NORTHERN LIGHT REVIEWS
BROKE[N]BLUE "Northern Light" (Maple Leaf Records) Rating: 90
Two great mini-cds and finally Broke[N]Blue signs for a label, and their full lenght debut cd contains twelve songs, that are those already released plus a bunch of new tracks making this cd interesting also for the luchy owners of their previous works. Useless to say that the AOR written by Lars Abrahamsson (gt, keyb) is of first quality and is graced by the two great singers (male and female) Peter Gustavsson and Eva Eggesjö-Abrahamsson. "I will be there" and "Cry for you" are two excellent starters, rich of melodies between Abba, Toto and T'Bell, but B[N]B spreads energy in songs like the stunning melodic rockers "Enuff" and "Needed to believe". With "Touching me" and "Back again" the Swedish band turns to sounds similar to Heart/Witness, hitting under the belt to AOR fans of Survivor and Night Ranger with "Here she comes". I have also to reccommend you the strong and melodic atmosfpheres of "Oriental eyes" with great vocals, the intelligent harmonic balance of the anthemic pop/AOR "Heart 2 Heart", while titletrack (that closes this fantastic cd) has heavier and darker sounds around introducing something new in the brilliant and catchy universe of the band. The North European scene keeps giving us great bands such as Alyson Avenue, T’Bell, Urban Tale and today officially Broke[N]Blue, who deserve all our attention and devotion.
/Andrea Bertamino Flash Magazine Italy
NORTHERN LIGHT-BROKE-N-BLUE (MAPLE LEAF RECORDS)
The past few years I reviewed several demos and now there's the offical debut CD release of the Swedish AOR band BROKE-N-BLUE. 'Northern light' is one of those albums you pick up and hear right from the very start you're listening to something really good. This CD is filled with sensational classy 80s AOR that sounds like SURVIVOR/JOURNEY/TOTO in their AOR heydays, while also comparisons to HEART and WITNESS are notable.
The difference in similarity to a female and a male fronted AOR band is due to the fact that BROKE-N-BLUE has two lead singers, namely the female singer Eva Eggesjo-Abrahamsson and male singer Peter Gustavsson. Both can sing very well, so I don't mind who's singing the song, because vocally it all sounds perfect. The leader of the band is Lars Abrahamsson, who wrote all the 12 included songs and also plays guitar and keys on the album. The final member of BROKE-N-BLUE is drummer/bassist Ulf Vestlund who also co-produced with Lars the album. Like I already mentioned, there are 12 songs on the album and they all sound very sensational, so we really have to deal here with a sensational album.
The best songs with Eve on vocals are the uptempo classy 80s AOR rockers "I will be there", "Enuff" and "Touching me tonight" that all sound like a cross between WITNESS, HEART and ALYSON AVENUE. From the songs with Peter on vocals I have to add that "Cry for you" and "Oriental eyes" are the best ones. These two last mentioned songs are also the best tracks of the whole record. "Cry for you" is superb AOR with a very catchy chorus that has 80s SURVIVOR/JOURNEY/TOTO written all over the place. The dut-dut keys in this song are making it a true winner for anyone into 80s classic AOR. Although 80s sounding, there's also a clear resemblance with other recent Scandi AOR acts such as T'BELL, URBAN TALE… The other song I really liked that featured Peter on vocals is "Oriental eyes", another classy piece of pure 80s AOR! Peter and Eve also sing a duet on the CD, namely the lovely semi AOR ballad "Heaven in my hands". What more can I say about this masterpiece! This album should be bought a.s.a.p., because it is a fantastic AOR record, and now we can easily add BROKE-N-BLUE to the never-ending list of sensational AOR acts from Scandinavia. This album is a big must if you enjoyed the recent releases of T'BELL, URBAN TALE, ALYSON AVENUE, BLIND ALLEY…
(Points: 9.0 out of 10) Gabor Kleinbloesem, Strutter Magazine
BROKE[N]BLUE: "Northern light" Rating: 9 of 10 Maple Leaf Records 2001
I never really had any doubts... well... I must admit that some of their song material like "Big fat lie" sounded a bit out of place... but as soon as I heard their latest promo, I knew it was just a matter of time before Broke[N]Blue would be signed (see my reviews in our archive). So... here they are, Maple Leaf records is the label and Big fat lie is (to my relief) not included on the album. What makes this band a bit out of the ordinary are the use of two (superb) lead vocalists. The fact that one of them are female (Eva Eggesjö-Abrahamsson) and the other male (Peter Gustavsson) makes this even more interesting. Not to forget main man Lars Abrahamsson (guitars, keys) who is an exellent songwriter. The only downside would be the production, I´ve heard a lot worse... but oh how I wish a major name like Mutt Lange etc. could have been involved in this. I´m sure Lars agrees with me here, a big recording budget wouldn't have been all the bad. The songmaterial are all top class though and since I´ve raved about many of them before (see our archives) I will focus more on some of the new ones here. "Touching me tonight" is a marvelous mid-tempo ballad a-la Bryan Adams meets Scandinavian AOR, with some great vocal work by Eva and "Northern light" is another winner. The track that really knocked me down to the floor was "Oriental eyes" though, as this is simply the best AOR song of the year (so far)!!! Any fan of Scandinavian AOR will simply melt to the sound of this catchy mid-tempo rocker. Songs like "I will be there, Cry for you, Enuff, Needed to believe, Heaven in my hands" (now re-recorded as a duet between Eva & Peter) are all candy for music lovers. Trust me, you will not be disappointed with the songmaterial here and it´s pretty much a must have for Scandi fans. I can't say that I´m pleased with the front and back cover though (a bit cheap-ish) Official site at: Check out some songs at: The MP3 site and if you can´t find the CD elsewhere try www.hangloose-records.com .
Review by Urban "Wally" Wallstrom 01-08-04, AOR-Europe
Broke[N]Blue "Northern light" Maple Leaf Records 2001
It's been a while in the making but finally the team up in the northern reaches of Sweden get their debut album out into the public domain. And yes, it's been worth the wait.
Having followed Broke [N] Blue's fortunes and progress over the last few years, it has been a case of look learn and listen. What the band have up their collective sleeves is a ear for melody, a contrasting vocal approach with either Eva or Peter singing, and great songs. Yes, songs... the epicentre of any album. Without it, any artist would amount to nothing. Kudos goes to the man behind it all Lars Abrahamsson. When I interviewed him at the end of last year, the team were still going through the rigors of recording and deciding on what tracks to use. I feel the mix of songs assembled here is near perfect, with a host of new ones too! Broke [N] Blue's sound has firmly cemented itself in the middle lane of the melodic rock/pop market. With Eva's vocals in particular, the band I feel can become a real contender to corner that market left behind by the likes of Saraya, Heart and Roxette and euro hit machines like Michael Learns To Rock. They easily straddle that fence, making the entry into the melodic rock seem easy, with Lar's fluid but sonic guitar style and pulse laden songs being the catalyst for it all..
'I Will Be There' is a great opener, and a taster for things to come. Eva's effortless vocal is particularly good here. Echoes of Heart's 'There's The Girl' off the 'Bad Animals' opus springs forth on a new track 'Cry For You'. 'Touching Me Tonight' is also another newie, which zooms into Roxette's commerical range, whereas 'Enuff' has the entire AOR recipe thrown together in 4 and half minutes.. utterly superb! Of course some of their tracks which have had prior air-time make up some of the space on the album, 'Needed To Believe' shows you just how bad-ass rockers they can be, but still the polish is there a la Jeff Paris, plus there's the subtle brilliance of 'Heaven In My Hands' where Peter shines out upfront, as well as the upbeat 'Heart 2 Heart'. They show another side with the title track 'Northern Light' which has all the ambience and atmosphere of an Iona track. Tell me there's not a song here that will appeal to a wide range of melodic rockers, regardless of what end of the spectrum they reside. Making a decision to decide on an opening single off the album is a hard decision, considering there's so many to choose from. However I suspect 'I Will Be There' or 'Enuff' may be the strongest contenders.
For an indie effort this should be an inspiration as to how well it can be done on limited resources, and in this day and age I'm inclined to encourage the efforts of bands such as Broke [N] Blue and Finland's Urban Tale to fly the flag of nu-breed melodic rock. Get tuned in to Broke [N] Blue now, as this is well worth the investment for the future of melodic rock. Leave the MP3's alone, get the real kaboodle. The CD is now obtainable from the outlet listed below, with distributor deals in the wings for other countries. Go to it people, and well done to Lars, Eva, Peter and Ulf for realising the original promise..
- George Thatcher Heart Of The Rock
BROKE(N)BLUE "Northern Light" 2001 (Maple Leaf Records)
Broken(N)Blue is here with their debut album. After I heard their demo-CDR I been looking forward to hear their debut. Here it is and I´m really glad that they have gone the AORish way and skiped the more bluesy AOR from the Demo-CD. B(N)B has two lead vocalists in Eva Eggesjo(she sounds like Amy Wolger of Fighter) and Peter Gustavsson,(he sounds like Sean Murphy of Fighter mixed with Jan Johansen) two great singers that gives the album a great variation. The production is also very good.
The album opens up with "I Will Be There", this is a brilliant pure AOR-song with lots of keyboards. A better version of Dante Fox and Alyson Avenue. "Cry For You" makes me think of the Christain AOR/rockers Fighter. Peter sings his heart out on this track. The chorus hits you right away and the keyboards are just right. "Enuff" is the best track of the album. This is a fantastic pure AOR-song a´la Heart with lovely 80´s keyboards mixed with great guitarriffs. Eva and Peter sings duet on "Heaven In My Hands", this is a nice piano ballad that sounds like Fighter. "Oriental Eyes" is filled with brilliant keyboards and this song has great hooklines. The chorus is superb with good background vocals. The main man behind B(N)B is Lars Abrahamsson that plays guitars, keyboards and produced this album, he has done a great job on this.
If you think Dante Fox, Alyson Avenue, Fighter but better and some hints of T´Bell is your kind of AOR then don´t hesitate to get a copy of this brilliant album. This is a new Swedish AOR sensation.
Juha Harjula, Midwestern Skies
Broke[N]Blue, Northern Light, BROCD01, Maple Leaf Records, Germany, 2001
Broke[N]Blue are fellow Swedes and they chose the title of the CD as a tribute to this very web site. Ummm… what? Just a coincidence? Ah well… nice title nevertheless! ;) The lineup consists of Eva Eggesjö-Abrahamsson (lead and backing vocals), Lars Abrahamsson (guitars, keyboards, backing vocals), Ulf Vestlund (drums and bass) and Peter Gustavsson (lead and backing vocals). Lars wrote all the music and all lyrics. They have come up with a pure AOR sound, more towards the polite than heavy edged, with fluffy keyboards, a steady pumping rhythm section, melodic guitars and two fine singers in Eva and Peter. Production wise I can't quite shake off the demo vibe and particularly the drums suffer from the production and comes through a bit weak sounding where more power would have been of benefit. Still the CD has a verly slick sound suiting the music perfectly. The songwriting is the biggest asset on the CD together with the lead vocals. Eva sometimes reminds me of Marie Fredriksson (Roxette) the way she's able to express emotions. Peter reminds me of Swedish singer Jan Johansen at times with a slightly husky yet smooth voice. "Enuff" sounds like a million bucks right out of the 80s. Eva handles the lead vocals and the whole vibe is a cross between Roxette and Alannah Myles with a chorus that is made of sticky melodic stuff. It's easily the best track of the CD and if this would've been 1986 Broke[N]Blue would've had huge radio hit. "Heaven In My Hands" is a slower song (dare I say an '80s power ballad? ;)) where Peter and Eva do a duet and they make this marvellous track into a delicious dessert, light melodic pop rock at its best. The CD is packed with these catchy AOR tunes and if you're a sucker for Roxette, Heart and the likes you better not miss out on this one!
Lennart Hedenström, Northern Light Website
Band: Broke-N- BlueAlbum:Northern Lights Spielzeit:55:31 min Plattenfirma/Vertrieb: Maple Leaf Records/ Hang Loose VergleichbareBands: Heart, Romeo`s Daughter
Wertung:5/ 6
Bereits im Rock It! Nr. 3 lobte die Chefetage das damalige Demo der Schweden in den siebten Himmel. Was soll ich sagen, recht haben sie gehabt. Mit ihrer Debütscheibe „Northern Lights“ kann die Band um die schwer an HEART erinnernde Sängerin Eva Abrahamsson voll überzeugen. Sie teilt sich die Vocals mit Peter Gustavsson auf der Platte. Mastermind Lars Abrahamsson zeigt sich verantwortlich für sämtliche Gitarren und Keyboardmelodien. Das Songwriting ist eindeutig an die glorreichen 80er Jahre angelehnt, was beileibe kein Fehler ist. Mit „I Will Be There“ haben sie schon den richtigen Einstand auf einem Album, das durchaus noch mehr potenzielle Hits aufweisen kann. Nicht nur rockige Klänge werden angeschlagen, nein, vielmehr der Touch Pop in einigen Songs macht das Salz in der Suppe aus. Soundtechnisch hätte ich mir etwas mehr Druck gewünscht, das hat den Abzug in der B–Note zur Folge. Mit „Enuff“ möchte ich noch meinen persönlichen Lieblingstrack nennen, der Song sollte euch überzeugen. Gebt den Newcomern eine Chance, verdient haben sie es allemal.
Jochen Bauer Rock It Magazine
AOR Melodic rock site, Denmark
Broke[N]Blue is the brainchild of guitarist and keyboard player Lars Abrahamsson who has written all music and lyrics on this debut full lengt album. But what gives this album an extraordinary sound and appeal is the presence of 2 lead singers - a woman and a man. The woman Eva Eggesjö-Abrahamsson has a voice very close to Heart's Ann Wilson and Peter Gustavsson has a high hoarse voice a la Jimi Jamison. This gives the whole album a brilliant approach - if you can imagine a mix of Heart's "Brigade" and Roxette's "Joyride". But I must add that the album "Northern Light" has it's very own identity due to the fact that Lars Abrahamsson has a flair for writing a catchy melody with a significant Scandinavian heartbeat.
The album is full of memorable tracks but I will allow myself to mention some like the mighty opener "I will be there" fronted by Eva Eggesjö-Abrahamsson, the groovy "Enuff" and the Bryan Adams inpired "Touching me (tonight)" - but to me the absolutely highlight of the whole album is the duo "Heaven in my hands", a mighty powerful ballade that uses the strength of two vocalist a grat guitar and a beautiful melody - a classic in the making! The only "but..." i must add is the production and the album cover work, but those are minor complaints - but I can't help imagine what if a guy like Robert John Mutt Lange, Ritchie Zito or even danish Tommy Hansen had been in the producers seat....? I will hope for Broke[N]Blue that Lars Abrahamsson will continue his brilliant work, because he is carrying the torch for a classic Scandinavian sound and music "tradition" I thought had died - but thanks to Broke[N]Blue I have regained hope for the AOR/Melodic Rock market in Sweden and hopefully Scandinavia in general!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Points 4 of 5 / Steen Peitersen
BROKE 'N' BLUE - NORTHERN LIGHT MAPLE LEAF RECORDS
The main ingredients you need for a good AOR/Melodic rock album are variety, excitement and originality and with this debut album from Sweden's Broke 'N' Blue we have a superb album that says it all.
If you miss Saraya or Heart then you will love Broke 'N' Blue. I first discovered this band early last year and have followed them each step of the way. Broke 'N' Blue are Eva Eggesjo-Abrahamsson (lead vocals), Lars Abrahamsson (guitars, keys), Peter Gustavsson (lead vocals), Ulf Vestlund (drums, bass) and they are a welcome force to the saturated AOR and Melodic Rock scene and I'll tell you this now, were gonna be hearing lots about this band in the future. The band feature two main singers Eva Eggesjo-Abrahamsson and Peter Gustavsson who swap vocal duties through this album which make it that little bit special.
'I Will Be There' kicks things off and is an uptempo start and lets you know what your in for style wise as well as introducing Eva's amazing vocals, imagine a mix of Stevie Nicks, Fiona, Belinda Carlisle and Sandy Saraya. 'I Will Be There' is instantly hummable and could prove to be a hit given the right promotion, this is a great start brimming with energy, personality and style as is the next song 'Cry For You' where we hear Peter Gustavsson's vocals for the first time. It's a strong melodic piece a'la Journey and Giant - the chorus is huge and threatens to bring the house down and is a steady melodic piece with dashes of keyboards throughout and a touching solo from Lars Abrahamsson.
The summery 'Enuff' is a burning keyboard driven AOR number. Eva handles this number and her vocals are absolutely stunning whilst 'Touching Me Tonight' is predictable and safe and is a wonderful listen. 'Needed To Believe' explodes into action, Lars pitches a hot solo backed by Peter's vocals and is perfectly constructed melodic rock, even better is 'Heaven In My Hands' because this song is ridiculously catchy and is similar to Jeff Paris. 'Heaven In My Hands' still remains one of my favourite songs by Broke 'N' Blue. It's a lovely Heart inspired ballad a good song where both Eva and Peter swap vocal duties.
'Back Again' is next, an excellent song, basically a brilliant foot tapping 'Never' type song. Another radio friendly song sung by Peter is 'Oriental Eyes' which grabs you upon first listen, a well written and constructed rock song with keyboards and is one of my favourite songs because it's instantly hummable because it brings tons of Giant to mind with it's similar chorus and melody patterns coupled with Peter's voice that is very up there like Dan Huff.
'Heavenly Beauty' is a soother AOR tune,and then the tempo pumps up again on 'Heart 2 Heart', which leave just one more track 'Northern Light' - an emotive formulised AOR tune.
Over all this is an exciting an album that explores the sort of commercial territory that made Heart and Giant famous. Aor fans keep your eyes on the future developments of Broke 'N' Blue.
Nicky Baldrian/ Fireworks Magazine
BROKE (N) BLUE Northern Light 2001 indie AOR/melodic rock
1st studio album 12 tracks - TT 54:45 Points 82/100 (82/100 average)
Another newcomer from Sweden is this AOR/melodic rock band Broke (N) Blue, which is fronted by two lead vocalists in the shape of Peter Gustavsson & Eva Eggesjo Abrahamsson. Besides these two, the line up consists of bass player & drummer Ulf Vestlund and guitarist/keyboarder/composer Lars Abrahamsson.
On "Northern Light", you will get to hear 12 good to very good tracks, which, I must say, are performed very professionally. The sound of the band can easily be compared with Danté Fox, Saraya, Queen of Spades, Witness or that other Swedish newcomer Alyson Avenue.
Just listen to songs like the opener "I Will Be There", "Cry For You" (great chorus line), the very good mid-tempo ballad "Heaven In My Hands" (duet by Peter and Eva), the AOR killer track "Back Again" (great opening keyboard licks) or the powerful "Oriental Eyes" (great chorus, huge keyboards, sharp guitars and therefore my personal favourite of the album). In spite of the fact that the production isn't from a superb standard, it is the quality of the songs that makes this album what it is and certifies the 82 points that it's getting from me.
(Rock Report , Ed Kruijskamp - September 9, 2001)
BROKE'N'BLUE's "Northern Light" is already available since a few months but for unknown reasons the promo copy didn't arrive earlier.
What a pity as I think that "Northern Light" has become a really fine piece of AOR which reminds me a little bit of a mixture of ROXETTE at the times of "Look Sharp" and the STAGE DOLLS at the times of their self-titled album. In particular the voice of Eva Eggesjoe-Abrahamsson shows some similarities with Marie Fredriksson from ROXETTE. Just take a listen to the beautiful mid-tempo song "Enuff" and you will find out quickly what I am talking about.
Another parallel to ROXETTE is the fact that BROKE'N'BLUE work with two lead singers. So on a few tracks Peter Gustavsson handles lead vocals and adds a very intersting flavour to the album. All 12 songs on "Northern Light" move on a extremely high level of songwriting and don't show any worth mentioning weak point. Maybe the production is a little too polished and could need a little more roughness/power and the one or other surprising twist, but that's splitting hairs. "Northern Light" is undoubtfully a very good album that makes hunger for more! 82points/100
April 2002 Marco Spaeth On the Rocks
Broke {N} Blue - Northern Light
With a name like Broke {N} Blue I was kind of expecting a bunch of 80's fixated LA sleaze bags, but what I actually got was a rather cool quartet from Sweden purveying, hook laden, sophisticated melodic hard rock / AOR. With two great vocalists (one male, one female) the Broke {N} Blue sound is a great mixture of the classic Scandie AOR of bands such as Street Talk, Alyson Avenue and Talk Of The Town, although there's some extra beef added with a liberal sprinkling of Dante Fox and Def Leppard thrown into the melting pot.
Filled with sophisticated mid paced pot boilers, and smouldering, sensuous ballads, 'Northern Light' (their debut I believe) is surprisingly slick and classy, the songs dripping with great harmonies and catchy hook lines. The production, although not top draw stuff, is also pretty good, adding just the right amount of atmospherics to make a great bunch of songs sound even better. Recommended. (D.Cockett) Powerplay
Broke N Blue/Northern Light - 85%
Genre – AOR
Label – Maple Leaf Records
Once again Sweden have proven themself caple of coming up with some almost hard to imagene AOR album, one should think that th days of AOR long time ago had counted it last release for good, but none the less here it is in the form of Broke N Blue. This album were original released back in 2001 and the band are currently working on new material for their next album. The lead vocals are handel of both Eva Abrahamsson and Peter Gustavsson who both do a great job and it specially comes to live on the duet Heaven In My Hands a brilliant piece of work from both parts. The style on the album could best be described in the vain of Marcie Free.
Carsten Nielsen/ ROCKHEADS Denmark /feb 2003
Broke 'N' Blue - Northern Light - 2002
Here we have a band from Sweden and this is the
latest full length album. Broke 'N' Blue now prepare the
second full length album but this is a review from their
first album. The band plays very good hard rock with
many influences from AOR. This album has twelve very
good songs. Also the production and the sound is very good.
The cd cover is very good but the whole booklet I think it will
be better. I think "Northern Light" is a very good album. So all
the fans of AOR/hard rock must check this band. Until their
next album.....
(9,5/10)
Reviewed by Antonis Maglaras, Powerplay Rec,Greece
Broke[N]Blue Northern Light
I discovered Broke-N-Blue a few months ago. Since I received their debut album, Northern Light, it has become my favorite A.O.R, melodic rock, hard rock album at the moment.
Broke-N-Blue is really a great project. Lars Abrahamsson seems to have an enormous potential in writing very good quality songs. I have listened to all kinds of hard rock and related since early eighties and I must say that the album from Broke-N-Blue is one of the best I`ve heard through the years.
In my ears this sounds perfect in every way, the two vocalists, Eva and Peter, has both very good voices, who is smooth, relaxing and very comfortable to listen to. Their music can be compared to artists like Fighter, Burns Sisters and bigger names like Heart, Journey and ToTo. The album has twelve songs of high quality and has a playing time of almost 55 minutes. The opener, I Will Be There, is a perfect example that this is A.O.R, melodic rock, hard rock at it`s best. Eva and Peter has split the songs between them and sing about half of the album each, plus the duet Heaven In My Hands, together.
They have, as I said earlier, both very good voices, and it`s just great to hear two such great voices on one album. Lars and Ulf plays the instruments on the album and they do a really great job. Its punch and dynamic in the rhythm section, Lars has nice sound on the guitar and on the solos. All the songs are great and in my opinion not one bad track. Cry For You, Enuff and the duet Heaven In My Hands are perfect songs. My favorites, except the songs I mentioned, are Here She Comes, Back Again and the last song, the titletrack Northern Light.
One of the reasons this album has become one of my big favorites ever, is the strength of the songs, two very good vocalists and most of all, Lars is one of the best songwriters I`ve ever heard. As far as I know, Broke-N-Blue is working on new songs and they are looking for a label to release a new album hopefully next year. In the meantime buy this album, it`s a real pearl!
Arne Asbolmo/ Melodic Hardrock Today dec2003
THE WAITING REVIEWS
BROKE 'N BLUE - THE WAITING (MTM MUSIC)
Straight on! If you liked the debut, buy this one right away. If not read this review. Broke(N)Blue are not like other melodic rock bands. They've got two lead singers in Peter Gustavsson and Eva Eggesjö. It gives a broad and deeper range to the album with two different voices (male & female). The band says this about the new album: “We will try to give another fine contribution to the AOR/melodic style and we will go on fighting to get this music back on the main charts”. This is a great melodic album, but with some sleepy moments here and there over the 13 tracks (maybe too often).
My personal opinion is that there shouldn't be more than one ballad on each AOR album. It is soft enough as it is with the other songs and don't we want it to be mega catchy in every corner (just got Final Frontier in my mind), all over the place. If You are a true lover of Scandinavian melodic soft rock bands, this should be bought immediately. Brok(N)Blue gives you keyboard driven music in the style of Heart and Marx. All together a fine follow-up and a small, small surprise in the melodic field.
70/100
Johnny Forslund
Broke 'N' Blue - The Waiting June 2005
A very promising melodic rock quartet with both male and female lead vocalists, Broke {N} Blue hail from Kolsva in Sweden, first catching my attention about four years ago with their independently released debut 'Northern Light'. To be honest, given the huge potential they displayed on said release, I'm actually quite surprised that it's taken them this long to secure a deal, but such is the nature of this rather oddball business we call rock 'n' roll.
Anyway, the good people at MTM generally tend to recognise melodic rock talent when they hear it, so it's kind of fitting that the band should find a home there. Recorded in the bands' own studio, 'The Waiting' is everything the debut was and more … stronger songs, hookier melodies, and leaps and bounds better in terms of delivery and production.
Looking at it from a musical perspective, Broke {N} Blue play a punchy blend of Scandinavian AOR which comes over as a heavier Street Talk mixed in with touches of everything from Heart, Belinda Carlisle, Alyson Avenue and Dante Fox at one end of the spectrum, to Richard Marx and The Storm at the other. Of the two vocalists, I still think that Eva Abrahamson edges it over her male counterpart, but together they offer a nice blend of styles which means that the album keeps you on your toes throughout. Classy, sophisticated AOR for a more discerning audience … recommended. (D.Cockett)
BROKE [N] BLUE: “The Waiting”
Listening to “The Waiting” the follow up to “Northern Light” Broke [N] Blues debut CD, I wonder why more groups haven’t gone with dual lead vocals? It definitely works for Eva Eggesjo Abrahamsson and Peter Gustavsson. This just released CD is a fantastic mix of vocal harmonies and solid keyboard driven melodic rock. Broke [N] Blue is a studio project composed of musicians from other bands. On bass and drums is Ulf Vestlund, Lars Abrahamsson is on lead guitar, keyboards and backing vocals with guest guitarist Michael Nilsson and drummers Thorleif “Tolla” Robertsson and Thomas Persson. Sounding similar to their fellow countrymen from the band Coastline, Broke [N] Blue is a blend of classic AOR reminiscent of Heart, Richard Marx or even The Storm.
Some of my favorites are the opening track “How Does It Feel” with its heavy keyboards, cool harmonies and smooth lead vocals by Gustavsson. Then right away Eva gets a chance to make us swoon with her sugar coated voice on “Perfect Match”. The title song “The Waiting” (For A Life) is a rocker filled with hard guitar riffs, ever present keyboards and big beat drums. “Rivers Are Calling” is another heavy rocker with very nice mix of dual lead vocals and “Let Me Out” starts out with a ripping guitar solo, thumping bass and some heavy drum beat and killer vocals again by Gustavsson. The final two songs, “Found It Now” and “First Time” are two 80’s style ballads ala Journey and maybe even the all female band The Bangles.
I bet you’ve been looking for that next perfect CD to add to your collection. Something filled with great melodic rock, something with class and something that won’t leave you disappointed. Well here it is AOR at its best! Broke [N] Blue will not disappoint you. You need to buy this CD!
Reviewed by Kathy/Strike up the bands
Broke [n] Blue
Rating: 72/100
Reviewed by: Peter Laursen, July '05/Powermetal.dk
Label: MTM Music
Style: AOR/Melodic Rock
The Waiting
Broke [n] Blue hails from Sweden , and is a project with members from different bands playing the original music of Lars Abrahamsson. They play AOR/Melodic Rock, and they're doing it quite good. Their debut album "Northern Light" was recorded between November 2000 and May 2001, and here we have their brand new album: "The Waiting".
I must admit, that I'm more into hard rock and metal, but when I need a short, short break from angry singers and hard hitting guitars, melodic rock will do just fine.
This album by Broke [n] Blue needed a few spins in my CD-player to sink in, but I somehow like it...
We get 13 AOR/Melodic Rock songs here, where the lead vocals are shared between Eva Eggesjö Abrahamsson and Peter Gustavsson, and especially Eva's voice is stunning!
Most of the songs are catchy and with great hooks topped with a good production. The best songs here could very well be "Rivers Are Calling" - catchy chorus and a superb guitar-riff - on this track Broke [n] Blue really shows that they know how to ROCK!
If you are into AOR and Melodic Rock, then I think you should give Broke [n] Blue a chance, I think they deserve it.
Recommended tracks: “Perfect Match", "Never the Same", "Keep Me Waiting" and "Rivers Are Calling"
Link: http://www.broke-n-blue.com/
Broke n Blue
The Waiting
(MTM,2005)
Reviewed by: Juha/Melodic.net
Now we´re talking, the new Broke(n)Blue album is a tremendous AOR/Rock album. This Swedish outfit released their debut album back in 2001 and I thought it was a nice surprise. It has taken them 4 years to follow up that record and I must say that they have managed to come up with a really strong one.
This is nothing new under the sun but they do it damn good and one thing that separates them from other AOR acts is that the vocal part is shared between Peter Gustavsson and Eve Eggesjö Abrahamsson. One male and one famale makes it sound more interesting and they both sing very well and that is one of the reasons that this album has a wide variation and that´s the beauty of this album.
This is an album for lovers of pure AOR with lots of hooks, dut-dut keyboards, harmonies and the most important part, melodies. The Waiting is a move forward for this band with the debut in mind but with more tougher guitars performed by Lasse Abrahamsson and he is delivering riffantastic guitars on a few songs.
The Waiting is a long album with 13 songs and the running time is over 60 minutes so you will get value for your money. There is something for every lover of AOR/Melodic Rock. The opening of the album is brilliant with the keyboard driven How Does It Feel with a tough chorus and strong background vocals. Then they strike with Perfect Match that is one of the strongest tracks of the album. Fantastic 80s Heart sounding semi-ballad with lovely melodies and Eve´s voice is stunning, a killer song.
Endlessly is an up-tempo rocker with a Journey/Toto approach. Rivers Are Calling must be the heaviest song that B(n)B has done. This is a awesome guitardriven AOR-rocker where Peter sings the refrain and Eva takes care of the chorus together with Peter in a brilliant way.
This is a song where they show a different side of the band. This is a tough rocker with lots of harmonies, melodies and it´s filled with catchy hooklines. Midnite Show is another song with a tougher chorus with great keyboards and riffs.
The album ends with a beautiful AOR-ballad First Time (not the Robin Beck song) that reminds very much of Robin Beck and Heart. Eva has a similar voice to Robin Beck and many of the songs reminds of her.
The production is strong and is one of the things that makes this album sound so tight. So if you´re into Robin Beck, Heart, Alyson Avenue and are looking for quality AOR then this new B(n)B album is a MUST. This is an album that has the quality of songs that makes this album simply stunning. I dig this album even more than the debut. This is a fine contribution for the AOR/Rock world.
BROKE [N] BLUE - THE WAITING (2005, MTM MUSIC)
Lars Abrahamsson - guitars; keyboards, backing vocals; Eva Eggesjö Abrahamsson - vocals; Peter Gustavsson - vocals; Ulf Vestlund - bass, drums
Guests: Thorleif Robertsson - drums; Thomas Persson - drums; Michael Nilsson - guitars
It is with pride that we at GLORY-DAZE celebrate the sophomore album from Swedish AORsters Broke [N] Blue. Long considered to be a foundation band with this site, and with our previous site HEART of the ROCK before that, we've been there right at the very beginning: since those early demos that Lars Abrahamsson featured on mp3.com all those years ago.
Well a lot of summers and winters have passed since then, and the good news is: the band are going as strong as ever. Even better, the band have forged a relationship with heavyweight label MTM Music, meaning a bigger budget, more exposure, and more importantly, credibility out there among the rock industry for getting this far. Round two sees the release of 'The Waiting', and for those of us who heard and enjoyed their debut from 2001 'Northern Light', it has taken a good four years to land the second big fish out of the water. But it has been worth the wait. Yes indeed, like the album title we have been doing just that.
Let's get this straight OK? This is an AOR band we're talking about here. Not a hard rock band or melodic rock band, despite what some of you might think. It is AOR in much the same way as the recent Tor TalleNorthern Lightproject we've been promoting lately. the production is a few notches up from last time, and like before, it is the songs that lift the band to that level of 'extra-special'. Well that is my view at least. With the contrasting and alternating male/female lead vocal going on, the band have more depth than most, which allows them to diversify in opposite directions. Eva's style opens up theHeart,Alyson Avenue,Coastlinedirection, while Peter goes down theToto,Richard Marxroute.
The bombastic scene-setter 'How Does It Feel' gets the album underway in no uncertain terms. The guitar/keyboard mix a melodic cocktail upon which sits a volatile chorus led by Peter Gustavsson and a degree of urgency which sets sail for track two 'Perfect Match'. Calmer waters are reached here, the lucid vocal from Eva Eggesjö Abrahamsson drifting across the soundscape serenely. Peter rejoins the fray on 'Endlessly', the fluid song structure keeping the momentum going as per the song-title. The arrangement on 'Heaven Is All' is full of layers, keys, guitars and vocals. Very AOR. In contrast, 'Never The Same' is a leaner slice of music, the chorus is simple but captivating. Lar's guitar has added presence on 'Keep Me Waiting', an upfront rocker with tempo and energy to match.
The title track 'The Waiting' is next, it takes on an atmospheric approach, fluid guitar lines and rich melodies make this one a favorite for me. 'This Time' is a song which you can back to time and time again, and find something different about it. Broke [N] Blue go for the party-line on 'Rivers Are Calling'. The dual vocal on the chorus stands out, as does the hard rockin' all-out style. Eva and Peter combine again for the magnificent 'Midnite Show' - another favorite, that shows the band at their best, combining a relatively simple structure with ample melody. Peter is the vocal aggressor on 'Let Me Out', the song taking on a metallic edge with Lar's razor sharp playing. Eva returns for 'Found It Now', a stirring anthemic piece with a strong back-end provided by forgotten man Ulf Vestlund. The closer 'First Time' is a power-ballads of sorts, and though not the same as the famousRobin Becksimilarly titled piece provided for Coca-Cola back in the late eighties, the result comes close.. very close!
I've been playing this CD for days now. Even seven hours non-stop in the car on a recent long journey. It wasn't that I couldn't be bothered changing the disc; just that I wanted to totally immerse myself in the music. And I will continue to do so for a wee while yet. Unashamedly AOR, Broke [N] Blue aren't about to change cultures overnight, but for those that are tried and true diehards (like all of you who come here), then you'll need no converting and no convincing. It's all those unconverted we need to convince!
Along with Tor Talle'sNorthern Light, Broke [N] Blue have given MTM Music a shot of respectibility in terms of pure AOR. Buy it and understand why we rave about this lot so much..
Review By:George Thatcher
Rating:
9/10
The Waiting -Broke-N-Blue 2005
Powerplay Rec/Greece
Before some years, i think it was back in 2001, i see in my local record shop the debut album fromBroke 'N' Bluewith the title"Northern Light". Then i asked what their music style is and they informed me that the band plays a mixture of AOR and melodic rock. I was curious and i try to find any contacts in order to make an interview with them, i must say it was really hard because on the CD the band didn't include a web address. Anyway after a lot of search i found them i do the interview too and now after five years and with a label this time, because their debut album was a self financed release,Broke 'N' Bluestrikes back. The new album has the title"The Waiting"and it includes thirteen tracks. This time the band has dual male and female vocals and againEvahas a wonderful voice, i am still having in my portable mp3 player the track"Cry For You"and"Enuff". For sureBroke 'N' Blueis my favorite melodic rock band and i expected this band to be in a bigger label and to release more often albums and not to wait five years, okLars? It is needless to say that the compositions are well worked with great ideas and i think that the band has everything to release the best AOR / melodic rock album for this year,"The Waiting"will be definitely in my top list for this year. Actually i expected this album from the end of 2003 but it comes two years later. Maybe it could be better, because the band work a lot for the songs and all of them are in high quality as the production and the sound which are satisfactory. Don't miss this album and if you want buy it from the webpage of the band in order to support them. ThanksLarsfor your great music and your company through the past years.
SCORE out of 9.5/10 Antonis Maglaras
Broke[N]Blue - The Waiting
Revelation Z magazine
Broke[N]Blue is retro-cool. This is breezy pop-AOR all the way that will instantly garner comparisons to Heart due to the usage of a female vocalist, one Eva Eggaesjo Abrahamsson, who does lead on multiple songs. Their other singer is Peter Gustavsson, who also doubletimes in a cover band that no one has heard of outside of Sweden most likely (Sixpack, if you must know). This is Broke's second album, and they have progressed quite a bit since "Northern Lights", the whole album sounds much sharper. Band leader, guitarist, head songwriter, and Eva's husband, Lars Abrahamsson has written a nice assortment of songs, and with the double singer angle, Broke[N]Blue has a good shot at standing out from the crowd, which this particular niche is pretty crowded right now. The press writeup hits the nail on the head for the most part, this is a cross of Heart, Van Halen of the Hagar era (the fluffier stuff, you hear it in the guitar melodies sometimes), Richard Marx, and there's some Journey here too but they don't beat you over the head with it. There's enough bands doing Journey-ish stuff right now anyway. But this is such a melting pot of late 80s era music that you will hear so many more bands cropping up in the mix from all over the globe. Bad English, Starship, Vixen, Skagarack, Joe Lynn Turner...the list could be potentially limitless considering their obvious influences here. As singer's of the fairer sex go, this one is like Candice Night meets Ann Wilson with a hint of Ann's sister, Nancy tossed in. Eva has Candice's purity, a kind of innocence that fits the equally saccharine music nicely, but possesses a little more range. Keyboards are running absolutely wild and lend a helping hand to create that vintage, mid-to-late 80s fluff sound. We got piano, we got hammond, we got synth. No keys were spared in the making of this disc! Some songs work better than others, but Broke[N]Blue's best material is when the two vocalists team up on the same track. It creates a yin/yang effect with the feminine touches and the high pitched masculinity edging its way in too. The double dipping vocal blend is a fragrant one, whether they are singing in unison or bouncing verses off one another. "Keep Me Waiting" is the standout showcase for this example, which puts all of those elements together and chucks in some free flying guitar and a boatload of keyboards. The opener "How Does It Feel" is classic styled AOR, meaning huge harmonies, a fat chorus and a catchy upper mid tempo-ish range that jams in a key heavy rock sort of way. Kind of like Starship. Peter's vocals have that Swedish accent, making him distinctively Scandi but he also sounds like a million others, yet powers out that passion with a vengeance. This is a superb piece of AOR rock that will please almost anyone that is into the genre. Very classy and well done. "Perfect Match" is a little cheesy. It should have been on an 80s movie soundtrack for the closing credits. Pure pop and kinda unremarkable. "Endlessly" is another Peter oriented highlight, and features a guitar solo that pops right out. Uptempo Westcoast and a love letter to Toto. "The Waiting (For A Life)" could be Skagarack from "Hungry For A Game" but with Torben traded for a chick, seriously, check out the chorus on this one. Skagarack was one helluvah of a band so it's always a pleasure to hear a rip of their sound. I love how this one
just keeps increasing in intensity, every aspect keeps upping it a notch til the end. Sweet. "Rivers Are Calling" thumps after the sticky sweetness of "This Time". It also brings back the dual approach for the vocal duties, which is nice after the last couple of songs being helmed by Eva alone on lead. This one rocks out and does remind one of Journey. Ulf Vestlund is loud and proud on the rhythm section with some thundering drums that just takeover at times and Lars Abrahamsson's guitars are also given plenty of time in the sun with a couple of blazing solos. The wistful Bad English-like opening of "Midnite Show" are definitely a guilty pleasure, Peter crooning about standing on a corner. Soon Eva joins him there and things start to come together for a bombastic and super catchy chorus. This recalls portions of Joe Lynn Turner's "Rescue You" solo outing and the second Bad English disc. Scandi-AOR in one of its finest forms, without a shadow of a doubt. Oh and that Ann Wilson comparison I threw out into the open earlier in this review? Check out Eva's soaring cry of the word "show" right near the song's end. Now it wasn't that off base was it? "Found It Now" is straight up Journey but let's throw some Vixen in there too, since Eva is fronting. Some lovely plushy melodies are added to back her up. The chorus is so lovely it's hard not to smile. It won't blow off your socks but it's solid stuff. Almost all the songs hit that comfortable 4 minute running time, and if there's a complaint against the album its the fact that it runs maybe a song or two too long. This is some pretty darn catchy AOR and with the two singers, makes it kind of unique. If there was just one vocalist handling all the songs all by their lonesome, they would blend into each other too much and the album would turn into a same-sounding bore, so this double team is something to be embraced with arms wide open. If you have a hunger for 80s AOR on the pop side, or feel the need to flashback to the glory days of Skagarack for a one-off, then look no further. This will please you but like a fluffy cloud, won't stay in your sky for long. Rating: 6.5/10 Alanna - 7/25/2005
Interviews
BROKE[N]BLUE INTERVIEW FROM ROCK IT! MAGAZINE
Lars, after the release and distribution of your your fantastic 7-track demo-CD last year (mainly through mp3.com) we now have the first full lenght album in our hands, which even could outclass the high quality of the demo.Was it plannend from the outset to record a full album with BNB or have you put some songs on mp3.com with any expecations (and just to see your your music published somewhere)?
Well, as a musician and composer, I guess you always have the ambition to write songs good enough for a fullength album. In this case, it all started with a couple of songs, published on the net just to check the market.When the interest grew, I wrote more new songs and picked up some old material to make a nice compilation for a full album. From that point of view, I guess you could say that I didn't think of a full album with Broke[N]Blue in the first place. We also had to decide which direction the music should take. As you know, we had some stuff with a bluesier approach on the demo. After a lot of reviews, and as a result of the style of my new songs, we decided to go more for an AOR/Melodic album.
For all of those who haven't listened to your music yet, I would describe it as a mixture of HEART + ROXETTE (mainly because of the vocals done be Eva), but with a harder edge (especially when the vocals are done by Peter). Can you live with this comparision?
Ehhh....yes, I really can't complain over that comparsion...I mean, HEART is the most wellknown and famous female fronted band in this style, and it's of course cool when it is them you get in mind when you hear Evas voice on tracks like "Back again".They really did some great stuff in the 80's.Regarding ROXETTE, you could always say that it's more of a pop thing, but consider you put some more guitars on their older albums, and you've got some really nice AOR-songs among them.I've always been an admirer of Per Gessles ability to put together wellknown elements from popsongs and still create great songs with personality for Roxette. Eva also sometimes get comparsions with Marie Fredriksson regarding her vocals,so your description of Broke[N]Blue is fair for sure! Still, I don't think you could say we're leaning towards that pop thing, it's too much guitaroriented for that.
Whereas we are already at the most noticeable sympton of BNB. With Eva and Peter you have two outstanding vocalists in your band, who more or less share the performance of your songs. Because you are writing all lyrics - isn't it very difficult to decide which song shall be sung by Eva or Peter? And what are your criteria for your decision?
I try to get a natural feeling for which voice to use for which song. It's not so obvious sometimes...If I'm building the song on a riff that is to be played in a certain key etc, I could use either vocalist, Peter is able to sing as high as Eva! Sometimes it has to do with the lyrics and the mood of the song who's doing the lead. I have a great resource here, since they both can do superb vocals on both soft stuff and harder pieces. Sometimes I have written the lyrics from a pure "male" perspective, and when I realized that Eva should do the vocals, I had to change the lyrics to fit for a female performance!Of course, some songs were written exclusively for each vocalist such as "Cry for you" for Peter and "Northern Light" for Eva. I'm also really glad we changed "Heaven in my hands" into a duet with both voices and sort of "finalized" the combination of their voices on the album.
On the other hand, I can imagine that it wasn't easy to offer such a project (with to vocalists) to the record industry? Or wasn't it your goal to get a contract from a record label to keep all in your hands?
Oh yes, we had some offers that presumed to split up the project and only have male or female vocals, but at that point, we already had recorded a lot of songs. I also realized that a lot of people liked the variation in songs and voices so I thought we should remain as planned. I guess it was more of a problem to the labels, not for the listeners!It's time for the AOR/Melodic scene to have their first band with shared vocals... Maple Leaf Records didn't have any thoughts about the mixed vocals, and they liked the whole concept, so it was easy to decide when we got an offer.It's also nice with an own release and just letting the distribution rights away.
As far as I know, at the moment you just have a distribution deal with Maple Leaf for Germany, Austria + Switzerland as well as with some mailorder companies. Can you tell us what sales figures do you expect respectively with which figure you would be satisfied?
At the moment I'm discussing with Vinny records and I also have contacts in other areas, but we'll see when the album is spread on the market, maybe some more distributors will get in touch. Talking about sales figures, the draw this time wasn't to sell a lot of cd's in the first place, more of a way to establish Broke[N]Blue as a project, to make the name wellknown in the genre for the great songs and unique sound with shared vocals. I really can't tell about the figures, but as a brand new act I guess if we'll sell a couple of thousands it would be great!
BNB are without doubt a project and you do name it so (compared to other conglomerates who adament to be called a BAND). Does this mean that BNB will just work in the studio and do no live gigs?. As Par as I know, Peter and you are also playing in a coverband called SIXPACK. Is this your main job or how do you earn your money? And if you are playing live-gigs with SIXPACK, wouldn't it be possible to play a double gig SIXPACK/BNB? Or what kind of music do you play with SIXPACK?
Yes, today we are a pure studioproject. That doesn't necesseraly mean we couldn't make it on the livescene, although the livescene for this music in Sweden is minimal. As we recently answered the same question on the local television, it all depends on how things proceed, if salesfigures rise etc.There is however no problem to put up a lineup for live gigs since there are a lot of musicians around the project. Magnus Hall, drummer of SIXPACK already appeared on one track of the cd, and as a professional musician, Ulf is aquinted to a lot of people as he is playing with the most famous Swedish artists in the popscene. I guess that also answers the question why we mainly present Broke[N]Blue as a project: lack of time..Ulf is out on tour all the time or busy in the studio, and the rest of us is part-time musicians with ordinary jobs as main occupation. The combination Broke[N]Blue/Sixpack would surely work since their roots are from melodic band "ANGELIZE" back in the 80's. Today it's a party/coverband with a lot of varied performances playing covers from the 50's up to 2001.
Your CD has the title 'Northern Light'. As far as I know, Pete Sandberg has also a song on his last album with the same title. What does'Northern Light' means to you Swedish guys? Is there any specific meaning?
Imagine standing a dark cold night with that northern light phenomena among the mountains, it's really magic!The sky is burning with those blue and green colours and shimmering lights among the stars. This majestic feeling is what I tried to catch in the title track and the cover. The cover is made from a great oil-painting and I thought we should make the whole concept with some "broken blue" colours. When this mountain-view picture was finished, I felt that this could really fit for a heavy suggestive tune, with Evas beautiful heartfelt vocals and a "Northern" feel over it all. It really made the album feel complete as one unit."Northern light" could also mean the neverending light of the midnight sun in northern Sweden during the summer.
At last one questions to the swedish music scene, which still has a very good reputation worldwide. Do you have contact to other musicians and are there any bands which you can recommend to check out for our readers? As you know, the Swedish area produces some top AOR/Melodic music, but the interest here at home is really not that good. The bands, wellknown in mid/SouthernEurope and Japan do hardly get no attention at all in their own country.I'm sure there's a lot of really good bands which aren't known yet, but if they are as lucky as we are, they will get support and encouragement from musiclovers all over the world thanks to the internet.Until now, not many have heard about Broke[N]Blue....
Interview made by Gerald Siebenmorgen, ROCK IT! Magazine
More interviews will be added soon...
