Swedish Hard Rock act PRETTY WILD will release their eponymous second album after their debut “All The Way” of 2008. They are very much a stadium Rock type band, Hair Metal, Glam Metal or whatever else you want to call it.
First Track “Are You Ready?” Sets out what this band is about, stadium rock, DEF LEPPARD style. It's a good song, and really showcases Ivan Ivve Höglund’s vocals. “Get It On” is a good song, but a bit Pop. It’s definitely catchy, but not really what I like. It shows what I do like about this band, though it encapsulates what I don't too with the clean and almost Pop sound. “Troubled Water”, my favourite, heavier than the rest with some really nice guitar works. Everything comes together really well in this song. “All I Want” is simply terrible, sounds like an attempt to be a serious version of STEEL PANTHER. It actually made me want to kill myself. This is why I gave the band a lower mark. This ballad is crap and while I like variety in music, I don't like ballads.
Next song “Alive” is a return to a more rocking style, but whilst catchy it’s a bit Pop sounding for my taste. It sounds very polished, not as raw as I’d like. I am a bit surprised, as I would expect it given that Micko Twedberg and Ivan Höglundh are the producers. “High Enough” is another ballad and the reason I don’t love this band, even though I’d enjoy seeing them live. The slow songs like this would be a good time to get a beer though. “Ready to Go” has a cracking into, great bass and guitars with the vocals layered. Very good start, the same issues remain with the rest of the song as stated previously. “Wildheart” is a good song, very typical of the genre and to be honest there aren't many similar songs better. It's got everything really, I love the chorus. Closing song “Pretty Wild” is what I like about this band, and where I'd like them to stick to. If they closed a gig with this I'd go home singing it and thinking I’d had a good time even though it's slower than some of the others. Good use of cow bell by Johnny Benson, I love a cow bell.
Overall I saw that this is a good album with too many ballads, and a sound that is just too pop-y for me. The rocking songs are 8/10, but the album overall gets 6 for this reason.
1. Are You Ready?
2. Get It On
3. Troubled Water
4. All I Want
5. Alive
6. Staring At The Sun
7. High Enough
8. Ready To Go
9. Wildheart
10. Vampire
11. Blow The Night Away
12. Come Out Tonight
13. Hold On
14. Pretty Wild
Ivan Ivve Höglund - Vocals
Axl Ludwig - Guitars
Kim Chevelle - Bass
Johnny Benson - Drums
Pretty Wild – Pretty Wild (2014)
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