Tyketto
Reach
Frontiers Music Srl
2016
I had the good fortune to witness Tyketto a few times by now and they’ve always been quite good, no matter the circumstances. Like when I saw them this Summer, under the hot burning sun in Barcelona, they still rocked the place, despite turning Red like lobsters and were in great spirits afterwards, when meeting the fans, in a way that can only be genuine and cannot be faked. I remember telling singer Danny Vaughn how much I was looking forward to the album they were about to release a couple of months later, based on the tunes that had been promoted online. Well “Reach” has finally reached our ears and hand on heart, it’s definitely one of the best albums, if not the best hard rock album I’ve heard this past year. Tyketto are being themselves, at their best, mature, melodic, ponderous in their lyrics, but always inherently optimistic, however critical they might get on occasion.
“Reach” is a smooth tune, which sparkles when its chorus causes a minor eargasm to the listener…
“Big Money” sounds a bit like something “Extreme” could have done with bizarre big dynamics that are a bit reminiscent also of Queen and takes a snipe at how the financial elites try to control the entire world, without giving a damn about the common man.
“Kick like a Mule” is a sexy rock n growler, about an uneasy lover, who gives our “hero” a hard time. Typical. But its verses and chorus are a ton of fun.
“Circle the Wagons” is a bit of a sing-along, an anthem, which manages to sound unmistakably like the band, but here’s where the maturity is most evident. It’s a call to band together in order to overcome any ordeals, certainly a message that would resonate with many today.
“I Need It Now” is a sexy little rocker with hooky guitars that quickly gets under your skin in a good way.
The ripping intro of “Tearing Down the Sky” has you thinking it’s gonna be a fast and furious rocker, but it quickly takes an abrupt turn into a more mid-tempo, somewhat commercial territory, with a strong, pulsating riff, carrying most of it along.
And just as soon as a bit of concern would sort of start to formulate, about how the album would proceed forward, the band plays the “safe” card of doing a ballad… “Letting Go” isn’t the best or the worse ballad in the history of the band, but feels quite honest and flows along nicely. Having slowed down things as far as they could go, gives most bands the opportunity to re-ignite listeners interest with a “strong” rocking track…
“The Fastest Man Alive” has a nice main riff and some interesting dynamics, even a pretty good solo, but overall is just spending too much time in mid tempo-land to sound convincing, which is a bit sad as it wastes its opportunity.
“Remember My Name” is a quasi-ballad, with a brooding guitar theme… a track a tad more muscular than what the band might have gotten you used to, but nothing too harsh; in fact, just another worthy tune would not have felt entirely out of place in their debut and it also sports one of the nicest solos too.
“Sparks Will Fly” begins with some funky guitars, before settling for a groovy middle section that makes it pass, rather effortlessly with the chorus almost blowing your face away. Almost being the operative word however. Pretty close, I’m not sure, if they got the cigar, though. Maybe…
“Scream” begins like a ballad, with strings, but it turns into a smooth hopeful rocker that almost feels like a highlight, just a track short before the albums close and it’s fabulous solo again lifts it just a little bit higher…
Last, but not least “The Run” again has that desperado, sort of rocker style unmistakably great American hard rock that checks all the boxes and hands down pleases your aural senses, like nothing else.
Tyketto have returned with probably one of the best albums of their career and make it feel almost effortless. Wow, is all I can say…
“Reach” is a smooth tune, which sparkles when its chorus causes a minor eargasm to the listener…
“Big Money” sounds a bit like something “Extreme” could have done with bizarre big dynamics that are a bit reminiscent also of Queen and takes a snipe at how the financial elites try to control the entire world, without giving a damn about the common man.
“Kick like a Mule” is a sexy rock n growler, about an uneasy lover, who gives our “hero” a hard time. Typical. But its verses and chorus are a ton of fun.
“Circle the Wagons” is a bit of a sing-along, an anthem, which manages to sound unmistakably like the band, but here’s where the maturity is most evident. It’s a call to band together in order to overcome any ordeals, certainly a message that would resonate with many today.
“I Need It Now” is a sexy little rocker with hooky guitars that quickly gets under your skin in a good way.
The ripping intro of “Tearing Down the Sky” has you thinking it’s gonna be a fast and furious rocker, but it quickly takes an abrupt turn into a more mid-tempo, somewhat commercial territory, with a strong, pulsating riff, carrying most of it along.
And just as soon as a bit of concern would sort of start to formulate, about how the album would proceed forward, the band plays the “safe” card of doing a ballad… “Letting Go” isn’t the best or the worse ballad in the history of the band, but feels quite honest and flows along nicely. Having slowed down things as far as they could go, gives most bands the opportunity to re-ignite listeners interest with a “strong” rocking track…
“The Fastest Man Alive” has a nice main riff and some interesting dynamics, even a pretty good solo, but overall is just spending too much time in mid tempo-land to sound convincing, which is a bit sad as it wastes its opportunity.
“Remember My Name” is a quasi-ballad, with a brooding guitar theme… a track a tad more muscular than what the band might have gotten you used to, but nothing too harsh; in fact, just another worthy tune would not have felt entirely out of place in their debut and it also sports one of the nicest solos too.
“Sparks Will Fly” begins with some funky guitars, before settling for a groovy middle section that makes it pass, rather effortlessly with the chorus almost blowing your face away. Almost being the operative word however. Pretty close, I’m not sure, if they got the cigar, though. Maybe…
“Scream” begins like a ballad, with strings, but it turns into a smooth hopeful rocker that almost feels like a highlight, just a track short before the albums close and it’s fabulous solo again lifts it just a little bit higher…
Last, but not least “The Run” again has that desperado, sort of rocker style unmistakably great American hard rock that checks all the boxes and hands down pleases your aural senses, like nothing else.
Tyketto have returned with probably one of the best albums of their career and make it feel almost effortless. Wow, is all I can say…