Licence
N.2.O.2.R.

We know from the debut album that these guys have a licence to rock, so the question now with their new album N.2.O.2.R. is whether they are still certified rockers or just certifiable. The new cover is certainly licenced from the bureau of dullness, like the first album cover. The title probably refers to age but the question is; isn’t there an N in the title that shouldn’t be there? It sounds that way, kind of similar to what I thought about the debut that was released in 2017.

Classic female fronted hard rock music, nothing really innovative or fresh about it. Sometimes when I listen to this album I have to check that I haven’t accidentally taken a ride in a time machine back to the times when Joan Jett, Pat Benatar and co were at there prime – had this album been released then it would have been a real smoker but now? The time machine checks always comes back negative, this was actually a release of 2019 even though it is hard to understand. Of course it has a more modern sound than most released back then but not much else feels more modern. And I think the album gives the impression of being on the very long side even though the playing time isn’t overly long. More variation and dynamics would not have hurt the impression or longevity.

The singer is rather good I think, the voice is raw and strong and it is too bad that you cannot say the same about the songs. It is quite generic and perhaps it is telling that a bland cover of Hit Me With Your Best Shot is the highlight of the album, the song writing is perhaps not good enough and not even nostalgic thinking will help it shine. It is one of those bands that can’t stop looking in the rear view mirror and imagines that you have to emulate what was done before, I have always thought novelty is a better sense than déjà vu when reviewing an album so this album doesn’t really fit me. But why should it be that good to the nostalgic? Wouldn’t it just be better to check out those countless similar albums that was released back in the eighties? But if you really want modern female fronted classic rock I think The Dirty Denims or VA Rocks would be a much better choice.

Perhaps they are just doing what they are licenced to do, but I hope that next time they dare to think more outside the box and dare to be great instead of just copy-pasting what others have done before them. They need to do something a lot more exciting than this album if they want to retain their licence to rock. The licence isn’t revoked yet but if they continue to make generic hard rock it will be, the wise choice would be to avoid this album; it isn’t bad but it isn’t really good either. I guess they are W.2.O.2.R.

HHHHHHH