Review W.E.T. - s/t 2009

The Swedish-American constellation W.E.T. asks on their myspace if we "are ready to get W.E.T?". In a way, the question might be motivated, but in another way it feels thirty years too late. W.E.T. plays AOR in the best 80's spirit and the question if the world is ready for them... I would modify it in to "are you STILL ready to get W.E.T?". But of course, that ruins the whole point with W.E.T. releasing their debut album.

Jeff Scott Soto has managed to somehow make him self a pretty big name in the hard rock. In my opinion, he's neither a very good singer and he hasn't been seen in that big bands and projects. To see him go together with this Swedish duo and release an AOR-album feels as a pretty strange move, but alright - stranger things have happend that American-Swedish collaborations. Just look at Britney Spears who somehow has managed to top sales lists over the world (actually, that too is a Swedish-American result).

Anyhow, AOR is what W.E.T. plays, a pretty harmell sort of rock music that often mix a strong chorus with stylish guitars. W.E.T. is no exception. It is good music through out the album and some songs are even really good, like the cover of Put Your Money Where the Mouth is - a song the band really makes into their own. The written songs are also very strong and in this genre that saw is peak in the 80's and since then has gone downhills with so-so albums following each other, this genre miss the grand productions and since the big earns left the genre, it hasn't really made it self juste - untill W.E.T. came along. They feels like an interesting contribution that actually might get this genre back on feet.

First of all I want to credit Sotos vocal performance. In his own bands and Talisman and all the other projects he's put his name at it's been very much up and down with some great performances mixed with so-so and really bad ones. In W.E.T. he sounds really good all the way through, at least so far.

The music keep it self on track, it keeps on track and stays with the line of the genre - guitar oriented and the classic vers-chorus-vers-chorus-stick-chorus-chorus recipe. But it works, as it often do, and I never think it gets boring and repeats it self. I think this album is better than most of what I've heard from these guys before, but the I haven't been that impressed with what I've heard from then before either, I have to admit.

This album definitly is worthy listening to, it is good and interesting with many songs being really good. In my opinion, however, it does come with a "but", because no matter how I try I never feel connected to the album. I've heard it so many times, lots and lots and lots, and I haven't grown tired of it, but neither have I fallen for it. I don't stroll around singing or humming on W.E.T. songs or even feel that I really want to put the album in the speakers. Simply, I'm not moved by the album and even though I really like what I hear I just don't feel W.E.T. speaks my language. I don't know if any speaks W.E.T.s language... my brother seem to like it, but I seriously doubt that he'll put the album on his top 50 albums. I just feel that W.E.T. is missing something, but what I'm not sure of. What I do know is that I can't put a top grade on something I don't love, and no matter how good W.E.T. is I don't love this album.

In my opinion, this self titled debut is a really good AOR-album, a really good rock album and an exciting journey that last for some 40 minutes. I'm not really ready to get W.E.T. but I wont protest to play it once, twice or more in my stereo. The grade is a four with a big plus behind.

HHHHHHH