My first exposure to Lionville was with their 2011 self-titled release, and I found it to be a nearly flawless collection of '80s styled melodic rock/AOR songs that brought to mind classic acts such as Toto, Journey, Asia, Giant, Boulevard, Bad English, and the like. Well, the band have a brand new Frontiers Records release, titled A World of Fools and the formula thankfully hasn't changed much, the band delivering 11 tracks brimming with instantly memorable hooks, strong vocals, crisp guitar work, and majestic keyboards. The current line-up of Lionville consists of Stefano Lionetti (Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards), Lars Säfsund (Lead & Backing vocals), Michele Cusato (Guitars), Giulio Dagnino (Bass), and
Martino Malacrida (Drums).
Opener "I Will Wait" grabs the listener immediately and doesn't let go, the band rocking pretty hard actually and tossing in some cool prog-rock styled trade-offs between guitar and keyboards, while "Show Me the Love" and "Bring Me Back Our Love" offer some cliched lyrics but stellar vocals from Säfsund, who is one hell of a singer and delivers the catchy melodies in a big way. "Heaven is Right Here" and "One More Night" would have both been sure bets for MTV video coverage back in the mid '80s, power ballads that deliver the right amount of hooks, while the blistering guitar licks and layers of powerful vocals drive the energetic title track into stellar melodic hard rock territory. "All I Want" could have easily been a lost track from a Journey or Bad English album thanks to its soaring arena rock melodies and big guitar riffs, and "Paradise" blends in even more keyboards for what is ultimately a wonderful rocker with hooks that just stick in your head from the very first listen.
For '80s styled melodic rock delivered here in the modern age, it just doesn't get much better than the music that Lionville are cranking out. Instantly memorable melodies, big fat production values, strong vocals, and stellar musicianship brings all of this together, resulting in A World of Fools being a highly entertaining album, and another winner from the folks at Frontiers Records. Recommended.
TracK Listing
01.I Will Wait
02.Show me the Love
03.Bring Me Back Our Love
04.Heaven Is Right Here
05.A World of Fools
06.One More Night
07.All I Want
08.Livin' On the Edge
09.Our Good Goodbye
10.Paradise
11.Image of Your Soul
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