GRAND – Grand

The Swedish outfit named Grand recently released this self-titled offering of theirs via Frontiers Records, and I must say that this is a highly promising debut album that shows potential and hints at even greater things to come.

With their roots being firmly planted in melodic rock and AOR, these gents have clearly taken their cues from Foreigner and Starship, which is obviously not a bad thing, and deliver a batch of robust songs with a cohesive feel to them and some rather juicy hooks. The trio are at their best when launching into harder, more energetic and driven songs such as ‘Ready When You Are‘, ‘Johnny on the Spot‘, and ‘Stone Cold‘, but variety is always welcome around these parts and that is certainly a principle that Grand have applied to this output of theirs. Other gems and treats include ‘Too Late‘, ‘Those Were the Days‘, and ‘Once in a Blue Moon‘ with the latter being utterly catchy and irresistible – undoubtedly the highlight of the LP.

A few more truly great tunes would have made this slick and well-produced effort even more impressive and memorable, but again, this is a fabulous beginning to a kick-ass musical adventure, and there is a lot to savor here. Check it out if AOR is your thing.