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It might just be my imagination (or wishful thinking) but it seems that AOR has been making a comeback in the UK this year. Whatever the case, Chris Ousey’s debut solo album should be welcomed with open arms by all and sundry. Sure enough “Rhyme And Reason” scores high on the feel-good factor and seems to pull all the right strings within those hearts that have never really shed their fondness for that tried and tested strain of Rock Music. Despite its inherent predictability and occasional repetitiveness, “Rhyme And Reason” still manages to excite and captivate. The ingredients of a strong Hard Rock/AOR album are patently evident: brilliant song-writing, understated but immensely gifted musicianship and a sound production that allows the songs to flourish. Sceptics should refer to tracks such as ‘Motivation’, ‘A Natural Law’ and ‘The Mother Of Invention’. The line-up of musicians is a veritable supergroup of the genre: with the powerful and soulful voice of Chris Ousey (Heartland, Virginia Wolf) are Mike Slamer (City Boy, Streets, Seventh Key), guitarist Tommy Denander (Paul Stanley, Alice Cooper, Nightranger, Gloria Estefan and hundreds of other bands), bass player Neil Murray (Whitesnake, Black Sabath, Gary Moore) and Gregg Bisonette (Dave Lee Roth, Ringo Starr, Joe Satriani, Vasco Rossi and a gazillion other bands) on drums. If there’s just one AOR album you buy this year, then this should be it. | ||||||||||||||||||
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