L.R.S. debut album ‘Down to the Core’

@planetmosh @FrontiersRec @MikeShotton

You’ve heard of the old adage ‘Good things come in threes ‘? Well your in luck because here is just one of those moments! This ‘new collaboration’ of the melodic rock group called LRS, is made up of  three guys, Tommy La Verdi (21 Guns) vocals, guitarist Josh Ramos (The Storm and Hardline) and drummer Michael Shotton (Von Groove and Airtime). The debut album is due to be released on the Frontiers Records label on March the 21st in Europe and March 25th in North America.

If your a fan of AOR rock then you’ve just picked the right place to come! For saying these guys only met up briefly before making the album is astounding.  They sound like they’ve been working together for years, and we need to give them all massive credit and respect for putting together an absolutely cracking album. Every song from the first until the last track is just full of emotion, Tommy’s clear and concise voice and dynamic tones take this album one step higher than the run of the mill melodic rock albums. Do I sound impressed? You bloody bet I am! Along with Josh Ramos bringing some killer riffs to the forefront and at times almost making you want to reach for your dusty old air-guitar! As regards Michael Shotton’s drumming, a true professional in every respect, his style just sounds so relaxed beyond the laid back. Even when the tempo is really up-beat he just comes across as one really cool dude.

The songs ! Where do I start ?  The first track ‘Our Love To Stay ‘ a really nice up-beat song, a great way to get the show started. Everything that a good AOR song should be about, nice riffs, not too showie and NO unnecessary guitar twiddling! Just proper music for proper melodic rock lovers.  We’re then taken on a ride of big rock ballads, deep emotional lyrics and brilliant harmony’s that some other established bands would really envy! I,m still finding it hard to believe that the guys put all this together so quickly and professionally in such a short time. One of my personal favorites was the song ‘ To Be Your Man’. If you could sum up the genre of melodic rock in a song, this would have to be the one. It has a touch of everything, from Rainbow to Foreigner in it’s make up. Speaking to Tommy La Verdi, I asked him if there was any songs that he felt attached to?…..”Almost Over You’, was a song I wrote when I was 19 together with my best friend in California and the vocal that is used for the L.R.S. version is from the Original Vocal Track from a hundred years ago”.

As regards to getting the guys together to make this album Tommy also told me, “Serafino Perugino ( the head of Frontiers Records ) was the mastermind behind the entire L.R.S. concept. He nagged me for months and finally I had to say yes! He was determined to make it happen”.

Well I for one am glad that this all came together to make a really good and well balanced first album by the three guys. Fingers crossed that they might find time again to make a second and also put a tour in the L.R.S. guise.

L.R.S. band members….

Tommy La Verdi – lead vocals
Josh Ramos – guitars
Michael Shotton — drums, backing vocals

With additional musicians:-
Alessandro Del Vecchio – keyboards, hammond organ, backing vocals
Nicola Mazzucconi – bass, fretless bass
Anna Portalupi – bass, fretless bass
Jamie Browne – bass

Songs……

Our Love To Stay

Livin For A Dream

I Can Take You There

Never Surrender

Almost Over You

Shadow Of A Man

Universal Cry

To Be Your Man

Down To The Core

I Will Find My Way

Waiting For Love

Not One Way To Give