STAGE DOLLS

Norwegian band Stage Dolls have been playing their brand of "pseudo glam" pop rock since the early 1980s with ‘Always’ being their 7th release (excluding compilations and live albums). ‘Always’ is strongly produced and the band perform with effortless ease but, unfortunately, their overall sound comes across as weak, lightweight pop and, for the most part, is very much in the vein of Bryan Adams. Their rockier songs are generally unremarkable, mediocre and dull with riffs that fail to excite, which is clearly evident on the opening title track ‘Rollin', ‘Taillights’, ‘Saturday Night’ and ‘Where The Blacktop Ends’. Their ballads ‘Raining On A Sunny Day’ and ‘Eye Of My Heart’ are uninspiring and bland whilst closing track ‘My Strangest Friend’ is pitiful country drivel. ‘Always’ does show that Stage Dolls construct their music well but, ultimately, their sound is so outdated with nothing remotely memorable, which their brand of music needs for it to be successful. On a more positive note any fans of Bryan Adams may wish to check this out but anyone else should avoid this predictable and tedious album.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

AOR Heaven

Album

ALWAYS

Review by Dave Crewe

RUNNING TIME:

37:30

RELEASE DATE:

1st March 2010

TRACK LISTING

1) Always
2) Raining on a Sunny Day
3) Rollin'
4) Highway's Open
5) Eye of My Heart
6) Better Off Pretty
7) Taillights
8) Saturday Night
9) Where the Blacktop Ends
10) My Strangest Friend

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Norway

"...unremarkable, mediocre and dull with riffs that fail to excite..."