1997's first record was absolutely delicious, such a pretty little record that traded boy/girl vocals in such wonderfully constructed pop songs it was criminal the record didn't get either the media recognition or the sales it deserved. Kudos to Victory for sticking by them and releasing this second album as it's another beauty, although in a totally different manner. While the first record was much more simplistic and upfront, this album is a real grower. It's more mature, better constructed and, with songs like '4am Conversations' and 'Dancing With The Devil', it's a lot darker.
The band have changed female vocalists since the recording of the first record and so Alida's style is a lot darker anyway, which could be the reason the band have opted to go down that route. Whatever the reasoning, it's executed brilliantly. There are so many good songs and so many good moments. 'Winds of Change' is fantastic, as is 'One Track Mind Four Track Heart'. Kevin Thomas' vocals are brilliant and are very, very honest. There's the emotion of the likes of Chris Carabba at times, especially on 'Winds of Change' as the backing vocals sound a little Dashboard-esque.
When I first heard the album I was unsure if I liked the change in style. I figured the first album's upfront poppy style would be replicated for album number 2, but this really was a nice surprise. Like all good albums the more you listen, the more you get out of it. And as you scratch the surface of 'On The Run' you get more and more. Even though it's less obvious, I think this will appeal to more people - and hopefully the band will get the credit their music deserves.
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