If your not familiar with Joseph Williams & Peter Friestedt, you will certainly have heard them individually, Joseph has sung with Toto on the Fahrenheit record from 1986 and The Seventh One from 1988.
Peter, the acclaimed guitarist/songwriter has written and played with Chicago and Steve lukather amongst other AOR greats, as well as releasing two critically acclaimed solo records, LA Project 1, and LA Project II.
If im honest this could have been a new Toto record, or dare I say it, a new Balance one.
It is that good and varied, Josephs vocals shine out beautifully on this record, and the guitar parts are played with stunning arrangements; this release just ouzes class.
Helping the guys out on this are Bill Champlin, Tommy Denander, John Robinson, Randy Goodrum and Bill Cantos, its an amazing experience to have all this talent on one release.
From the opening track Swear Your Love, through to the heartbreak that is letter to god, this is a masterpiece of west coast aor.
Its highly doubtful if Williams/Friestedt will tour as Williams is touring this summer already with thats right, Toto!
This cd only has 9 songs on it though, and at a running time of 33 minutes, it feels like ive been short changed. There is so much talent here, that a couple of more songs wouldnt have been that hard to write, and maybe one could have been a bit more hard edged, as this cd is to lightweight in my opinion. Even Toto rock sometimes. That aside, its still an outstanding release.
This is defo a summer cd, to be played at the bbq while drinking Pimms.
8.5/10
LINE UP:
Joseph Williams – vocals
Peter Friestedt – guitars

GUESTS:
Bill Champlin – background vocals
Lars Säfsund – background vocals
Tommy Denander – guitars
John “JR” Robinson – drums
Randy Goodrum – keyboards
Bill Cantos – keyboards
out now on AOR Heaven