One is blonde, the other is brunette and they both signed to 'Frontiers Music' for their latest solo albums which were released a week apart, the first by Australian 'Orianthi', 'Rock Candy', on October 14, and the second of the Welsh 'Chez Kane', 'Powerzone', on October 21. Given a certain similarity between the two, I have grouped the two opuses together in the same column. For 'Orianthi', I had reviewed his live released in 2022, 'Live from Hollywood', his latest studio recording 'O' from 2020 and, for 'Chez Kane', its self-titled debut album was also reviewed in myprogmusic. In short, the two ladies offer us a nice mix of rock and melodic hard rock with hits that parade one behind the other.
As for 'Orianthi', these are nine compositions which are accompanied in intro and outro by two short instrumentals highlighting the Australian guitarist's talents. It starts at full speed with a 'Light It Up' (see the video above) which gives the irresistible urge to press the play button each time you listen to it, then hard rock titles scroll by, just as catchy each other, with the energetic 'Fire Together' and 'Red Light', the powerful 'Void' with beautiful alternations of intensity, 'Burning' and its well-tempered rhythm, the heavy 'Witches_The Devil' and its slow tempo or even 'Getting To Me' with its super effective chorus. To vary the atmosphere, 'Where Did Your Heart Go' (see the video here) shows a more moderate face, flirting with international variety, and 'Living Is Like Dying Without You' is a very beautiful ballad that allows a well-deserved break from all this energy.
As for 'Chez Kane', the whole is more substantial, the 10 compositions displaying 50 minutes on the clock (compared to just over 30 minutes for 'Orianthi') and the clear atmospheres are slightly more moderate and bring us back in the 80s starting with an 'I Just Want You' (see the video here) that 'Bonnie Tyler' could have sung he a few decades ago. The sequel continues in these completely addictive melodic atmospheres and if you don't feel like yelling at the chorus of '(The Things We Do) When We're Young in Love', you can go your own way. For the others, you will certainly also be seduced by the melodic jewels that are the mid-tempo 'Rock You Up', the catchy 'Love Gone Wild' (see the video here) and 'Powerzone', the classic rock but so effective of 'I'm Ready (For Your Love)' or even the last title 'Guilty of Love' with a very beautiful instrumental section in the second part of the title on which the foot tapping machine starts automatically. And like 'Orianthi', 'Chez Kane' also knows how to alternate with more moderate atmospheres with the magnificent mid-tempo 'Children Of Tomorrow Gone' or the melancholy ballad 'Streets Of Gold' to add to the best melodic rock ballads.
In summary, no need to draw a picture, for all fans of catchy melodies, you have not one but two completely addictive albums to play on repeat and I strongly advise you to discover them on spotify with the link I made above and to trigger the random mode to benefit from this wonderful mix between the compositions of the Australian and the Welsh... | |
