PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Reach are a new band on my radar, I hadn’t heard anything about them up until this debut album dropped in my inbox. Reach are Reach are Alex Waghorn (vocals), Ludvig Turner (Guitar), David Jones (Bass) and Marcus Johansson (Drums). You may already know Marcus and Ludvig from Adrenaline Rush. They are from Sweden and have great hard rock hair.
01.‘You called my name’ – As the opening track you need something to grab the listener’s attention otherwise it’s pointless. By now you may have sussed out I like good old fashioned Hard Rock and I am getting the feeling that this will be right up my street. We get layered guitars, harmonies and well-crafted lyrics, think FM and Bon Jovi and you are not a million miles away. The chorus is a great sing along as well. First song in and it’s looking and sounding good.
02.‘Fortune & Fame’ – Now then! We all want our little bit of this right? Truth be told so far Reach might well be heading that way, but they have to be careful and choose wisely. So many good Hard Rock bands have not reached their full potential, think Headrush and Million Dollar Reload and it has nearly always been down to bad management and wrong choices. This track is solid, classy and a real good rocker.
03.‘Tell Me’ – We are greeted by a nice guitar intro and then a solid drum beat leads us in. Another well-crafted song, the vocals are on point and are backed well by the rest of the guys. Actually the band’s harmonies throughout are well thought out and pitched very well. Slower than tracks 1&2 but solid.
04.‘We Are – Are we?’ Yes we are, thanks for asking! I’m starting to get into this album now, I’ve turned it up and it’s rocking very nicely. We bounce and bubble along in this song, a cracking track with a good chorus.
05.‘Someone like you’ – Ok we are halfway through and so far I’m still here. A classic Hard Rock intro that sends us into laid back perfectly pitched vocals and solid drums and bass. Are we on track for a good release then? Yes by jingo we are!
06.‘The Beast’ – Double kick drum intro that slows and pitches the track like a cross channel ferry. It arrives safely delivering yet another well-crafted rocker that oozes musicality and a passion for all that is Hard Rock. I must say we are getting a lot of releases at the moment from the Hard Rockers and this stands very well with them in fact so far it’s one of the better ones.
07.‘Make me believe’ – Oh hang on a moment! This one’s about a girl, hold on it could go either way. Phew it’s ok solid riffs and a good vocals that remind me yet again of days gone by down at your local rock club or venue on a Saturday night (sadly now disappearing at an alarming rate). A cracking little track.
08.‘Reach Out’ – A great chugging track that tells a story and contains the now infamous Rock’n’Roll “Wishing Well”. The lyrics are a little cliché but again Reach deliver a solid track that sits well with the album. This is not world changing but it is a rocker and let’s face it that is what counts.
09.‘Looking for Love’ – Oh no it’s not is it? A love song or a ballad, Oh that’s ok, the track name scared me, but it’s ok, with a very AOR feel the track reminds of FM and such class acts. Some nice guitar work is on offer here, well produced and clean. As the penultimate track we are not left cold which is a good thing at this point.
10.‘Coming Home’ – Here we are the last track of what has been an enjoyable release. Let’s hope we are left feeling that way. A solid final track with good lyrics and an upbeat feel. So many releases drop off at the end but Reach have delivered a good last track.
So to sum up then, yes they have great Hard Rock hair, but guess what folks they have a release to back it up. Some may say it’s old fashioned and dated but sometimes that’s not a bad thing. The tracks are put together and produced well. Reach are a Hard Rock act that I would pay to see and I reckon I’d enjoy the experience. If you like your Rock Hard with a slight AOR feel than grab a copy, put it on and turn it up. Really enjoyed this album and therefore it gets a solid 4/5 from me. Reach out for Rock indeed.
Reach Are…
Alex Waghorn – Vocals
Dave Jones – Bass
Ludwig Turner – Guitar
Marcus Johansson – Drums
Tracklisting –
You Called My Name
Fortune And Fame
Tell Me
We Are
Someone Like You
The Beast
Make Me Believe
Reach Out
Looking For Love
Coming Home
facebook.com/reachofficialsweden
Review by Sam H
