Released by: Self
Genre: AOR
Links: https://www.beyondimagination.se/
Line Up:
Viktor Johansson – vocals
Tim Carlstedt – guitar
Jimmy Garting – keyboards
Daniel Purk – bass
Emanuel Nyman – drums
Andreas Baro – saxophone
Isak Serholt – backing vocals
Tracklist:
01 – Traces of Laughter
02 – I Can’t Find Enough Reasons
03 – Inside Your Eyes
04 – Say Is This Love (feat. Jay Graydon)
05 – Driving Along the Coast
06 – Change the Way
07 – I Want to Be Loved (feat. Joakim Jonzon)
08 – Courage at Heart
09 – Love of My Youth
10 – Stay With Me Tonight
11 – Spirit of Freedom
Sensational!!!!!! The Swedish band Beyond Imagination sent me their latest CD, which starts with the superb catchy late 80s/early 90s driven uptempo AOR rocker Traces of laughter. This song sounds so fresh and good, really putting a big smile on my face and bringing back memories of long ago when acts like Say, Promotion, Time Gallery, Dakota and countless more entered my life. Smooth perfect lead- and harmony vocals, a catchy hook, a memorbale chorus, so yes, it features everything to become one of the finest AOR tunes of 2019! Back to the band’s history, they were formed in 2012 and actually are more a Westcoast ish AOR band in the pure 1980s style of David Foster, Toto, Le Roux, Chicago (80s), Tim Feehan, Dakota, Airplay and Jay Graydon.
They even managed to get the legendary Jay Graydon on board here to play some guitar! How about that! The band goes deeply into that classic smooth westcoast sound of the 1980s, as if Chicago recorded a new ballad with David Foster (Inside your eyes) and the midtempo I can’t find enough reasons is dangerously close to Toto. Perhaps not original, these guys are doing it at an incredible high level, not heard since 1989 or something! 11 tracks are included in total and thanks to the strong production, it has that big 80s sound we all love so much. I have no clue where they have been hiding, because as a band they sound really picture perfect and especially singer Viktor Johansson has got an incredible AOR/Westcoast voice.
Not a single weak song can be found here! Driving along the coast is another song that should be mentioned, because this is superb midtempo AOR/Westcoast-Rock in the style of the very first Venice crossed with a bit of Alias (Freddy Curci) and it contains an amazing chorus. The most AOR based tune is definitely the fantastic uptempo rocker I want to be loved, which is like the classic 80s AOR sound all over the place! The band balances overall between pure Westcoast and a few times pure AOR, like Toto meets Dakota.
However, they also show their diversity when they come up with the calm jazzy Love of my youth, a beautiful very laid-back song. From start to finish, this CD offers incredible high quality music and I think by now the fans of mentioned acts will be thrilled to check out this sensational band a.s.a.p. You will not be disappointed, trust me!
Written by: Gabor Kleinbloesem
Ratings: Gabor 9/10
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