Blog Post
Lionville - 'So Close to Heaven'
Iain McArthur • Feb 15, 2022
Album Review
If you prefer your rock music on the soft and warm side of AOR then you’ll love this latest release from Lionville. As before, the band features the song-writing and musical talents of the titular Stefano Lionetti, plus the sumptuous vocal delights of Lars Safsund (Work of Art). Between them, they’ve created another bouquet of finely crafted and beautifully delivered songs that might just put you in mind of Toto and other quality bands of that ilk.
It's obvious from the opening track ‘This Time’ that you can expect lashings of keyboards all over the album and there’s even some saxophone – always a bonus in this genre - on the ballad ‘Can’t Live Without Your Love’ and the smoother than a Hollywood wax ‘True Believer’. The trump card, as ever, is Safsund. This man must dine on honey dew and drink the milk of paradise every day to have such a golden voice. He is truly a prince among melodic rock singers and he soars especially strongly on the sensual ‘Angel Without Wings’.
There is a slightly tougher edge to some of the songs, with a bit of a ‘never surrender / back on my feet’ vibe coming through strongly, notably ‘Only the Brave’ and ‘Cross My Heart’ with its cage fighting video. It puts you in mind of some of Survivor’s combat movie - themed work and Jimi Jamison is a decent comparison for Lars’ capabilities.
The last two tracks mix it up a bit. ‘Arrow Through My Heart’ is an off-cut from Richard Marx’s ‘Repeat Offender’ album sessions, but it sparkles here with a smooth polish. The title track is a duet between Lars and the esteemed and talented Robbie LaBlanc from Blanc Faces/Find Me. It also features a saxophone reprise and is a fine way to wrap things up.