(Melodic Rock) Sha-Boom - The Race Is On - 2005, APE (image+.cue) lossless

The return of the big bang of Swedish AOR - ShaBoom is out with a new album,the first one in 15 years and goddamn if not the whole AOR genre is on it?s way back also because the party AOR band Wig Wam won the Eurovision song contest in Norway and 2 days after the Swedish rocker Martin Stenmarck won the Swedish contest,Martin was wearing a Journey T-Shirt during a TV appearance in the big Swedish channel TV4.
Journey on the other hand are working with producer Kevin Elson (who produced the classical albums "Escape" and "Frontiers") so the signs are there........it?s cool to be an 80?s rocker again!
Interesting fact about this band is that Martin Stenmarck was the singer in Sha-Boom for a short while in the early 90?s and sang on one single........anyway,
back to Sha-Boom and their comeback album "The race is on",the only original member left is singer Dag Finn even though bassist and ex.member Peo Thyren has helped out with some lyrics - the musicians on this effort are Tommy Denander and Kee Marcello on guitars.
We also find the Europe members Ian Haugland,Mic Michaeli and John Leven contributing on the album as well as singer Thomas Wikstrom on background vocals.
I don?t think that Dag Finn will sell as many as 120.000 copies of this new album that the debut "R.O.C.K" sold but there are lots of candy for the AOR lover on "The race is on" that could?ve been huge hits back in the 80?s.
It?s a different music climate today but hopefully,Dag Finn?s new Sha-Boom album will deliver a few chart climbers here in Sweden to make radio a more pleasant place through this year.
The opening track "Blah blah blah" is a smokin rocker and the mega fat AOR chorus on "Into the fire" is wicked.......getcha ass rockin!!!
Glam,Party and AOR in a huge dose - here?s SHABOOM!
I really rate this album.Thirteen tracks of what seems to have been a blast producing.Every track captures a bit of fun,which is what it's all about,and some stay lodged in the head and won't leave,The Race Is On,Message Of Love and Big Bang being obvious candidates.If you want a feel-good album and don't want to be too critical,this'll do !!!!!!
GOOD CD 85/100 between RETURN/BAM BAM BOYS/EVENRUDE/DA VINCI with a lot of guest very fresh and Obviously essential if you like big sing along chorus SCANDI MELODIC ROCK/HAIR/PARTY/POP METAL
For me this sounds like Mcfly or that other similar band and is a bit to modern for me. Yes this is feel good stuff but is your VERY average hard rock nothing special at all. Tracks 2 my fav, 5 has a Def Leppard sound and feel, 9 sounds like Scorpions and 12 which I like too, has a late 80's feel but just doesn't hit the mark. Defo a none essential for true 80's fan like the usual stuff, remember it's 2005 so if your into your rock past 1998 this is for you...me i'll stick to the stuff im into...KEEP ROCKIN 80's STYLE ALL!!!
Very good album. Awesome. Just hear "The Race Is On", "Message Of Love" and "This Is My Life", the best tracks on the album. This is waht melodies and harmonies are all about. Another Gem. Thanx Dag Finn.

Personnel
Dag Finn Vocals
Tommy Denander Guitars, Keyboards, Producer
Kee Marcello Guitar
Steiner Hagen Guitar
Jonas Karlberg Guitar
Bo Reimer Guitar
Sayit Dolen Guitar
John Leven Bass
Marcel Jacob Bass
Joel Starander Bass
EZ Gomer Bass
Mic Michaeli Keyboards
Jorgen Ingestrom Keyboards
Ulf Steneberg Keyboards
Dan Helgesen Keyboards
Ian Haugland Drums
Christian Ekwall Drums
Daniel Flores Drums
Anders Borjesson Drums
Thomas Vikstrom Backing Vocals