This is the first solo offering from the multi-instrumentalist Paul Bonrud. Bonrud has hired a drummer and a vocalist to help him while he plays all the other instruments and also produced this CD.
The album cover with its vivid coloration scheme reminds one of the band Journey. Is that that an eagle or an owl? Let’s call the bird on the cover a night owl shall we? A funky little night owl with the moon there in the upper left corner!
“Leap of Faith” starts the album “lightly” enough. Already here we get the first introduction to the conflicting lyrics to this otherwise Light Metal album. Not that the lyrics are filled with insightfulness, but they are on more than one occasion in contrast to the music being played. After all, who’s going to take a guy seriously who’s going on about disappointment, desperation, and hard times if the music in the background has a happy-go-lucky feel to it? There is a kind of innocent charm to the simplistic lyrics, but they often contradict the soundscape.
There are traces of Bon Jovi to be found on various tracks, and “Date with Destiny” could have been right at home on the first Bon Jovi release. The lyrics, on the other hand, bring to mind early works of Mr. Bryan Adams. Come to think of it, the up tempo sound has a kind of “Summer of ’69” feel to it.
What you get here is a mix of up-tempo melodic rock songs with a couple of ballads thrown in along with a couple of fillers. Love, or more precisely, lost or unacquired love seems to have been the inspiration behind most of the lyrics. Again, it’s not surprising that this dude keeps encountering heartache if the lyrics and the contradicting sound is how he would be in real life. While listening to the song “I’ve Changed,” which by the way has the catchiest chorus on the album, the thought that came to mind was where was the remorse or the apologies, and how could this guy expect any woman to just take him back while he sounds so damn cheerful even when he’s supposed to be pleading for another chance?
“Live Your Dreams” introduces the acoustic guitar, making this nice little acoustic rocker sound a bit like Kansas. This song and the last song “Hollywood Movie Star” bring a promising variety to the album. This closing song has the melancholic sounds and lyrics finally matching, and leaves the listener wanting for more.
Overall, a decent debut album that leaves one with an impression that Paul Bonrud is capable of making an occasional good AOR song, and is therefore an artist to keep an eye on in the future.
Be the first to comment