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Salute Toy Soldier Escape Music
ESM195
· Produced By: Martin Kronlund
· Running Time: 48.02
· Release Date: Out Now
· Released:
· Musical Style: Melodic Rock/AOR
· Links: Escape Music
90%
Songs: 88%
Sound: 93%
What a great pairing of artists! The ever raspy, yet passionate and powerful vocalist Mikael Erlandsson (Last Autumn's Dream, Solo) has joined forces with the super producer/guitarist Martin Kronlund (Dogface, Gypsy Rose, Overland, Radio Silence) to produce a glorious rocking AOR album.
In place is the busiest production team in the business – the Kronlund Choir I'll call them – making this a solid and perfectly balanced recording, making one of the year's best and most powerful AOR albums.
The opening uptempo bliss of Lost In A Dream and Cheated are two of the best, most energetic AOR/hard rock anthems of the year – just glorious!
Running Away With You and I Am Your Prisoner are tougher, slower and more direct, while I Really Want You In My Life is kind of in-between as far as style – a straight forward melodic rocker.
Toy Soldier is a terrific mid-tempo and moody rock ballad that connects well to the more urgent, but equally moody Steel Desire.
Be A Star and Dynamite roll along at a reasonable pace – not album highlights but not fillers either.
Yesterday Always Been Gone picks up the tempo again and features a strong chorus and nice riff.
It's My Time is a cool mid-tempo AOR track with another strong chorus and the album closes with the passionate and epic mid-tempo rock ballad Follow The Sun – another terrific song and lead vocal.
The Bottom Line
Mikael Erlandsson fans don't even have to think about getting this and anyone with a Last Autumn's Dream record in their collection need to be thinking about adding this one too. A natural follow on from that band, Salute have a tougher more rocking sound, but equally delightful when it comes to melodies and hooks.
Discography / Previously Reviewed
· Toy Soldier

Line Up:
· Mikael Erlandsson: Vocals, Keyboards
· Martin Kronlund: Guitars, Bass
· Imre Daun: Drums
· Dan Helgesen: Organ
Essential For Fans Of:
· Mikael Erlandsson
· Last Autumn's Dream
· Martin Kronlund
Track Listing
· Lost In A Dream *
· Cheated *
· Running Away With You *
· I Am Your Prisoner
· I Really Want You In My Life *
· Toy Soldier *
· Steel Desire
· Be A Star
· Dynamite
· Yesterday Always Been Gone *
· It's My Time
· Follow The Sun *

--*Best Tracks

19/12/09: Paul - pgborden@hotmail.com
Rating: 88
If you're peaking in a this and there aren't many (or any) other reviews, trust Andrew, and trust me on this one. This is a winner of a cd, with 7 really good tracks, the best of which is YESTERDAY'S ALWAYS BEEN GONE... yet another track that will make my Best of 2009 personal compilation. Thanks again Andrew for letting your audience know about these great, neglected gems.

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