VARIOUS ARTISTS – Steel Bars – A Rock Tribute to Michael Bolton

I was not entirely sure what to expect when I popped this CD, which is a melodic rock/AOR/hard rock tribute to none other than Michael Bolton, into the record player. Truth be told, I have fond memories of listening to Bolton’s songs on cassette tape when I was a kid, but how to approach the Steel Bars project then? As it turns out, this is actually quite an enjoyable listen in the sense that Frontiers Records and a talented lineup of singers have breathed new life into Michael’s compositions while managing to stay true to the source material. Catchy is certainly one word that comes to mind here, and having different vocalists add their touch, style, and flair to the album makes for a nicely varied piece of work. Sounding pristine and crisp but lacking in warmth and atmosphere, this is obviously not the thing to spend time listening to if you want something organic with a proper band feel to it, but the disc sure is fun to play loud and its standouts include ‘How Can We Be Lovers’ (Dave Mikulskis), ‘Can’t Turn It Off’ (Gui Oliver), and ‘Gina’ (Robbie LaBlanc).