Category Archives: Reckless Love
Reckless Love – Animal Attraction
Reckless Love – Animal Attraction (2011, Universal Music/Spinefarm Records UK)
1. “Animal Attraction”
2. “Speedin’”
3. “Born To Break Your Heart”
4. “Hot”
5. “Fantasy”
6. “Dirty Dreams”
7. “Dance”
8. “Fight”
9. “Switchblade Babe”
10. “On The Radio
11. “Coconuts
Band:
Olli Herman – Vocals
Pepe – Guitar
Jalle Verne – Bass
Hessu Maxx – Drums
Producer: Ilkka Wirtanen
Reckless Love came out of nowhere last year and delivered one of my favorite albums for 2010 so I was pretty enthusiastic when I heard a new album was coming in 2011. Fans of the band’s self-titled debut will not be disappointed with Animal Attraction.
Olli & the boys have given the world another great collection of slick ‘n’ polished glam & pop-metal. Whether it’s the sleazy “Animal Attraction”, the anthemic ”Hot” & “On The Radio”, the Euro-pop of “Dirty Dreams”, the hard pop groove of “Dance” (seriously, this could be a club hit in the U.S.), the hard rockin’ “Fight” or the somewhat quirky “Coconuts” (channeling Diamond Dave?) Reckless Love have proven themselves as kings of modern glam metal.
This album is just so darn catchy that I think I would rank it slightly above the debut (the album cover & new logo are certainly an improvement) but the guys really haven’t changed their style a bit. Anyone who likes the melodic hard rock/pop acts of the ’80s (Danger Danger, Def Leppard, David Lee Roth, Bon Jovi, KISS, etc.) is going to dig Animal Attraction.
These guys are a hit in their native Finland. Too bad albums such as this one go unnoticed here in America. Someone like Def Leppard or Poison or KISS needs to step up and take them out on the road next summer.
Highlights: “Animal Attraction”, “Speedin’”, “Hot”, “Fantasy”, “Dirty Dreams”, “Dance”
http://www.recklesslove.com
http://www.facebook.com/RecklessLove
Reckless Love – Reckless Love
Reckless Love [European Import] (2010, Universal Music/Mercury Records)
1. “Feel My Heat” … 3:46
2. “One More Time” … 3:37
3. “Badass” … 4:05
4. “Love Machine” … 3:44
5. “Beautiful Bomb” … 3:13
6. “Romance” … 3:16
7. “Sex” … 4:03
8. “Back To Paradise” … 3:57
9. “So Yeah!!” … 3:26
10. “Wild Touch” … 4:09
11. “Born To Rock” … 3:29
Band:
Olli Herman – Vocals
Pepe – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jalle Verne – Bass, Backing Vocals
Hessu Maxx – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Ilkka Wirtanen – Keyboards
Producer: Ilkka Wirtanen
Having originally formed under the name of Reckless Life (as a Gun N’ Roses cover band), Reckless Love is a Finnish hair band that’s been garnering LOTS of positive reviews from all over the place. I’ve wanted to check them out for awhile, but high import prices kept me from doing so. Finally, I was able to get my hands on this disc at a reasonable price.
Their original music is a far cry from the GNR songs they would cover in theirs infancy. There’s really not even much of a sleaze influence, this is pure glammed-up pop metal cheese with an AOR influence. While lead singer Olli Herman (who sat in with Swedish sleazers Crashdiet for an album a few years back) may be trying his best to look like a cross between the 80s versions of Vince Neil and Bret Michaels, the band I think they closest resemble in sound would be Danger Danger. The entire album is backed by a slick, glossy, shiny production. The band and songs don’t come across as particularly raw, sleazy or dangerous like some of the ’80s glam masters did, but who cares? The songs are good and extremely catchy and frankly, I’ve been getting tired of some of the modern sleaze bands anyway. A lot of them have their heart in the right place but the music is becoming a bit bland, I think. It’s good to hear a modern band take up the more slick AOR qualities that the hair genre had if for no other reason than a little bit of variety.
The band seems to be doing pretty well for themselves. The album has been a success in their home country, they’re getting good reviews and they’re on a major label. Good for them, I say! Can’t wait to hear what they come up with next but in the mean time, I’m really enjoying this offering the band has presented to the Gods of Glam Metal.
Highlights: “One More Time”, “Badass”, “Love Machine”, “Beautiful Bomb”, “Romance”, “Sex”
http://www.recklesslove.com/
http://www.facebook.com/RecklessLove
http://www.myspace.com/recklessloverocks
