Panorama
Around the World

Panorama, that’s also a name for a band. Perhaps all the good names were taken when this quartet of experienced musicians were to pick a name for their new band. The band that features very competent Dennis Ward as both producer and musician releases their debut Around the World and it is probably the album of 2018 that has the nicest artwork to this date. If I was a wealthy man that would have been enough for me to buy the album, but I am not and the musical content is nowhere near as good as the artwork so they will not collect any money from me buying this record.

It is classic hardrock, quite catchy and with good production. It can be described as quite traditional in terms of style and during the 45-minute playing time there are no surprises, at all. The production is very good; the variety of songs quite standard and the vocalist is decent but nothing special. It sounds as though they are making music according to a standard with no real imagination. One really needs to listen to the album several times just to be able to figure out a description, one that still isn’t easy to make but that isn’t because they make different music but because it is almost impossible to remember what you have heard even while you listen to it.

Around the World is a rather good album in most regards. But it is not a memorable album, just today I played it five times in a row but it didn’t really catch my attention at any time. I think it starts pretty well but from there it is downhill and it all ends without leaving any kind of impression. It is not bad but it really fails to catch my attention, a bit more depth, a distinct hit song and some personality would certainly have benefitted this album. It is an album that lacks energy and passion; bland is a good word to describe this album.

After having played this album about a dozen times and five of them today, I am left with a question: what is it that Panorama want to accomplish? Is it to make a bland and completely unoriginal album? If it is they have succeeded really well because when everything is considered the artwork is the only memorable part of this album, the music is already forgotten now that I put down the final point in this text.

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