As we come to the end of 2015 I’d have to say it has been a pretty good year for the genre of MHR and AOR with likes of some quality releases from TOTO, EUROPE, THUNDER, STRYPER and HAREM SCAREM to name a few but there are still a few releases hitting before 2015 closes its door and one of those is the debut from RADIO EXILE. They are a new group led by keyboardist Charlie Calv (ex-SHOTGUN SYMPHONY) and vocalist Chandler Mogel (OUTLOUD, ex-TALON). I first heard of this project about a year and half ago but due the various band members’ commitments to their other projects it has taken a while to get things rolling and completed. The rest of the group includes some more quality musicians rounding out its ranks with the legendary Kenny Aaronson on bass, Jimmy Leahey (currently of DENNIS DeYOUNG’s band and ex-JOHN WAITE) on guitar and Dave Anthony on drums.
Calv and Mogel wrote a majority of the songs and the duo have come up with a fresh sounding set of music. It’s most certainly a rock record but with several other elements that make it commercial, soulful and current sounding while still maintaining a foot in the melodic rock category.
Opening the record is “High Road, High Price” with its tribal-like chanting and moody keyboard vibe. The song comes at you with a certain attitude courtesy of Mogel’s vocals but has an extremely melodic hook, while the keys and overall feel have a bit of an 80’s flair but it’s certainly not dated sounding at all. It’s a unique opening track and gives you a good idea of the band’s sound right off the bat. “Soulfire” is up next with its immediate melodic vocal delivery from Mogel and shows a soulful/rock amalgam. It’s got a cool guitar riff running through it and shows the band has a style and sound all their own as they don’t really compare to anyone else I can think of. The first song to be featured with a video is “No Pity On The Highway” and the band turns up the heaviness with this track. The guitars and vocals are tougher and heavier with a classic rock vibe running through but the band has a certain groove with the song that gives it an accessible edge also. Even though the track is heavier in approach and made me wonder if it was the right song to feature as a first video the more I listen I realize it’s not a departure in the band’s sound but an extension of it.
The band softens their approach on “Feels Like Home” as it’s a mid-tempo number with soulful feel highlighted by the backing vocals of Amy Harnell and Jessie Wagner throughout. Mogel delivers with a poignant vocal to show just how seasoned of singer he can be as it captures the sentiment of the song just right. “Higher Than The Sun” is another mid-tempo number with soulful feel and arranged with a simple approach and sing-a-long and feel good vibe.
The band seems to settle into a groove with “Hang On” and “Starting Over” as both songs are highlight tracks of the record showing a commercial and accessible side with quality songwriting featuring catchy verses and choruses. I like that the band has their own sound and offers quality musicianship and good songs. It’s a formula that seems simple enough but is not always achieved by others. “Down In A Hole” offers a slightly more rocked up yet equally accessible sound bringing it into AOR territory. Again, it features catchy songwriting and a great vocal from Mogel. It has the vibe of great 80’s AOR and rock without sounding dated in the least and it’s just simply a good song.
The band shows off its grandiose side with “A Cross On Stone” as it clocks in at over seven minutes long and sort of shows everything RADIO EXILE has to offer. It’s a mid-tempo number with great arrangement and a light and airy feeling with acoustics and piano. The great lead vocals from Mogel are complimented with backing from Wagner, Harnell and Joe Cerisano (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA) and it’s a very soulful and heartfelt number with the gospel-like backing vocals highlighting the second half of the song.
The final track is probably the one song on the record that I would be able to offer any comparison of sounding like another band. Even at that it makes perfect sense as “Road To Exile” brings a sound of Calv’s past with SHOTGUN SYMPHONY. The song has the feel of something off the final SHOTGUN release “Sea Of Desire”. I always felt the band hit their stride with that release and the arrangement, vocals and keyboards all have a familiar sound to me and it’s a good tune and great way to close out the album.
RADIO EXILE has brought a fresh sounding set of songs with some soulful vibes to the melodic rock genre. It’s not your standard fare AOR or MHR sound but something more while still being accessible enough to appeal to wide ranging audience. Good music is good music no matter what label you choose to hang from it and that’s what RADIO EXILE has offered here. And one last thing, be sure to head over to the bands website and check out their new video for “No Pity On The Highway”.
