RR Score: 9.0 ROCK FISTS!

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Intro

Ted Poley is a guy who has lived and breathed music and hard rock since the 80s, and he does it in a way that should be applauded and quite frankly, be more recognized. He is one of the nicest guys in the hard rock scene and always has time for his fans. His bread and butter has been with his band Danger Danger which is a band I simply love and everyone should check out if they haven't already who loves the classic hard rock sound of the late 80s. His releases outside of Danger Danger haven't always hit the spot for me personally, however his last few solo releases have been quite solid albeit his last album 'Only Human' was 8 long years ago! So with 2 members of Danger Danger releasing a very cool side project just recently with The Defiants, how will Ted's solo album stack up after such a long break?

Review

A shuttle countdown starts the album off and you immediately get the feeling a fun ride is about to start. 'Let's Start Something' kicks off the album and it is a pure melodic hard rock song. Ted sounds great and the melody is something Journey would be proud of. A big chorus you can't help sing along too and a driving beat make this song a perfect choice to open the record. 'Everything We Are' is another classic slice of 80s hard rock with a similar vibe to early Danger Danger. The verses nearly hold back a little to make way for another huge chorus. Keyboards, guitar solos and huge melodies make this an instant classic from Ted's career. 'Hands Of Love' is straight out of the first Danger Danger record. Incredibly catchy and has shades of the Danger Danger's hit song 'Bang Bang'. In fact if it wasn't so bloody good, it would probably be seen as a little too close. I can't see any Danger Danger fan not liking the first 3 tracks from this album.

'The Perfect Crime' sees Ted do a duet with Norwegian vocalist Issa. If there was a song on this album that did not click with me initially, it was this one. It might be that it sounded a little too sugar sweet for me. But I persisted with it, and the song definitely has grown on me. It has all the elements of a classic 80s power ballad. It could also be that the next song 'Stars' is so bloody good, that the ballad before it gets a little lost. 'Stars' is a song that Ted hasn't really done before. It has all the elements of a classic hard rock/AOR track, yet it still manages to sound fresh and different. The chorus is incredibly uplifting and catchy and this is quite possibly my new favourite song Ted has ever been involved in. It has an epic feeling even though it's the shortest track on the album. It is probably comparable to Journey at their hard rock best. 'Higher' keeps the incredible melodies going with another classic AOR song in the making with yet another infectious chorus that you just want to sing out loud to.

'Where I Lost You' again has a different feel to it. It's not quite a ballad but it's not far off it either. This is another favourite of mine on the record. Like most of the songs on 'Beyond The Fade' I can see this all over the radio. 'You Won't See Me Cryin' is another really good song, yet suffers a little from being placed near some incredibly strong tracks. So it isn't until you've spun the album a few times that you realise how good the song actually is. Another great slice of melodic rock. 'We Are Young' again dishes something a little different up with a more moody darker song. The song is a great change up and really sits well on the album that has the Woah Woah's happening before gang vocals sing 'We Are Young We Are Young'. 'Sirens' is another gem that you pick up after 4 or 5 spins. A more uptempo track that has me feeling very early Bon Jovi. 'Beneath The Stars' closes the album again with something slightly different. it is basically a 6 minute ballad, yet it is epic and has a bit of everything mixed into it and is a great way to close the album. It might not be as catchy as all the songs that come before it, but it turns into a beautiful epic song that makes you want to go back to track 1 and start this ride all over again.

Outro

I cannot stop playing this album. I admit it took a couple of spins to fully feel the album and to hear all the hooks and melodies, but once it clicked, it made a big impact. To me the album is a perfect mix between the first Danger Danger album and the criminally under rated Bone Machine albums. This album could be played at full volume on the stereo to kick start a party, or it could be played in the car, or it could be played in the background at dinner parties! It really is one of those albums that fits every occasion. Literally every song will stick in your head at some point. A few of the songs on here are among the best of his career, and there really isn't a weak track on the album. I love the subtle diversity but no song feels out of place. I know this album isn't going to sell a million copies, but I'd love for Ted to get some more exposure with this record. This is easily his strongest album he's been a part of since the early days with Danger Danger, so I hope good things come his way. I don't know anyone else in the hard rock scene who deserves it more. If you love your AOR or hard rock, you must check this album out!