FM are effectively patching that hole for you today. »My Love Bleeds« features a transition built from multi-harmonic vocal doubling – it subtly adorns Overland’s main lead vocal and adds extra movement to the album’s drama moment. FM master this element of song arrangement as well and as seductively as Def Leppard did in their best days. Sure, these harmonies are very “FM”, but they still strongly recall the arranging principles of Def Leppard’s golden era. So in »Rockville«, those of you who’ve been waiting an eternity for a “normal” Def Leppard album will definitely find a partial band-aid.
It’s incredible where this band draws such a refined sense for writing songs that ignite at maximum in what they express. The message, the lead melody, and how it develops in harmony with the vocal lines, it’s all put together so that it reinforces itself, which makes the feelings that much more intense! »Rockville« is full of melodies that hit instantly. A radio-friendly vibe, a perfect dose of rock, pomp, and a pinch of pop music. With a lively, dynamic production. And that incredible chemistry doesn’t let up for a second over the course of the album. Anthem after anthem of pure AOR magic. It demands only one thing. That you give yourself over to it completely and let it carry you away! »Rockville« is an album of total brilliance that will give those receptive to AOR music goosebumps for a long, long time after they add it to their CD collection. And heads up. This is only the first »Rockville« album. »Rockvile II« is next, but more on that next time! So the excellent predecessor »Metropolis« wasn’t just a one-off swallow. The follow-up album, called »Rockville«, really does bring FM a new spring!
Lineup
Steve Overland – vocals, guitar
Jim Kirkpatrick – guitar, backing vocals
Jem Davis – keyboards
Merv Goldsworthy – bass guitar, backing vocals
Pete Jupp – drums, backing vocals
Production
FM
Tracklist
01 Tough Love
02 Wake Up The World.
03 Only Foolin’
04 Crave
05 Show Me The Way
06 My Love Bleeds
07 Story Of My Life
08 Better Late Than Never
09 Crosstown Train
10 Goodbye Yesterday
11 High Cost Of Loving
