Secret Smile: This Is Our Time Now

Secret Smile are a melodic rock/power pop band from Connecticut and have been around since the late 80s. They have toured with many notable melodic rock bands including Patty Smyth and Scandal, Dokken, Winger, Foreigner, Meatloaf, Jefferson Starship and many others. After a break of five years and the subsequent release Hurry Up And Wait in 2005, the band enjoyed a renewed vigor which brings us to their fifth CD This Is Our Time Now, a project two years in the making.

In the band are TJ Gabriele (lead and background vocals), Scott Wilson (guitars), Ken Barberio (lead and acoustic guitars, keyboards), Todd Wilson (bass) and Bobby Ventresca (drums and percussion). These guys are music veterans and have produced a very listenable melodic rock CD. Perhaps the band's greatest attribute is their ability to write highly melodic and catchy songs. Do not expect extravagant displays of virtuoso musicianship because that is not what this band is about. What you will get are highly infectious songs with plenty of big choruses, melodic guitar riffs, well placed keyboard accents and excellent vocal arrangements, making this band ideally suited for American radio.

Personal favourites include the ultra melodic title track and the power pop of "I'm On My Way", with its tuneful acoustic strumming, catchy guitar riffs and big vocal arrangement which strangely reminded me of BOC's "Debbie Denise". The keyboard intro to "Heaven Only Knows" is pretty cool and with background harmonies and guitar riffage reminiscent of Def Leppard, this one would make an excellent single. For those of you who appreciate a good power ballad, "Not My Heartache (Anymore)" should fit the bill nicely.

Although there is quite a similarity between the songs, Secret Smile are very good at what they do and that is making finely crafted melodic rock that is sure to appeal to fans of the genre. If you appreciate hook laden music with melodies aplenty, you should like Secret Smile. As the title suggests this may in fact be their time. Only time will tell.

Track Listing:
1. This Is Our Time Now
2. I Believe In You
3. Wasn't Meant To Be
4. Don't Want To
5. We're Sticking Around
6. I'm On My Way
7. Heaven Only Knows
8. We Ended Up Okay
9. The Hardest Part
10. Common Ground
11. Not My Heartache (Anymore)
12. All Of The Things I Ever Needed

Added: March 20th 2010
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band's MySpace Page
Hits: 2504
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]