MR

I'm going to post some youtube clips of various non-mainstream acts, and I would like to see what people think....post what you like about the songs, and what you don't like. And please, don't hold back...I'm the king of negativity, so I expect that others could be negative at times as well...

I'd like this to be a constructive criticism type thread....feedback is essential. Say which ones you liked, and WHY. Which ones you didn't like, and WHY.

Crazy - Fair Warning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTrK9bd0_Mk&feature=related

Once is Not Enough - Von Groove
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVUJKMU0lDM

Sentimental Blvd. - Harem Scarem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXXFZWx6FxQ&feature=related

Deep inside the World - Victory
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hikyKcld9U

Slave to Your Love - Wig Wam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7KNqqwBto

Too Far Gone - Kane Roberts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMpn5jpMo1A

Fuel for Your Soul - Jagged Edge UK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBOdI-ZlLJI

The Journey Will Never End - Jaded Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlovNAGWQnU&feature=related

Without a Moment's Notice - Adriangale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APhOxBF6E9U

Never Give Up - Auras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpbr_vn7atg

Slave to Love - Outlaw Blood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwmuUod44ZY

One out of Ten - The Poodles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl2kHCbmD7M

Romance - Reckless Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xr2VT3PG1k


Ok, there ya go. Critique it, flame it. Bash it. Listen to them and say what you feel. Be honest. I really hope this gets a lot of action....we should be able to have a civilized discussion about things other than mainstream rock.

I have no clue who any of these fucking bands are, except one.

They must, for the most part, be shit.....because you posted them. There is your critique.

S2M wrote:I'm going to post some youtube clips of various non-mainstream acts, and I would like to see what people think....post what you like about the songs, and what you don't like. And please, don't hold back...I'm the king of negativity, so I expect that others could be negative at times as well...

I'd like this to be a constructive criticism type thread....feedback is essential. Say which ones you liked, and WHY. Which ones you didn't like, and WHY.

Crazy - Fair Warning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTrK9bd0_Mk&feature=related

love the band, song is ok. I always thought their Go! album was much better than the debut.

S2M wrote:Once is Not Enough - Von Groove
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVUJKMU0lDM

typical late 80s/early 90s hair metal....just not my style

S2M wrote:Sentimental Blvd. - Harem Scarem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXXFZWx6FxQ&feature=related

one of their better songs. Never thought Harry Hess was all that for a singer, but a good song. Harem Scarem had some of the best backing vocalists in the business.

S2M wrote:Deep inside the World - Victory
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hikyKcld9U

weak, whiny singer that should be relegated to backing vocals duties. Might work with a better singer. Sounds like a weaker version of Tyketto's End of the Summer Days (which was an exceptional song).

S2M wrote:Slave to Your Love - Wig Wam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7KNqqwBto

sounds like a weaker version of Gotthard.

S2M wrote:Too Far Gone - Kane Roberts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMpn5jpMo1A

Pretty much by-the-book aor. Lyrically a bit cold, which means I probably like this a bit less than I should.

S2M wrote:Fuel for Your Soul - Jagged Edge UK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBOdI-ZlLJI

ok, but nothing special. Heard it a million times. Maybe a solid album track.

S2M wrote:The Journey Will Never End - Jaded Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlovNAGWQnU&feature=related

Live and Let Die (which I liked a lot) is a better song. I think there is some talent in this band, but I'm not sold on this song.

S2M wrote:Without a Moment's Notice - Adriangale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APhOxBF6E9U

Jamie Rowe is very solid. Classy song. Sounds like they were trying to outdo Def Leppard--and generally succeeded.

S2M wrote:Never Give Up - Auras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpbr_vn7atg

yet another of the Frontiers Journey clone bands. Sound is pretty close to average Two Fires, without the vocal talents of Kevin Chalfant to save it. In need of a better chorus. Pretty much forgettable.

S2M wrote:Slave to Love - Outlaw Blood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwmuUod44ZY

nice intro, but vocals a bit low in the mix. Reminds me a bit of These Days-era Bon Jovi in sound for the verse and musical arrangement (which is a very good compliment!). I think the chorus lets the rest of the song down a bit. Might be a grower.

S2M wrote:One out of Ten - The Poodles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl2kHCbmD7M

sounds like Gotthard's Firedance a bit in the intro before going a different direction. Sounds like a step above the normal bands that are released, but missing something (maybe the singer???). Gosh awful band name also--rather anti "rock" also, which is odd.

S2M wrote:Romance - Reckless Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Xr2VT3PG1k

Ok, there ya go. Critique it, flame it. Bash it. Listen to them and say what you feel. Be honest. I really hope this gets a lot of action....we should be able to have a civilized discussion about things other than mainstream rock.

Poison mixed with a bit of pre-SWW Bon Jovi. OK for what it is, but not my style.


fair enough? I'll be the first to admit that late 80s/early 90s hair metal isn't exactly my favorite genre--and a lot a bit of these fall directly into that arena.
K

NICE job!!

Just one thing....Harry Hess doesn't sing Sentimental BLVD., Darren Smith does. Harry sings on the version from his solo release, Just Another Day

I guess you like different stuff....

S2M wrote:NICE job!!

Just one thing....Harry Hess doesn't sing Sentimental BLVD., Darren Smith does. Harry sings on the version on his solo release, Just Another Day

hmmph....I should have known that when I was typing it. Weirdly enough, I thought Harry would have done the song better, and ended up preferring the HS version.

S2M wrote:I guess you like different stuff....

probably. The list below (which was compiled mainly running through the "Your Reviews" page on the main site) should give a better idea. I think everything listed is probably on youtube, but I doubt anyone will actually bother to check these out either! I doubt anyone will have heard of most of these either. You'll probably notice a slight change in the style just by browsing it, as I figure you've heard most of them.

Survivor – Didn’t Know It Was Love
Magnum – Wild Angels
John Farnham – That’s Freedom
Ian Moss – Telephone Booth
Cold Chisel – Bow River
Dare – Return the Heart
Stuart Smith – Heaven & Earth
Crown of Thorns – Live and Die
Fair Warning – Save Me
Tyketto – End of the Summer Days
Strangeways – Only a Fool
Noiseworks – Take Me Back
The Storm – Don’t Give Up
Thunder – Loser
Gotthard – I Wonder
Ten – The Loneliest Place in the World
Oliver Hartmann – What If I?
Talisman – Shed a Tear Goodbye

Yeah, I've heard of all of them except Ian Moss, and Noiseworks. A couple of things stick out, however, for me. I absolutely do not like Dare. A friend of mine isn't a huge fan, but has tried to get me into them for a few years. I's rather listen to Chris Ousey's Heartland than Dare. I don't mind CoT, actually saw them at MRF2. My favorite from them is Heaven Tonight. I've mentioned loving FW before, and I also love Soul Doctor. Love Tyketto, favorites are Wings, Forever Young, and Wait Forever. Gotthard is another favorite. Love Homerun-Domino Effect. And scattered individual songs from the rest of their catalog....the rest, eh. Not my cup of tea....

S2M wrote:Yeah, I've heard of all of them except Ian Moss, and Noiseworks. A couple of things stick out, however, for me. I absolutely do not like Dare. A friend of mine isn't a huge fan, but has tried to get me into them for a few years. I's rather listen to Chris Ousey's Heartland than Dare. I don't mind CoT, actually saw them at MRF2. My favorite from them is Heaven Tonight. I've mentioned loving FW before, and I also love Soul Doctor. Love Tyketto, favorites are Wings, Forever Young, and Wait Forever. Gotthard is another favorite. Love Homerun-Domino Effect. And scattered individual songs from the rest of their catalog....the rest, eh. Not my cup of tea....

Ian Moss - if you've heard Cold Chisel, you've heard Ian Moss. Guitarist and 2nd vocalist. Reminds me a bit of an Australian Richie Sambora for style. Debut (Matchbook) mix between aor and a bit of blues and REALLY good. Later albums more blues hard rock. Just wish he'd get back into releasing new material and stop with the recent influx of cover cds.

Noiseworks is another Aussie band. Basically AORish. Jon Stevens was part of INXS for a while before leaving because of being bored. Kinda patchy, but when they are on, they are very good.

Dare....love most of the cds. Some great stuff, and Darren Wharton is a great singer (at least in the studio).

Heartland....all I've heard was Miracles by Design, and never could quite get into that. A bit too quirky on the songwriting.

CoT....like, don't love. Love that one cd (Lost Cathedral) and some of the debut. Rest is hit and miss. Heaven Tonight is very good--almost put that one up.

Soul Doctor....like the first album, and some of the second. After that, they kinda lost me.

Tyketto....yes, and Danny Vaughn solo. Great singer, great songwriter, and rarely puts a bad step forward.

Gotthard....pretty much love everything except the Dial Hard album, and parts of the debut. Extremely consistent band.

the rest....love 'em, or at least certain albums (a la Stuart Smith)

like I said...just different tastes.

Somehow I knew you and I would be the only ones in this thread....

Hmm....so you aren't too keen on late 80s-early 90s hair bands....

How obscure does your knowledge/taste really go?

S2M wrote:Somehow I knew you and I would be the only ones in this thread....

Hmm....so you aren't too keen on late 80s-early 90s hair bands....

How obscure does your knowledge/taste really go?

yes....well, who else on this board listens to non-"mainsteam" melodic rock?!? Only those that read the sadly deceased noticeboard--which means very few.
As has been said, this board is pretty much Journey/mainstream US-based fans.

not really all that keen on the hair bands....melodic rock? yes. aor? yes. Much beyond that? not really in this genre, save for a few here and there. I always went for good singers (big factor!) and good lyrics. I think the lyrics part is what soured me on a lot of the hair bands. Always wanted some depth to the songs and not just the very superficial party-like-a-rockstar lyrics that were commonplace at that time. Really, I didn't even care for the bands that were popular at the time (Winger, Poison, GnR, etc). Tyketto would be the outside edge, and they are somewhat closer to melodic rock than hair band--especially on the 2nd album and Danny Vaughn's later stuff.

I figure you've got a lot more obscure stuff than I have. As far as obscure...I've heard, or at least heard of, a lot of the stuff that's been released since the mid 90s on the big european labels (N&T/Frontiers, Escape, MTM, Z, etc). Heard some stuff prior to that in 80s/90s, especially when I started looking for bands that I liked in the late 90s. That would be when I found the AOR Hard Rock Hot Spot, better known today by another, better name. Started looking at the reviews at the time, and cherry-picking the titles that sounded like I would enjoy. Also, went with the supposed classics that sounded like they appealed to me (Strangeways, Dare, Harem Scarem, etc). Over time, learned what I liked---or specifically, how to determine where Andrew's likes and my likes overlapped, and differed.

Then, start going through the back catalog of the bands I liked, and then band members' outside projects (ie Jimmy Barnes' Freight Train Heart with Schon/Cain. Like that, go through catalog. Discover Cold Chisel. Go through their stuff. Start checking out Ian Moss solo work. Listen to Barnes' Soul Deep album. Find duet with John Farnham. Like voice, start checking out his stuff. CD collection expands exponentially as bank account simultaneously decreases exponentially). Obviously, "similar in sound to Journey/Survivor" was high on the list at first. Branched out somewhat later.

Clear as mud?

kgdjpubs wrote:

S2M wrote:Somehow I knew you and I would be the only ones in this thread....

Hmm....so you aren't too keen on late 80s-early 90s hair bands....

How obscure does your knowledge/taste really go?

yes....well, who else on this board listens to non-"mainsteam" melodic rock?!? Only those that read the sadly deceased noticeboard--which means very few.

not really all that keen on the hair bands....melodic rock? yes. aor? yes. Much beyond that? not really. I always went for good singers (big factor!) and good lyrics. I think the lyrics part is what soured me on a lot of the hair bands. Really, I didn't even care for the ones that were popular at the time (Winger, Poison, GnR, etc). Tyketto would be the outside one, and they are somewhat closer to melodic rock than hair bands.

As far as obscure...I've heard, or at least heard of, a lot of the stuff that's been released since the mid 90s on the big european labels (N&T/Frontiers, Escape, MTM, Z, etc). Heard some stuff prior to that in 80s/90s, especially when I started looking for bands that I liked in the late 90s. That would be when I found the AOR Hard Rock Hot Spot, better known today by another, better name. I figure you've got a lot more obscure stuff than I have.

I do have alot of stuff. Some of it isn't all that great, to be honest. But I have to say that Winger is a fave. I would put Pull in my top 10 albums of all time.

I'm not too into AOR. Well, i shouldn't say that. I like some of what's called AOR. I can never tell what something should be labeled as, really. Stuff like Blanc Faces, and the very lite AOR I can't take....but if you consider Smilek, The Storm, or Harry Hess - AOR...then yes, I like that.

If I had my druthers, I'd listen to stuff like Fifth Angel, Harem Scarem, Von Goove, Emerald Rain, From the Inside, Perfect World, and Brian Howe(including his stint in Bad co.)

S2M wrote:
I do have alot of stuff. Some of it isn't all that great, to be honest. But I have to say that Winger is a fave. I would put Pull in my top 10 albums of all time.

I have a lot of very pedestrian stuff also. King Kobra for example. World class singer, VERY average band. Have a friend who has the Winger Pull album. Wasn't blown away (even though I liked the style--which was certainly different to the earlier stuff), but maybe it requires multiple listens to get into. For whatever reason, I never pursued it.

S2M wrote:I'm not too into AOR. Well, i shouldn't say that. I like some of what's called AOR. I can never tell what something should be labeled as, really. Stuff like Blanc Faces, and the very lite AOR I can't take....but if you consider Smilek, The Storm, or Harry Hess - AOR...then yes, I like that.

If I had my druthers, I'd listen to stuff like Fifth Angel, Harem Scarem, Von Goove, Emerald Rain, From the Inside, Perfect World, and Brian Howe(including his stint in Bad co.)

Some limited experience with some of these groups, but I'd say we're closer to the same page here. I'd lean toward the latter category, and not the very lite AOR, barring a few groups (ie Dare, Urban Tale, some of the Strangeways/Terry Brock songs). The vast majority is in the second category, which I tend to just call melodic rock.

Fifth Angel? Never heard of them
HS....pretty patchy for me, but some very good songs. With someone other than Harry Hess on vox, I would probably be a huge fan. His voice, especially the more recent stuff just tends to grate on my nerves. As is, a great best of cd. 3 great cds (S/T, Mood Swings, Weight...). After that, very hit and miss.
Von Groove.....heard of, haven't heard.
Emerald Rain....I have the cds, but can't tell you one song off of them. Been a LONG time since I heard anything. Must have had some appeal at the time to get several albums however.
From the Inside....might as well call it Danny Vaughn. CD1 is great. #2 dips a bit.
Perfect World....limited to one song, but Kelly Hansen is classy. Probably should have picked this up, but never did.
Brian Howe....good stuff, the little I've heard. Still got the voice live.

I'll hop on this thread tonight when I get home. Take some listens and let you know what I think.

and then I get into this kind of stuff....lol

HooDoo Woman - Krokus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKppsNln7Jg

Shelter me - Balance of power
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IVqjKK24tw

Day Breaker - Balance of Power
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do0RglMDE6Y

Amazing Flight - Ayreon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAJRpKyvq8w

Tunnel of Light - Ayreon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUqdvkMNn7Q&feature=related

With These Eyes - Pretty maids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VptcfoZW6VA&feature=related

Savage heart - Pretty Maids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0_K5-D9mzo&feature=related

Beat of a Heart - 220 Volt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjZq8PEA4Fw

kgdjpubs wrote:From the Inside....might as well call it Danny Vaughn. CD1 is great. #2 dips a bit.
.

I disagree CD#2 is great, and improvement on CD 1. Of course I am same person that enjoys the 2 Vaughn Albums and the Traveller albums
a wee bit more than the two Tyketto albums (which i do like) , which is not obvioulsly not the consensus opininon.

steveo777 wrote:I have no clue who any of these fucking bands are, except one.

They must, for the most part, be shit.....because you posted them. There is your critique.

Wow, close-minded much? Now I know why MG calls you an ass all the time

And S2M, yes remember, most here are Journey fans and that kind of mainstream stuff is all they may know. So of course no matter how much you try, they are never going to "get" the rest of the MR world of music, since they equate mainstream with good, and everything else MUST be "shit" then And my thinking with that is, if mainstream is all that they consider "good", then they must consider all the mainstream auto-tuned crap these days to be good too, and so that just renders their opinions about MR completely null and void to me anyway, lol. Now... as for your comments about TSO though...

Gin and Tonic Sky wrote:

kgdjpubs wrote:From the Inside....might as well call it Danny Vaughn. CD1 is great. #2 dips a bit.
.

I disagree CD#2 is great, and improvement on CD 1. Of course I am same person that enjoys the 2 Vaughn Albums and the Traveller albums
a wee bit more than the two Tyketto albums (which i do like) , which is not obvioulsly not the consensus opininon.

I think I'm with Kevin on this one....loved #1, and #2 did nothing for me. Just like Starbreaker #1 - awesome. Love's Dying Wish? not so much. And I'm one of those fans that doesn't really 'get' Danny's solo stuff....I will say, however, I like Soldiers and Sailors.....

S2M wrote:And I'm one of those fans that doesn't really 'get' Danny's solo stuff....I will say, however, I like Soldiers and Sailors.....

My brain hurts from the day I've had, but I will comment on this... You may like that album more because it was essentially Tyketto (w/ Jamie Scott instead of Jimi Kennedy on bass), but without Brooke St. James' guitar work. I adore Brooke's playing, so I tend to sway more toward the 1st two albums and Shine (with Augeri) myself.

Debbie

S2M wrote:

Gin and Tonic Sky wrote:

kgdjpubs wrote:From the Inside....might as well call it Danny Vaughn. CD1 is great. #2 dips a bit.
.

I disagree CD#2 is great, and improvement on CD 1. Of course I am same person that enjoys the 2 Vaughn Albums and the Traveller albums
a wee bit more than the two Tyketto albums (which i do like) , which is not obvioulsly not the consensus opininon.

I think I'm with Kevin on this one....loved #1, and #2 did nothing for me. Just like Starbreaker #1 - awesome. Love's Dying Wish? not so much. And I'm one of those fans that doesn't really 'get' Danny's solo stuff....I will say, however, I like Soldiers and Sailors.....

I did start out that way, preferring Tyketto to his solo stuff. However, Ive veen lucky to see Danny numerouse times in the UK including his acoustic shows , which proabaly gave me a better appeciation of the solo stuff - I think it translates better live. Which is probably the reason I like FTI 2 better than #1 . I heard parts of two done acoutically by Danny -get the road less travelled acoutic album its good .

Melissa wrote:

steveo777 wrote:I have no clue who any of these fucking bands are, except one.

They must, for the most part, be shit.....because you posted them. There is your critique.

Wow, close-minded much? Now I know why MG calls you an ass all the time

And S2M, yes remember, most here are Journey fans and that kind of mainstream stuff is all they may know. So of course no matter how much you try, they are never going to "get" the rest of the MR world of music, since they equate mainstream with good, and everything else MUST be "shit" then And my thinking with that is, if mainstream is all that they consider "good", then they must consider all the mainstream auto-tuned crap these days to be good too, and so that just renders their opinions about MR completely null and void to me anyway, lol. Now... as for your comments about TSO though...

ok, you convinced me. I'll listen to some of this shit when I get time.

Alright, I was fucking with S2M. What I posted wasn't really true.

On the song S&S on Riverside, the keys remind me of Bruce Hornsby....

ok here is are a few good ones..... ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcwC8k5MOA4
Pink Creme 69 Shame

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcsC_RaQXE0
Paul Laine Dorriana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnfrgbql8H0
Brother Firetribe Wildest dreams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nWqyf9F ... re=related
H.E.A.T Straight for your Heart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb5vOZGE8RQ
hydrogyn- Break me down

Matt - you picked a great PC69 song. Thank the lord you didn't pick an Andi Deris song....lol

Paul Laine - never listened to that song. Prefer Break Down the Barricades, and We are the Young

Brother Firetribe - awesome track!

Not a huge H.E.A.T. fan.....

One of the best songs of all time in Melodic Rock/AOR

Stranded - Mitch Malloy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftH8oP9q8Pc

my favorite Pau Laine sung song...

I Do - Danger Danger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLZ0M_Qi28

Awesome Giant song:

Hold Back the Night - Giant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajFItOic1Ko

Best version of this killer Giant tune....

Stay(acoustic) - Giant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8smf2ZEwBA

S2M wrote:I Do - Danger Danger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLZ0M_Qi28

]

Prefer DD with Poley signing but I cant deny return of the great gildersleeves is a fuckin awesome rock album.

S2M wrote:One of the best songs of all time in Melodic Rock/AOR

Stranded - Mitch Malloy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftH8oP9q8Pc

my favorite Pau Laine sung song...

I Do - Danger Danger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLZ0M_Qi28

Awesome Giant song:

Hold Back the Night - Giant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajFItOic1Ko

Best version of this killer Giant tune....

Stay(acoustic) - Giant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8smf2ZEwBA

All great tunes....Paul Laine rules. If only he'd pick up his bloody phone

Andrew wrote:

S2M wrote:One of the best songs of all time in Melodic Rock/AOR

Stranded - Mitch Malloy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftH8oP9q8Pc

my favorite Pau Laine sung song...

I Do - Danger Danger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlLZ0M_Qi28

Awesome Giant song:

Hold Back the Night - Giant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajFItOic1Ko

Best version of this killer Giant tune....

Stay(acoustic) - Giant
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8smf2ZEwBA

All great tunes....Paul Laine rules. If only he'd pick up his bloody phone

Well he's on FB...he posts every so often.

S2M wrote:

Well he's on FB...he posts every so often.

Trying to reach him on business stuff. We keep missing each other.

Andrew wrote:

S2M wrote:

Well he's on FB...he posts every so often.

Trying to reach him on business stuff. We keep missing each other.

Oh business stuff. No offense to him, but he can't be THAT busy. It's not like he's doing anything flabbergasting at the present time....or is he?

S2M wrote:

Andrew wrote:

S2M wrote:

Well he's on FB...he posts every so often.

Trying to reach him on business stuff. We keep missing each other.

Oh business stuff. No offense to him, but he can't be THAT busy. It's not like he's doing anything flabbergasting at the present time....or is he?

he's actually flat out. One of the most sought after producers in Vancouver. Does a ton of session stuff. He's always in the middle of something. And he does clubs playing covers on the weekend.

S2M wrote:

Gin and Tonic Sky wrote:

kgdjpubs wrote:From the Inside....might as well call it Danny Vaughn. CD1 is great. #2 dips a bit.
.

I disagree CD#2 is great, and improvement on CD 1. Of course I am same person that enjoys the 2 Vaughn Albums and the Traveller albums
a wee bit more than the two Tyketto albums (which i do like) , which is not obvioulsly not the consensus opininon.

I think I'm with Kevin on this one....loved #1, and #2 did nothing for me. Just like Starbreaker #1 - awesome. Love's Dying Wish? not so much. And I'm one of those fans that doesn't really 'get' Danny's solo stuff....I will say, however, I like Soldiers and Sailors.....

I think it's the production on FTI #2 moreso than the songs themselves. Was listening to it recently and it has a very laid-back aor production. Think Danny Vaughn needs a bit more punch in the mix. Still don't think it's as good as the first one however, but I think I'd like it more with a different sound.

as far as DV solo vs. Tyketto, have you heard the Traveller album S2M? Not a million miles off of the Strength in Numbers sound.