CD REVIEW: ANGELICA – Thrive

Label: AFM Records

Release Date: December 3, 2013

Rating: 9.5/10

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

AFM seems to be knocking everything out of the park lately, and the latest release from Angelia Rylin further proves the point.  This vibrant vocalist steps out on her own and kills it on these twelve melodic rock gems.  Don’t worry, she still has plenty left for fans of The Murder Of My Sweet.  The disc opens with “Breaking My Heart” and there is no turning back until the final notes of “Take Me To Your Heart,” which features a perfect blend of vocals, guitars, and keyboards.  The album kicks into high gear on the guitar and vocal driven track “I Am Strong.”  This is one of the better rockers on the disc and helps separate this from other melodic/symphonic discs out there today.  Angelica demonstrates the strength and range of her voice on this track and others like “Riding Out The Storm” and “You Will Never Win.”  Other tracks like “To Your Rescue” and “Rain On My Parade” are gems that really draw the vocals and guitars together.  The solo on the former track really stands out and accentuates Angelica’s voice, while the latter is given depth by the strength of the rhythm section.  “I’m Not Waiting” features some cool drums and bass lines that keep the song moving nicely without being overpowered by a bottom end.  The different players really come together in the mix and allow this song to flourish.

The keyboard driven rocker “This Kiss Is Just For You” proves once again that great rock doesn’t have to be all pings and squeals.  The way Angelica seems to weave her vocals with the keys give this track a cool vibe and allows her to flex her range a bit.  All great AOR and melodic discs need to slow the pace down a bit without creating pockets of ballads.  “Can’t Stop Love” helps provide that song that isn’t a guitar driven track without being a sappy love song that gets lost in the shuffle.  The keyboards on this track, as well as “Nothing Else You Can Break,” become one with the rest of the instruments to keep the track lively.  “Losers In Paradise” are the stereotypical AOR ballad, but Angelica pulls it off without if sounding cliche and overdone.  Don’t just check this release out – do yourself a solid and pick up anything and everything that Angelica has put her vocals on.  This woman can sing and I for one cannot wait to see what she does next!!!

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Category: CD Reviews