Airrace's 'Untold Stories' - Album Review

With the exception of Foreigner, who have always featured plenty of Americans in their ranks anyway, AOR is not something that the UK is known for. While there are plenty of great melodic rock bands from these shores, FM spring to mind as being a particular stand out, America has always had the monopoly on that type of music with bands like Journey and Survivor filling the radio waves throughout the 1980s. Every so often however there was a British act who attempted to compete with the American heavyweights, and Airrace were one such band. The band were formed in 1982 by guitarist Laurie Mansworth, who had been a part of the NWOBHM act More, and released their debut album Shaft of Light two years later. While the album was never going to have the pulling power to shift peoples' focus away from albums like Journey's Frontiers or Survivor's Vital Signs that were big at the time, Shaft of Light remains a minor AOR classic. Those who love melodic rock will find plenty to enjoy throughout the album's short runtime, and should be sought out by those who want to look beyond the genre's big names. Sadly the original Airrace line-up was short-lived, and split up in 1986 without ever releasing another album. Whenever Airrace's name is mentioned these days, it is usually in conjunction with pointing out that they were drummer Jason Bonham's first ever proper band, but that does not really do the band justice as Bonham was never part of the creative brains. That has always been Mansworth, and the fact that the current line-up of the band features no other original members other than him certainly proves that. Mansworth resurrected the Airrace name in 2009 with original frontman Keith Murrell, and the two put out the band's second album Back to the Start in 2011 with new musicians. Back to the Start was similar to the debut album, and again could be seen as a really underrated melodic rock gem. The band has been sporadically active ever since, although activity has ramped up over the past couple of years as the band worked on what would become their third album. That album, titled Untold Stories, was released last month and again features the band's now-familiar AOR sound - although with a tougher edge throughout. With Murrell leaving the fold sometime between Back to the Start's release and now, Mansworth has recruited a whole new line-up. Filling the vacated vocalist slot is Welsh singer Adam Payne, and he has been joined by the veteran bassist Rocky Newton (Lionheart; McAuley Schenker Group), keyboardist Linda Kelsey-Foster, and Mansworth son Dhani (The Treatment) on drums. Despite this excellent supporting cast, Untold Stories really is the Laurie Mansworth show. He has single-handedly written the entire album, as well as produced it - ensuring that it stays as close to his Airrace vision as possible.

Being an AOR album the opening track Running Out of Time opens with a piano motif, which is soon joined by some somewhat mournful guitar leads, before the piece explodes into a pomp-filled mid-paced rocker with crunchy guitar rhythms and sparkling synth pulses. While long-time fans may lament over Murrell's departure from the band, Payne immediately displays why he was chosen as the replacement with his performance here - including a delightfully playful verse melody. While the chorus is not as big as I would like it to be considering this is the song that is likely to make one of the biggest impressions on the listener, there is still enough to hit home. If anything, it is the song's groove that really stands out for me here. The rhythm section and the guitars are locked together perfectly for a somewhat bluesy strut, while Kelsey-Foster's keyboards provide a melodic counterpoint. This ensures the song makes an impression, and this style is something that is continued throughout the album. Innocent ups the pace somewhat, and features more of a 'proper' guitar riff which catches the ear with it's choppy style. The keyboards take a bit more of a backseat here, which allows Mansworth's guitar playing to dictate the play. A bridge section towards the end is built on subtle harmony guitar leads, and this is the part of the song that stands out to me - as well as a Thin Lizzy-inspired instrumental/solo section which allows Mansworth's tasteful, melodic playing to shine through. The lack of a really soaring chorus again holds the song back somewhat, but the more driving nature of the piece helps it also to leave a positive impression. Eyes Like Ice is a much more powerful piece, and opens with some dramatic strings, which is a vibe that is contained throughout with the keyboards, as well as Mansworth's cutting guitar leads. Despite the slightly heavier feel overall, the chorus here is packed full of AOR goodness. Payne lays down layers of harmony vocals, and the main chorus hook really implants itself in the brain after only a couple of listens. As a result, this is one of the strongest songs on the album for me - and a biting guitar solo only enhances this view. This tougher, pacier feel continues on in Different But the Same, which is backed full of bluesy trappings - but still has that AOR sheen. The music is not too dissimilar to something The Quireboys might come up with, with loose bluesy guitar riffs and a strong percussive feel. The keyboards are often more organic here, with organ sounds replacing the synths that dominate elsewhere. It is Payne's smooth vocals that make this an Airrace song however, and it is his performance that really makes the chorus as strong as it is - while Kelsey-Foster's organ grinds away in the background.

New Skin is going to really turn those on who are big fan of 1970s hard rock, and there is a big Whitesnake feel here, with a sleazy, bluesy strut throughout. Newton's bass playing really drives the song, with his bassline really setting the groove, while the organ once again grinds away behind everything. There is another powerful chorus here, with Payne once again delivering the goods. While a song like this might have benefited from a voice that was a bit rougher around the edges, Payne still pulls the style off convincingly. His polish is contradicted somewhat by the rawer hard rock sound of the rest of the song , but not enough to create a jarring effect. Another excellent guitar solo is the icing on the cake, and this is another piece that really makes an impression. Lost is a ballad, and features vocals from Mansworth who has a decent voice in his own right. While not as expressive as Payne, Mansworth's tones suit the more stripped-back feel of the piece. Acoustic guitars and piano dominate the song, but a shuffling drum beat helps to keep things moving and provide a bit of a groove despite the overall lower-key nature. Payne also takes the lead at certain points, and adds lots of backing vocals throughout. His high-pitched backing vocals at times remind me of some of the early Toto albums, and the style works in the band's favour. Up to this point the album has mostly been quite an upbeat and hard rocking album, so to take this little break at the mid-point and chill out with a soothing ballad helps the album's pace, and adds a welcome change of style. Love is Love is back to the album's more usual sound, with a choppy guitar riff - backed up by the keyboards - and Dhani Mansworth's staccato drumming. The verses here are fairly upbeat, but the chorus takes on more of a cinematic style which sounds more like U2 than your average AOR band. The soundscape-esque keyboards help to create a wide sound, and Payne's more emotional vocal delivery create a powerful, if somewhat soothing effect. Men from the Boys revisits that Whitesnake-esque feel from earlier, with a massive bluesy guitar riff/organ combo exploding from the speakers which soon gives way into a sultry verse with loose guitar chords and punchy drumming. Again Payne's vocals sound a little too clean at times, but he still carries the song well - especially in the simple chorus which seems to suit his style a little more. There are Led Zeppelin-esque moments here too, with wordless vocals atop Eastern-tinged keyboards, which add another dynamic to enjoy - but this is a song that is all about the riffs and the groove, something which it excels at.

Summer Rain is more of a typical AOR piece, and has one of my favourite choruses on the album. While it is packed full of poppy hooks, it is something that is so easy to enjoy. The verses have a little more bite to them, with some guitar boogie and the occasional synth break, but it is the chorus where the song truly shines. It is songs like this that show Payne in his true element. He does the bluesier songs well, but you feel that he is a little out of his comfort zone while singing them, but here he really excels. The melodies here were made for a voice like his, and the subtle harmonies he throws in really enhance the song in a positive way. This is not a piece that is in your face, but one that is packed full of sweet melodies that slowly permeate into the subconscious. Come With Us is a tougher hard rock piece, with a main riff that is not too dissimilar to AC/DC's signature style, but it is part of a song that has more of a melodic feel. Newton's bass once again feels really important, with his melodic playing create the groove for everything else to rest on. This is especially the case during the verses, which are probably the best parts of the song for me, although Mansworth's dirty blues guitar solo also stands out. The album's closing piece Here It Comes is another upbeat AOR piece, but one that features less of the bluesy sounds that often dominate here. The verses are packed with subtle energy, and Payne again turns in an excellent performance with some strong vocals. The chorus here showcases his strengths, and again features the harmonies that have featured throughout. I like it that the band have not over-egged the AOR elements here, and have reigned in the overt keyboards and layers of chorus vocals. While I do love bands that use those tropes, Airrace feel like a slightly tougher band overall so the inclusion of sounds like that would probably seem jarring when viewed in the context of the album. Subtly sometimes is key and I feel that is where Here It Comes shines and it proves to be a powerful closing piece. Overall, Untold Stories is a really enjoyable album from this new-look Airrace and one that does not really feature any truly weak tracks. While at times it does sound like Mansworth has not quite decided how he wants Airrace to sound in 2018, with AOR songs mixed in with tough bluesy rockers, the mix does not feel that jarring and does provide a wealth of styles for the listener to enjoy.

The album was released on 10th August 2018 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Summer Rain.