Hard Side:
Mennen - Freakazoid
By Kevin Wierzbicki
If you knew nothing about this release
except that the band is called Mennen and the album is called Freakazoid,
no one could blame you for thinking that the effort is a throwback to the
disco era. “We’re the dance band that also keeps your arm pits dry!” You’d
be wrong about the deodorant thing---Mennen is named after lead singer
Joss Mennen. But you’d pretty much be correct about the time frame. Mennen
play a style of melodic hard rock (think Whitesnake, Rainbow, Dio, Scorpions)
that had its big moment in the late ’70s and on through the ’80s. Mennen
do not use keyboards or any fancy tricks on Freakazoid and have a surprisingly
full sound for a four-piece; really a three-piece musically since Joss
just sings. It’s really too bad that there isn’t much room on radio these
days for this type of stuff because Mennen do it very well. Guitars sting,
basses choogle, and lots of harmony vocals make it clear that Mennen want
to be perceived as the good guys. The band has been honing their lovable
image for over a decade and is very popular in their native Holland. There
is no doubt that a sizable audience for Mennen awaits here in America too.
Keep an ear open for this Dutch treat.
CD Info
Mennen
- Freakazoid
Label: Escapi
Music
Rating:
Tracks:
Down
Above the Waterline
It’s Over
Rain
Secrets and Lies
Bob
Freakazoid
These Good Times
Believe
The World Stopped Turning
Wicked White
Blue
Loose Somebody
Taste of Paradise
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