Steffen Jungersen

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STILL HERE TO ROCK

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Danish Pretty Maids - they love what they do. . . And YOU gotta love their magnificent new album "Kingmaker"

PRETTY MAIDS, "Kingmaker", (Frontiers)

About thirty years ago (yes, it has been that long, Steffen, you withering old fool) Danish hardrockers/ Heavy Metal band Pretty Maids released a song - or rather; a statement of intent - called "We Came To Rock". In 2016, 30 years and 15 albums in, that statement of intent - thankfully - hasn't changed much.

Pretty Maids are still here to rock and not to put too fine a point on it; their new album "Kingmaker" is fucking brillant! With the possible exceptions of "Jump The Gun" (1990) and "Wake Up To The Real World" (2006) this band has never let quality slip and it is frankly aweinspiring that they've been able to come up with an album so magnificently written, played and produced as "Kingmaker" 35 years after they formed.

Compared to 2013's "Motherland" Maids have ditched their symphonic leanings and concentrated on short(ish), sharp and to the point songs this time. You won't hear a derogatory word from me about "Motherland", but I gotta admit that I prefer these guys the way they play here: Rocking out but still embracing the listener with the sweetest of melodies. And that statement still stands no matter how hard they rock. Honestly, I may not have heard PM paying this much attention to the coveted commodity "the good song" or playing so well since "Scream" (and that was 21 years ago!).

Apart from the lame and way too obvious attempt at radio friendliness "Last Beauty On Earth" and the pedestrian "Sickening" this is a flawless record. Kicking off with the anthemic "When God Took A Day Off" (brillant title and what a beautiful leadguitar break) you just know that something special is in store for you here. You won't be disappointed; the stomping titletrack brings out inner visions of pumping fists and heaving arenas, the timeless and effortless AOR song that is "Face The World" makes you fucking wanna EMBRACE the world, "Humanize Me", "Civilized Monsters" and "King Of The Right Here And Now" will rock you to the ground (to paraphrase "Red, Hot And Heavy") while "Heaven's Little Devil" could kickstart a party in a morgue.

Which just leaves the marvellous "Bull's Eye" - a song that embodies all the qualities mentioned in this review: It's got the drive of a convoy of hungry truckers only a couple of miles away from the next diner, the chorus won't leave you alone if you get down on your knees and beg it to, it's got a leadguitar break so sweet you can taste your old Thin Lizzy records and - yeah - it's testament to a band at the top of their game.

As is "Kingmaker".

An album that ought to make Pretty Maids' peers join voices singing "INVU" (work it out!). If you're Danish you should acknowledge the fact that Pretty Maids are a national treasure. I you're not you should acknowledge that they're still by far one of the best hardrock bands going. And based on first impressions they've made one of the best records of their career with "Kingmaker". . .

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Dagens Sang

 

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Al pressekontakt, annoncering, promotion og PR varetages af Steffen Jungersen - steffen@steffenjungersen.dk

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Henvendelser vedrørende anmeldelser, promoer o. lign. bedes rettet til steffen@steffenjungersen.dk

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Music is the art of the prophets and the gift of God.

_ Martin Luther

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