With a new OUTLAND 2022 album after almost two decades, it’s the right opportunity to revisit the band’s 2, very good albums which helped to revitalize the Melodic Rock genre into this new Millennium.
”Long Way Home” is OUTLAND‘s second effort, in this Japanese edition including an exclusive bonus track.
With Jeff Prentice, lead vocalist and guitarist of the popular Metal Blade Records band Predator handling the lead vocals and the majority of lead guitar duties, and Rob Nishida playing bass, guitar and keyboards, OUTLAND was formed in California in early 2000’s.
Mixing the dynamic melodic rock from the ’80s like early Bon Jovi with the pumping AOR of Survivor plus a little of Boston pomp, OUTLAND’s music is pure delight. Add refined arrangements and a polished production, and we have a winner here.
For the ‘Long Way Home’ the band asked Mr. Big’s Pat Torpey to perform all the drums on the record.
If we already found a slick polished production on OUTLAND’s debut, on ”Long Way Home” is even perfected, Jeff’s vocals are more varied, and clever song arrangements makes every track here very enjoyable.
Among our favorites there’s “Madeline”, “Don’t Turn Back”, title track “Long Way Home” and the Japan bonus track “Love of My Life”. Pure AOR plenty of dutt dutt keys and ‘that’ ’80s atmopshere akin Survivor, Night Ranger, late Styx, etc.
With this album Outland helped spearhead a resurgence of a style/genre that many had thought was dead and gone. After almost twenty years since ”Long Way Home” original release it’s clear Melodic Rock/AOR not only isn’t gone, but this album still sound fresh and timeless.
Highly Recommended
01 – Borderline
02 – Love Ain’t The Answer
03 – The Hardest Part Of All
04 – Madeline
05 – How Many Times
06 – Long Way Home
07 – Somebody Just Like You
08 – Turn Some Pages
09 – What In The World
10 – Don’t Turn Back
11 – Hollywood
12 – Love Of My Life (Japanese Bonus Track)
Jeff Prentice - lead and rhythm guitars, lead and backing vocals, keyboards
Rob Nishida - lead, rhythm, acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, backing vocals
Pat Torpey - drums
Outland – Long Way Home 2004, Japan Edition w/bonus
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