As a reviewer, after being bombarded by CD after CD after CD we sometimes hit a lull where everything seems to become almost routine. You start getting used to the artists, their styles, the genre's, you know what you like, you know what you think is bad and it all just starts to become mundane and we sometimes may even lose track of why we started doing this in the first place. But then you pop a CD in your stereo one day and it all changes. Your mind goes back to a better place and time. Memories and emotions just rush through your body as if someone had popped open a dike holding back a raging river. Everything seems new and fresh again and you begin to appreciate and remember just why we do what we do... for the love of the music. That's exactly the feeling I got after I popped in the long anticipated release by one of my all-time favorite bands, Replay by THE OUTFIELD.

I can't tell you how excited I was when I heard we got an advance of the album. Replay once again reunites this amazing trio composed of masterful drummer Alan Jackman, the distinctive and outstanding guitar work of the multi-talented John Spinks, and the incredible, one-of-a-kind voice of Tony Lewis on bass and lead vocals. This is just a tremendous release that has all the hooks, harmonies and layers upon layers of rich, vocal melodies that fans of THE OUTFIELD have come to know and love.

Take "A Long, Long Time Ago" for example... what an incredible track that features a gentle, melodic verse leading into a smooth, concise chorus. Even after all these years, Lewis still sounds incredible and with Spinks' unmistakable guitar licks, they combine to create a sound that is simply pure OUTFIELD. Like most of the songs on this release, "Aladdin's Cave" continues on in this same vein. Another very cool track with a tasty guitar lead by Spinks and some nice fills by Jackman.

The first single "California Sun" is another really impressive track. I absolutely love the underlying bass rhythm in the verse as well as the catchy, melodic chorus. Lewis really shines on this one as well and the guitar break just before the final verse is a nice change of pace.

"Call It Out" is an interesting track with a strong, melodic chorus which is among one of the best on the release and some cool guitar chords which are a bit reminiscent of another famous trio... THE POLICE. And this isn't the only time I get a bit of that POLICE vibe as the opening to "In Your Company" has just a touch of that sound as well but this quickly changes and builds into a very cool and almost haunting bridge and chorus. I absolutely love the arrangement on this one...

"Disraeli Years" provides an intriguing mood swing to the release. A bit bluesier than the rest of the tracks, Lewis' bass once again leads the melody while Spinks provides some very crisp and meticulous guitar fills as well as a very flavorful guitar feature. "New York City" is a bit strange to me. While I do like the overall melody, I just found the lyrics a little weak as compared to the rest of the tracks... not bad but just not that impressive making this the weakest link on the CD and the ONLY thing keeping this from being a five out of five star release.

You want vocals? Check out the layers upon layers of powerful harmonies in "Process" as well as its spirited guitar driven melody. "Sandman" slows down the pace just a bit starting off as almost a lullaby featuring just Lewis' incredible vocals with some soothing guitar accompaniment which builds into a potent, fat conclusion with some very nice guitar accents and leads. Then "Shake Your Thing" has a bit of a harsher, edgier groove to it with another fan-friendly chorus and a perfectly executed bridge which leads into a short guitar break just before the final verse.

"Who Would You Be?" is absolutely my favorite track on the release. A perfect, toe-tapping melody leads into a potent up-beat chorus... very well done and definitely destined to be a "live" crowd pleaser.. another "pure-OUTFIELD" track, just awesome! And finally, in the same mode is another anthem-like arrangement called "Wonderland" that will just send chills up and down any AOR fan's spine.

"The Boys of Summer" are definitely back and in first class style with a release that delivers everything you've come to expect from this amazing band... and more! Fans of the band are going to absolutely just eat this up and for just ANY fan of the genre, Replay is one CD your collection simply cannot do without. This one's gonna be in my car CD player all summer long!