Robin Beck has a storied career in the music business and her longevity as a female in the melodic rock world is matched by few (if any). Besides the fact that this woman gets better looking with time, more importantly her music continually seems to evolve yet always maintains a quality that should make her much more popular than even the success she’s attained thus far.

Fortunately she has a supporting cast headed by hubby James Christian (HOUSE OF LORDS) along with others in the melodic rock community who recognize the talent and quality her music possess and what she is capable of. For her new record “The Great Escape” Robin has a big part of the melodic world on her team. Swedish songwriter and sessions hero Tommy Denander, who she hooked up with on her “Livin’ On A Dream” album back in 2007, is a large part of the “The Great Escape” as he co-wrote ten of the eleven tracks on the record as well as playing lead guitar, some drums and keyboards too. Christian also plays a big role as he co-penned nine of eleven tracks and plays some drums and bass and also handled the vocal production. And Robin and James’ daughter Olivia even contributes some background vocals to the record, so it certainly has become even more of a family affair with Robin these days!

Opening “The Great Escape” is a classic sounding Robin Beck tune “The One”. This song has the vibe of something off her 1989 “Trouble Or Nothin’” record. The song has Beck’s melodic vocal approach and a catchy-as-hell chorus. Denander backs it all up with some melodic, yet simple guitars.

“Got Me Feeling Sexy” is as the title might suggest - a groovy, guitar riff-inspired tune with Beck adding an ever so slight slyness to her vocals. The following tune “Inside Of Me” is a moody mid-tempo tune, which again harkens back to the “Trouble Or Nothin’” era with its classic melodic/AOR approach. Long before Robin hooked up with Denander to co-write with she had such names as Desmond Child, Diane Warren, Eric Bazilian, Glen Burtnik and a slew of others pen songs that she performed and so that long line of superior songwriters continues on “The Great Escape” and is evident on tunes like “Inside Of Me”.

Longtime friend Joe Lynn Turner makes an appearance on “That All Depends” and the song is yet another classic AOR tune in the making. It has all the elements that makes a great AOR song; the great emotional vocals of both Beck and Turner being forefront but the infectious chorus and solid production techniques make this tune one of the strongest moments on the record.

“Baby I’m Not A Bitch” is a song; when you hear the title, may make you think of a different style tune but the track is a piano-laden moody rocker with some top-notch vocals. Robin tells the female side of the aftermath of a relationship feud and the effects it has on her.

The very AOR-styled “Everything Is Alright” is another winner on the album and sounds like something HEART could have recorded in their 80’s AOR heyday. Beck has a great way of delivering her vocals and you can tell she’s a top-notch and seasoned vocalist when you hear her on songs like this. Denander adds nice little melodic solo to the song as well.

The title track “The Great Escape” features some cool guitar riffs and playing from Denander and a great “vocal workout” from Beck. The song reminds a bit of something that could have come off the 2nd SARAYA release “When The Blackbird Sings”.

The ballad “Don’t Think He’s Ever Coming Home” is another HEART-inspired tune and actually has Robin sounding a little like Ann Wilson at times as well. This girl can certainly sing. The following number “Cross My Heart” is a full-on rocker with an edge to it. The guitars are turned up a notch in this one and the lyrics are a polar opposite to a tune like “Baby I’m Not A Bitch”. Beck sings with a real attitude on this one, especially in the chorus.

“All The Rivers” is another moody track with a cool vocal arrangement and Beck sings her heart out on this one.

The album ends on a high with “Till The End Of Time”. Robin gets some help from her love James on this one and they both sound great as they sing praises to each other. It’s a fitting end to a solid album. Robin Beck has a lot of music under her belt in her career but “The Great Escape” is as solid as she’s offered and if you like female-fronted melodic rock and AOR then you will be more than happy with this record.