Stan Bush - Dare To Dream
Album review by; Nick
The master of the 80s soundtrack is back!!
Stan Bush returns with his 14th studio album Dare To Dream. One listen to Dare To Dream will send you on a ride back to the days of Transformers, Kickboxer and beautiful melodic AOR that will leave you stunned and in awe by the time you finish the album. So put on those stone wash jeans, cover your hair in lacquer and jump in your Chevy Camaro IROC-Z as we go on a throwback to those amazing times, another album to the soundtrack of 2020 which we very much need right now.
The opening song Born To Fight is a fantastic opener which gives you exactly what you want to hear. Stan’s lead vocals are catchy and melodic throughout. Its punchy guitar and presented keyboard layers are prominent throughout and the song sets up the album perfectly. The synths shine throughout this album and they can easily transport you back to 1985. This continues in the title track which is a heartfelt song full of sentiment and positivity. The title asks the listener a simple question, do you dare to dream? It is a song full of hope and encouragement with giving the listener strength to look forward and strive for better things, echoing the sentiment for our strange times.
The Times Of Your Life has a killer intro, almost reminding me of Bryan Adam’s Run To You sometimes. It quickly changes gear with a thoughtful chorus that will have you singing along with a passion. The next track, Dreams Of Your Love is the first power ballad of the album and it is a beautifully made slow dance song about a man longing for the love of a loved one. I feel the song has an important message to listeners and more importantly the many who are away from their loved ones during such a challenging time.
We move on to roaring homage anthem, The 80s. The song is a nostalgic trip, back to a time of better days. It kicks off with a gripping keyboard intro an instrument which satisfyingly dominates the album. Such a feel-good song with guitar riffs and hooks that pay homage to Def Leppard’s Animal amongst other tracks. It is easily one of my favourite songs in the album and it shows the positive feeling that the good old days never went away and are always alive and well and with us. Live And Breathe is the ultimate power ballad on this album, with an attractive guitar solo to compliment the song.
A little taste of Survivor echoes through Stan’s next song, Heat Of Attack wears its heart on its sleeve and reminds you of those survivor classics Burning Heart and Eye Of The Tiger, with the song especially sounding like the former. More hook laden guitar riffs and melodies and a heroic anthem themed throughout takes us kids of yesteryear back to a time where songs like this gave us a positive feeling that we could achieve anything.
Dream Big continues that positive vibe and again alongside the earlier title track, tells a story that shows us there is no shame of aiming high and dreaming larger than life itself. The technical keyboards that begin the song once again show that texture and layered style that gives the record a colourful vibe. The chorus will want to make you sing at the top of your lungs and if that does not work? It also has an astonishing outro that will leave you reaching for the skies to rejoice in the power of this man’s music.
Continuing the positivity with the next two songs True Believer and Never Give Up now and the former song has a hazy, misty introduction before kicking into life with a gentle force. True Believer is very reminiscent of that early 1980s AOR sound, echoing bands like Foreigner, early Survivor and Journey. Never Give Up is another song which the title wears its heart on its sleeve, it is another one of my favourite songs on the album. It is a brilliant road song with lots of sing-along anthems. I can also hear Echoes of the Past with Stan’s biggest hit The Touch, but with a lot more feel to it. The guitars and keyboards provide once again the colour and texture to the song and I think that no Stan Bush fan will want to be without this one in their lives.
Home completes this short but sweet album with a nice slice of Classic Rock. An adorable acoustic ballad with a flowing key chance. The track is done at a beautiful mid-tempo range and I do have to warn the listener. It’s very moving and the song will leave you shedding a tear as you look back with a smile.
Stan Bush couldn’t have come at a better time for us all. A time where we need to reflect and look back at better days, while at the same time looking forward to the future. Another Powerful slab of 80s style melodic rock and would be considered a classic if It had come out in the glory years. Entertaining throughout and an album which you will be reaching for shelf for, for a long time to come.
Album Rating: 4/5