N.O.W.
Bohemian Kingdom
Escape Music
2013
Three years after its debut, Alec Mendonça’s project N.O.W. are back with a new album. With two new additions in the line-up, the guitarist Juno Moraes and the drummer Diogo Macedo, Alec tried to make this new effort sound more “like a band” and he did succeed so.
Philip Bardowell is still here doing a great job again with this warm and distinctive voice. The Foreigner, Journey, Survivor, Boston, Strangeways etc. influences are present all over this album. “Bohemian Kingdom” has a bit moodier atmosphere due to a sad incident that happened during the recording of the album. “No One Can Feel It’s Over” is the result of that and it does close the album in a very overemotional, gloomy and dismal way. This tune will make you shiver at times.
The production has been taken care of by Lars Chriss (Lion’s Share) and it is very good overall. I think that the slow-tempo songs work better in this album, while the use of sax adds some extra beauty to certain songs. I would like it to be all over this disc though. In the main, “Bohemian Kingdom” is a fine release indeed…
Philip Bardowell is still here doing a great job again with this warm and distinctive voice. The Foreigner, Journey, Survivor, Boston, Strangeways etc. influences are present all over this album. “Bohemian Kingdom” has a bit moodier atmosphere due to a sad incident that happened during the recording of the album. “No One Can Feel It’s Over” is the result of that and it does close the album in a very overemotional, gloomy and dismal way. This tune will make you shiver at times.
The production has been taken care of by Lars Chriss (Lion’s Share) and it is very good overall. I think that the slow-tempo songs work better in this album, while the use of sax adds some extra beauty to certain songs. I would like it to be all over this disc though. In the main, “Bohemian Kingdom” is a fine release indeed…