A retro album with a loud voice

Really beautiful, I can hear one of my favorite voices in Pop Rock Business -and after all these years. Holly Johnson, it seems to be still very good despite its long-standing HIV infection (about 23 years). Vocally he is in fact still a stunner. So what you may, at its last regular album, which was released 15 years ago, expect? Well, who longs for FGTH sound, which was primarily influenced by Trevor Horn fat production, is at Europa at the wrong address. Honestly would be a pure aping the old hits also not very imaginative. However, the album is also far from the sound of the current pop music. After the first run I did not quite know what to make of it. The joy of strong ballads in connection with the return of a magnificent voice was large, but is held at the meaner pieces my enthusiasm in check.

On the whole, Europe is a retro album that recalls the music of the early 90s. The sounds of drum machine put me back to a time that sounds in the here and now but quite dusty. By that I mean the (very) simply held rhythms and basslines, which act quite monotonous in the long run: "Follow Your Heart" is a prime example. In principle, a well-voiced song, but no less than two minutes should have been shorter. Again and again the chorus is given to the best and attracts the song order in the length. However, the arrangements are rather modest and so verses and chorus switch repeatedly from - no real surprise. "In & Out Of Love" follows after and like very much. Beautiful melody, which can outdo the consistently smooth sound in this case. "Heaven's Eyes" is then flawless Synthiepop, the mood certainly makes but already showing true that many a song sounds pretty frumpy on this album. In the context of this, how can quiet pieces "So Much It Hurts" convince, however, as there always a feel-good atmosphere is created, which have danceable songs like "Dancing With No Fear" hardly. The title track "Europe" is followed by a brief (and only) reminiscent of the old "Frankie" sound, since the piece is very bombastic and recalls the time when the Johnsons Ex-tape export hit was - a strong song. "Glorious" also is fun to give away in this case Meilenweit of contemporary sounds and the few "La La La's" act a little unimaginative. "Hold On Tight" is by far the weakest piece for me and reminds us of the Pet Shop Boys sound of mid 90's. The final sprint also tells me not especially, and yet disappointed the disc as a whole is not really.

CONCLUSION:

I do not know if it's a compliment when I say that you can leave Europe wonderful run in the background. It by no means bored and has no elevator music, but it does not blow me. The nostalgia, which I bring with me this magnificent voice in conjunction, could probably easily cause I unhesitatingly give the disc a 4 star rating. But I will not do in the case. A "not bad" (3 star) is my conclusion probably the closest. Holly Johnson proves he is still in excellent shape vocally, but at least half of the plate just sounds too dusty to me. With a bit of synth pop and beats from the 90s, some of which are reminiscent of the notorious "Euro Dance" or bands like Ace of Base, you can nowadays impress anyone anymore. Especially the one-dimensional drum sound is very static in many places and is lost in the fast pieces in monotony. Since the "Frankie" link sounds with "Europe" almost as a positive break. Of course you would expect from Johnson no artistically demanding music, but when it comes to: Contemporary pop music, the disc is lagging far behind. All in all, a nice sign of life from Holly Johnson, which remains on album length but too tame and old-fashioned to be able to really captivate.