Album review: Angeline “We Were Raised On Radio”
Swedish melodic hard rockers Angeline return with a new album filled with radio-friendly and catchy grown-up rock with strong melodies.
Swedish melodic hard rockers Angeline formed in Ljusdal, Sweden in 1987. I have been following them closely from the very beginning. I shared a rehearsal space with them in a loft on top of a disused cinema where you’d also find a young Charlie Granberg (later of Hellsingland Underground fame) drumming with his hard rock band Hexagon. I saw many of Angeline’s shows in Sweden in the late 80s and early 90s. Following a terrific 1988 demo (“The Legend”), they released their debut LP (“Don’t Settle for Second Best”) in 1990. The current line-up of the band consists of all original members: Jocke Nilsson and Janne Arkegren on guitars, Ulf Nilsson on bass and Tobbe Jonsson on drums. Original vocalist Sigge Sigvardsson sadly passed away in 1995, but guitarist Jocke Nilsson soon thereafter stepped up and took over lead vocals. “We Were Raised On Radio” is an album filled with radio-friendly and catchy grown-up rock with strong melodies. The members are now in their late forties and early fifties and have arrived at a more mature sound. It is quite a varied album with songs shooting off in different directions within the melodic rock category. “Welcome to Paradise” is my favourite track on the album, partly because it reminds me somewhat of how Angeline sounded in the early days and partly because it has an Electric Boys-style groove feel to it. “Halfway to Anywhere” is also a fab song that has a glorious 80s feel to it and so does the track “Helpless”. It’s an album for your car stereo. You can make this the soundtrack to your next road trip.
Angeline’s new album “We Were Raised On Radio” is out today via Blow Your Fez Off Music.
