Album Review
Road Star - Grand HotelRoad Star - Grand Hotel

If there was an award for a band who had been most clearly influenced by Led Zeppelin and such, this would be the group who would win. Undoubtedly. Then opening track, “Ready To Go,” it just pure Zep.

I would prefer this influence to have been used in a way like the Black Velvets, one of the most promising UK bands at present; and by track two, my wish had been fulfilled. Titled with the same name as the group performing, “Roadstar” is a fantastic song.

The next few songs have weird and wonderful influences it would seem. “Get This,” sounding like Status Quo. Enough said. And the next song “Out Of The Blue,” starting as Westlife, and ending in an egotistical hair-metal classic-rock Bon-Jovi outro.

These guys are The Black Velvets with too much of the 70's and 80's in them. Which is a combination I can't quite work out an opinion on. The majorly influenced songs, aren't that special. They're not bad, but they don't have that much originality, and are almost digging up an era that should be left alone. But the songs that are just “proper rock and roll,” have something about them.

It's not the kind of band I'd expect to hear playing much on the radio, and I expect them to gain a more 'underground' fan base, and not a group you'll hear teenagers getting really excited about in their college breaks.

“Stone” is a highlight. One of the “proper” songs.

Every band needs it's slow song to try and show it has a sensitive side. And Roadstar's, come's in the form of “Misplaced Paradise.”

When Roadstar find their own sound and break away from the decades that should be left alone, they'll get somewhere in the current music scene. But until them, they'll just attract older people who were alive for those decades, and they aren't necessarily the generation to find new bands to get into. It's a risk, releasing this kind of thing into the current market, but let's hope for their sake it's a gamble that pays off.

Besides the slow song, the pace doesn't seem to vary throughout the record, and the sound doesn't seem to change much either. It's all much the same, and gets a bit repetative.

The album finishes on two tracks, that aren't bad, and definitely surpass the tracks between the end, and the last memorable tune, five tracks ago. “Stolen My Pride,” and “Keep It Alive.”

2.5/5

Review by Thom
 Band Members
road Star - Band (Coming Soon)
Coming Soon
 Track Listing
1. Ready To Go
2. Roadstar
3. Get This
4. Out Of The Blue
5. Let's Get It Started
6. Stone
7. Magic Hat
8. Misplaced Paradise
9. All I Want
10. Liar
11. Stolen My Pride
12. Keep It Alive
 Band Related Links
Road Star Myspace
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?