Reviews

A couple reviews from Midwestern Skies a site which contains information about various artists of the AOR/Melodic Rock genre.

SPENCER & BULLOCK
"Games of the heart" 1998 (Song Haus Music) P: Kevin Bullock/Dane Spencer

Has anybody heard of Sojourn? Sojourn played pomp/AOR in the veins of Kansas, Styx and Axe in the 80愀. Bass player Dane Spencer plus lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Bullock stayed together and has now released songs they wrote while they were in Sojourn and never made it to a record plus some new ones. For those who have heard Sojourn maybe Games of the heart will surprised them a little, it surprised me but in a good way, because Games of the heart is different from Sojourn. Dane and Kevin gives us more acoustic midwest rock with traces of AOR. You can even hear traces from Sojourn here and there. The cd starts off with Tell me what angels do, it愀 a midwestern rock song with nice pianos in the background. Second one is the title track and it愀 a good one, again we hear some nice pianos and great harmony vocals. Standing in the shadows of Steve is my favorite track on the cd, this is more AOR/rock. Don愒 cry now is a piano ballad with great lyrics. Two strikes reminds me of Sojourn and AXE, it starts of with acoustic guitars but sparks to a pompish AOR/rock song and your hear some great B-3 organ in the chorus. People who has heard Sojourn will recognize Healing wings, it愀 the same song that Sojourn had on their first album Lookin惠or more. This is a different version of the song, this is more acoustic, I prefer the version that Sojourn did but this is not bad either. After listen to the cd a couple of times I think it has grown for every time and I think this is a good album. This record is maybe not for pure-AOR people but for people like Par and other Midwestern freaks this will be a great surprise. If you want to know more of Spencer/Bullock check out their web-page.
Juha Harjula

SOJOURN
"Looking for more/ Different points of view" 1998 (Point Music)

At last they have released Sojourn on cd and put 2 records on one cd to. Sojourn plays POMP/AOR in the veins of Kansas, Styx and Axe. The first record was released in november 1985 but only as a tape but with good sales the vinyl version followed in March of the next year. How about the songs on Looking for more? It starts of with Lookin for more and Blame it on MTV and those two are average AOR songs. Then Healing wings (that even Spencer/Bullock did) shouts out from the speakers and this is a fantastic song. Here we hear traces of Kansas and Axe. Lives upon the shore is another fanstastic pomp/AOR song with great keyboards. We were so young start of with great keys and guitar riffs, 80愀 AOR at it愀 best. Axe couldn愒 have done it any better. In 1989 they released Different points of view as a tape and it was never released as a vinyl. But now it has been released on cd and I think this is even better than Looking for more. It's still the same sound but with better songs on it. It kicks of with Real time a rocker with nice keyboards and follows up with the Axe alike Straight on. Fourth song In the city did surface on the AOR Basement compilation album "Hot night in the city (FM-Revolver, 1989) in Europe. It愀 a power-ballad in the veins of Survivor. Kevin sings little like Jim Jamison. This song contais some great background vocals. This is my favourite song with Sojourn. The cd contains 19 songs and there is not many weak song on it. It愀 filled with POMP/AOR at it愀 best. If you like POMP/AOR and acts like Axe, Kansas and other great 80愀 POMP/AOR acts then I suggest that you go and get this compitation of Sojourn. At this point Sojourn are in the studio and recording a new album that will be released under 1999, so look out for the new one.
Juha Harjula

A review by Ian McIntosh from his website AOR Basement.

SPENCER BULLOCK

"Games of the Heart" (Song Haus Music/Touchwood SHCD 55001, 1998)

Dane Spencer and Kevin Bullock were/are one half of the bang-up 1980s Utah pomp rock band Sojourn, and while Sojourn are working on an all new album for release in early 1999, Kevin and Dane have also put together an poignant album of their own.

"Tell me What Angels Do" isn't obviously allied to Sojourn with its more cultivated, slightly midwest sound, but anyone familiar with Sojourn will recognize Kevin's vocals and Dane's seismographic bass playing. It is not an easy sound to partition, but it expands the rock horizons nicely while still being commercial and making melodic rock viable in the modern world. The title track is second and it makes it easier to nail down their main sound: while being acoustically driven it's more overtly rock than midwest, yet is more exacting musically than a lot of such releases while still retaining an intrinsic commerciality. "Just like You" in particularly is effectively an acoustically driven rock song, yet it reminds me of Boston, and "Peace of Mind" mixes together both electric and acoustic guitars to similar effect.

But Spencer/Bullock are not just about making an intellectual point - "Standing in the Shadow of Steve" hits home harder with power and melody, "Two Strikes" also has the torpid power characteristics of a band like Signal. Fine melodic rock with excellent playing all round.

Spencer/Bullock seem keen on instilling plenty of variety into their material, and the sincere and open "Don't Cry Now" makes a strong point and shows off one of Bullock's finest vocal performances, and there's also a couple of instrumentals too ("Vandy's Voyage" and "For Claire"). Sojourn's "Healing Wings" is given a reworking, and while nothing could beat the original for these ears, it's interesting to hear it in a more modern format and with a more aerated outlook.

Song quality is clearly at a premium here and the overall effect is good, with its variety making the effects more pronounced.... Also there is a clear positive message on some of the tracks which is a bit alien to the current mainstream - lord forgive that anyone should have a positive view of life!

Ian McIntosh
AOR Basement