TIMSON AOR – ‘FOREVER’S NOT ENOUGH’ (INDEPENDENT) MELODIC ROCK
REVIEWED BY: THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PREACHER
“A Band Landing Forty Years Late!”
This may be something of an unpopular opinion in some quarters, but new quality British AOR/Melodic Rock feels like it is in fairly short supply these days. The existing and usually much-loved bands are still here, but finding completely new talent is more difficult than it should be. All that being said, in the form of Timson AOR, we finally have a reason to be both optimistic and happy again. They may just be the very best band you don’t yet know!
The brainchild of guitarist Mark Timson, this band has offered up a wonderful slice of perfectly balanced Melodic Rock heaven, and I genuinely adore this brilliant disc. What is really amazing, is that this debut has been forty years in the making – but you know what? The wait has most definitely been worth it, as ‘Forever’s Not Enough’ is a glistening jewel of an album, being a perfect fusion of classic and modern AOR.
Taking two songs he had written in the heyday of the ‘80’s, Mark dusted them off, and with many years of experience behind him, he lovingly recrafted them, and then set about writing and recording the sort of AOR/Melodic Rock album he had always wanted to hear and wanted to make. That all sounds easy enough doesn’t it? But it wasn’t, as Mark knew he needed to find a special singer to be the voice for his band. As we now live in a ‘global village’, he was able to cast his net internationally, and in Chile found his perfect frontman – Lukky S, who also just happened to be another accomplished guitarist … and the dream was given form.
What does ‘Forever’s Not Enough’ sound like? Just imagine all the things you love and have missed in Melodic Rock … as it’s all here, all fused in one glorious package. Luscious keyboards, soaring guitars, pulsing bass guitars, passionate vocals delivered with real emotion, what more could you want? It transpires that both Mark and Lukky provide all the programming (drums I presume?), bass, keyboards, and deliver some wonderful guitar interplay, so Timson AOR really is a multitalented band. The music is gloriously smooth, it’s genuinely sophisticated too, I can honestly say that I have fallen in love with this amazing slice of melodic “wimphem” (thank you Xavier Russell), it just hits that sweet spot musically speaking.
From the very opening chords of the killer opening salvo ‘Across All Chaos’, you are transported to warm and balmy summer climes, the sparkling sea, open top cars on warm freeways, with this album as the utterly perfect soundtrack. Listening to Lukky’s golden voice, I am irresistibly reminded of the immortal Peppy Castro of Balance, honestly, he truly does. The title track is a fantastic power ballad, bringing to mind the likes of Nelson in all their soft glory. ‘Gambler’ is a foot stamping rocker, with a driving riff and killer chorus – Giant or Honeymoon Suite would kill to have written this! It features some scything lead guitars, and tears along with glorious abandon. ‘Love Will find A Way’ is another rocker, I’m reminded of vintage FM, while ‘More Than Enough’ would not have been out of place on vintage Night Ranger or Loverboy albums, the quality is simply undeniable.
‘Running For Our Love’ is AOR perfection personified – again it could be FM at their most sublime. ‘Searching For Myself’ meanwhile, is another beautifully balanced number, with a fabulously insistent riff, a killer chorus, and some stunning lead guitar … this is everything that makes me love this genre. Wow! There are two versions of this song on the album – a full length and a radio edit, my preference is for the full take – absolutely fabulous! The album coda is ‘Where The Brave Ones Go’, which is the sort of thing that Europe would have done at their finest. How this band can sound so assured and polished with no budget to speak of, is genuinely beyond me, somehow, they have “bottled lightning” musically speaking, capturing the very essence of all the elements that make the AOR/Melodic genre so very special. This is easily going to be amongst my top albums for 2024, and hand on heart, I cannot commend it to you highly enough. Timson AOR – Melodic Rock/AOR Gods in the making! Simply marvellous!
https://timsonaor.com/music-store