Review by Andy Hawes for MPM
Chez Kane’s 2021 solo debut was one of the AOR/Melodic Rock highlights of the year, being chock-full of banging tracks full of melody, energy and power.
Now in 2022 Ms Kane returns with her second album and she has wisely reconnected with multi-instrumentalist and Crazy Lixx vocalist Danny Rexon for this new one entitled Powerzone.
Danny Rexon is clearly a very talented man, as he plays all the instruments on this album, with the only other player being saxophonist Jesse Molloy. Rexon produces it as well. I wouldn’t be surprised if he writes the songs too, but my review copy doesn’t tell me that.
So, what does it sound like? Well, if, like me, you loved the debut album, then you’ll be delighted to hear that this is more of the same; the promo material stating that ‘Powerzone takes that formula and makes it bigger, better and bolder.’ A bold claim indeed, so how true is it?
The album opens with the first single ‘I Just Want You’ and straight away we are reminded of what a fine voice Ms Kane possesses on a mightily bombastic slice of Melodic Rock with a proper ‘kitchen sink’ 80s style production.
There’s a lot layered into this, with the Meatloaf-esque orchestrated backing vocals being particularly fine behind the rather excellent chorus and playout. It’s a very fine track, but I’m a little surprised that it’s the opener, as it’s rather more mid-tempo.
However, the tempo rises for second single, the utterly stunning ‘(The Things We Do) When We’re Young In Love’ which manages to combine elements of classic Bryan Adams, Hysteria-era Def Leppard and classic female-fronted acts such as Witness, Vixen, etc. This is a truly colossal slab of AOR/Melodic Rock and no mistake. Hugely melodic and with a gazillion layers in the production (which oddly still seems to breathe rather well) it’s everything fans of the genre would ever want. And yes, it does bring to mind those halcyon days of our youth when we were all ‘young in love’… Sigh… Aah…the memories!!
Anyway, having gotten us all nostalgic for days gone by, the Rexon/Kane hit machine then bombards us with the delicious slice of Def Leppard-esque cheese that is ‘Rock You Up.’ Throwaway lyric it might be, but by golly what a ridiculously feel-good track this is.
Rexon has certainly channelled his inner Mutt Lange for this good time slice of pure fun. If this doesn’t have you grinning like an idiot and punching the air along to the total cheese-fest of a chorus then you should probably get out more! Utterly marvellous!
‘Love Gone Wild’ is up next and continues the theme of hugely anthemic Melodic Rock. This, the third single release from the album, is an absolute belter and reminds me of what Crazy Lixx would sound like with a female singer. The saxophone solo is an unexpected stroke of complete genius, as I was expecting the solo to be on guitar. Having the sax in there just lends the track a breath of fresh air and elevates it further.
‘Children of Tomorrow Gone’ kicks off with a brace of piano and keyboards before launching into a wonderful mid-paced anthem that somehow manages to conjure up images of sun-drenched California beaches in an 80s teen movie – which is no bad thing, let me tell you! The production on this is just perfect. Ms Kane’s vocals are excellent throughout and the combination of guitar and keyboards is so good that it almost brings a tear to the eye. There’s even a faux bagpipe melody going on in the background of the fadeout which brings to mind classic John Farnham track ‘You’re The Voice’. Quite stunning!
Phew… We’re only 5 tracks in and already I’m beginning to wonder if I should’ve worn stronger trousers, such is the magnitude of this release! This really is shaping up into one helluva record and the title track ‘Powerzone’ confirms this, roaring in on a tsunami of rocking guitars, pounding drums and more of Ms Kane’s stunning vocals in an absolutely monstrous Melodic Rock anthem. This grabs you by the scruff of the neck and refuses to let go. Like all the tracks thus far, this one demands repeat plays at maximum volume!
‘I’m Ready (For Your Love)’ reminds me of the Glam Rock side of the Crazy Lixx sound. It has a rather more Hair Metal sound than the AOR/Melodic Rock of the previous tracks, yet still possesses a chorus of planet-killing magnitude. It is followed by ‘Nationwide’, which is another completely enormous slab of AOR/Melodic Rock with more hooks than a high school cloakroom, and that chorus!! Oh my…that chorus!!! Go on… Just try and NOT sing along with it. Impossible!!
‘Streets of Gold’ has the kind of lyric you’d have expected from Bon Jovi in about 1986 and that’s absolutely fine by me! It’s a nicely delicate, but at the same time rather powerful ballad that could easily have sat on the soundtrack to any 80s B movie (which is a very good thing for anybody wondering) and it provides a welcome change of pace. It’s not the best track on the album, but on this masterpiece there’s no such thing as a bad track and Ms Kane nails the vocal and then some.
This total monster of an album ends with the quite marvellous ‘Guilty Of Love’ which closes proceedings on a suitably rocking AOR/Melodic Rock high. The combination of staccato 80s style keys and guitar power chords in the verses along with Ms Kane’s highly emotive vocal is absolutely banging and completely perfect and we are treated to another chorus of staggering magnitude. The vocals stretch to their limit in this one and are utterly fabulous.
Phew… And breathe….
I’ve listened to some great albums in my reviewing role here at Metal Planet this year and this is one of them. It’s no secret that I unashamedly love the AOR/Melodic Rock side of things more than everything else and it is with great pleasure that I can inform you that if you love that sort of thing too, then you will simply adore this album! It unashamedly nods to the best of the 80s sounds while not in any way sounding dated. The quality of the songwriting, performances and production is simply outstanding! Chez Kane has proven herself to be a vocalist of quite sublime ability. She handles everything on this album with consummate ease and her higher register, when she pushes for it, is awesome.
Special mention must also go to Danny Rexon who proves himself to be a complete Melodic Rock genius. Often, these ‘one man band’ projects can have a self-indulgent feel and can suffer from lack of quality control that extra band members can bring. Not so here: Rexon has done an absolutely fabulous job on this album and should be lauded for his efforts. The production is absolutely bang on and the playing is equally fabulous. Well done, sir!
I’ve been a fan of female-fronted AOR/Melodic Rock for a long time – 30+ years in fact. With Powerzone, Chez Kane has proven that her debut was no one-hit wonder and she has cemented her position alongside classic acts like Vixen, Saraya, Lee Aaron and Witness. This album truly does take the blueprint from the debut and turn it up even further, to 11!
This is a staggeringly great AOR/melodic Rock album and if this genre is your thing, then you simply HAVE to buy or stream this album pronto. Up there amongst the very best of the genre this year, no question!
Powerzone” Track–list:
1. I Just Want You
2. (The Things We Do) When We’re Young In Love
3. Rock You Up
4. Love Gone Wild
5. Children Of Tomorrow Gone
6. Powerzone
7. I’m Ready (For Your Love)
8. Nationwide
9. Streets Of Gold
10. Guilty Of Love
LINE-UP:
Chez Kane – Vocals
Danny Rexon – All Instrumentation
Additional Musicians:
Jesse Molloy – Saxophone
Produced By: Danny Rexon
Recorded By: Danny Rexon & Harry Scott Elliott
Mixed By: Danny Rexon
Mastered By: Erik Mårtensson @ Mass Destruction Production
Executive Producer / A&R: Serafino Perugino
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/ChezKaneVocalist
https://www.instagram.com/chez_kane
https://www.youtube.com/c/ChezKane
