CHANCE

Pop-rock à la Buggles is what you get here. Especially with "Lies", the opening number with its symptomatic chorus line (all through the eighties.). A catchy pop song after all. The "Mann" displaying some good synth break. The eighties are definitely there. This is maybe not the greatest news about this release.

Electro-pop (but uninspired) is the mix for "On The Run " and the AOR style is back for "For You". Not bad but don't expect any wonderful tracks in here. There aren't. At times OK but when I listen to "Adolescent Dream", I can't really get charmed. Great drumming though. As a consolation, probably.

Songs are not per se bad but highlights are absent, inspiration scarce. "Hello, I Am Your Heart" being a heavy and dull number. When compared to most of the songs, "Stranded" is a bit more sophisticated. Some spacey sounds (à la "Hawkwind") do appear and are a nice combination with a pleasant melody. One of the best song available here.

As such, two stars seem to be a fair deal. No real blunder but no real good songs either. My fave from this work is "Heart On The Street". A slow paced rock song with some feeling at least as well as a nice melody. But we are far from the great Mann's songs.

This is typically an album that you listen distractively. Then, it is OK. But when you do it carefully, there is not much things left in your memory after a few spins. I guess that it is a sign that you only face an average album. And this is exactly what it is.