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Navarro; Max: Hard Times

The third album from Italian-Canadian Max Navarro, Hard Times, is an unashamedly confident nod to the eighties, touching on melodic rock, Americana and AOR to produce an album that reminds of everyone from Dire Straits and Fleetwood Mac to Don Henley, Tom Petty and the more commercial days of John Cougar Mellencamp. The melodies that tie the album together are neat and strong and the bright and breezy outlook is one to be admired. However nothing quite 100% comes off and while the bouncy "Cryin'", which is indeed cryin' out for a strong female voice to give it that Fleetwood Mac clout, or the Tom Petty like melody of "The Wrong Side" - it also borrows a Petty "Face In The Crowd" and "Free Fallin'" like lyric - are nice little blasts of acoustic strumming with tight choruses, they end up being rather forgettable.

Navarro himself handles all of the vocals and whilst it may sound harsh, at times he is actually the link that lets otherwise decent songs down. There's nothing wrong with his voice, but disappointingly it just fails to grab you in the same way that it also just fails to make the most out of the top notes that should make these songs come alive. Oddly the theme of talent not quite being used in the right way shines through in the drumming as well, with Simone Morrettin proving to be an adept skin-smith, but some of the ultra fast fills are just too technical and convoluted for the easy-ozy music it is meant to be backing. That said, if smart melodies and low maintenance rock that verges into pop from time to time sounds like your cup of tea, then there's no reason why the busy, yet catchy "Nothing Guaranteed", or stomping beat of "Poison Girl" won't help you while away a half hour or so. Even if the hooks aren't quite as sharp after a few listens as they initially appeared.

There's much to like about Hard Times, although not quite enough to love. However if you hanker after the days when Don Henley only had to sneeze to score a top ten hit, or a smart swish of Stevie Nicks' shawl sent hearts aflutter, then Max Navarro could be exactly what you are looking for. Just don't expect him to blow your socks off.


Track Listing
1. You Can Rely On Me
2. Out Of Bounds
3. The Wrong Side
4. Nothing's Guaranteed
5. Cryin'
6. Winter In Chicago
7. Beyond The Silence
8. Poison Girl
9. End Of The Universe

Added: September 2nd 2012
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Max Navarro Online
Hits: 2197
Language: english

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