BRYAN DALLAS Releases self titeld debut album 'DALLAS'
Close your eyes and imagine it’s 1988 when bands like Blue Tears, Def Leppard, Firehouse, Winger, Bon Jovi & Danger Danger ruled the playlist around the world, and then fast forward to 2018 and here is this Bryan Dallas doing all that once again. Bryan Dallas native Castro Valley, Callifornia (born Brian Hiner), released his first EP “Over The Edge” back in 2012, only 26 years old. This fivetrack EP was some kind of undergound release and never got the attention it deserved, but Bryan keeps on writing songs both as a session songwriter and for himself. In steps Kelv Hellrazer & Paul Mitch Rudland of AOR Blvd Records, and finally getting Bryan’s music out there for the masses, and now six years after the debut EP Bryan finally release his debut album (self titeld). And what an album, this is all hooks and no fillers from start to end. This is a BOMB, a true contender for album of the year. And to make things even MORE interested they decided to do TWO different versions of the album, one European version (AOR Blvd Records) and one Japanese version (AnderStein Music), normally you get one or two Bonus tracks on the Japanese Version but hell no. They decided to go all in and the European version has four bonus tracks and the Japanese version has five bonus tracks (so you can really say it’s worth buying both versions). The European version has these bonus tracks:
10. Don't Ever Stop
11. Open Your Heart
12. Over Now
13. Miles Away (Neon Blue Mix)
So let’s talk about the album and the songs, here we got an album full of hooks and big choir that would have made Mutt Lang wet his pants. Songcrafting at it’s best and i hear a lot of Gregg Fulkerson in his songwriting. I do understand why Kelv Hellrazer said this “The most exciting artist I've worked with since Poison and White Lion...He has a massive buzz , the boys' got so many songs ..".and looks like a star...” And yes, I could not agree more, he is spot on. This kid has the whole package, great songs with massive hooks and the look to be the posterboy. As a DJ myself this is a wet dream for me because this album has it all, massive songs with great choruses and no fillers, I even find it hard to just pick ONE song for my DJ playlist. The album opens with “Rock N Roll Never Dies” and you get the Def Leppard move from the first note, an instant favorite. Second track “This Love” was the first song I ever heard with Bryan (this one was on the EP as well) and boy have I played it a lot! Yes, this one is on MY playlist and it will stay there fore sone time because it has it all, this is a HIT (well, it would be if mainstream radio picked up the song), it has a modern production without loosing its 80’s Melodic Rock vibe. Third song “Rock You Like A Bomb”, here we have a tune that screams Reckless Love or even Steel Panther, this song is a true party song. “Bring The Light”, this song was also on the EP but I see the point of having it on the album because this song is a KILLER and yes, also one of those that sticks, I find my self singing along to the classic phrase “Better chrash and burn then to fade away”... Another of my favorites is “I Close My Eyes”, this is a powerballad that would fit any Radio station even those who don’t play “Hard Rock”, Joe Elliot wish he wrote this. Anothe Favorite of mine is the Japanese bonus track “Forever”, I don’t get why they have this as a bonus track because this is one of the best songs I’ve heard, powerballad that stands out. But don’t let this stops you from buying the European version because instead, it has the song “Open Your Heart”, and damn that is just another instant favorite. A Modern AOR track with a great lyric (yes he sings about us DJ’s, finally someone who gives us some credit “LOL”), well I know this song will go on my playlist. If I should say something negative of the album, well that would be the last bonus track on the European version of the song “Miles Away (Neon Blue Mix)”, a more “rock” version of the track and I don’t get the point of it since the original version were som much better. But in total, this album is a must have in the collection and if you are a collecter you need BOTH versions, this album is all about the hooks... ...I know for a fact that I will have this album on my top 10 when the year ends. If this album would have been released back in the 80’s well then you would have seen the videos all over MTV, If you are a fan of all previously mentioned bands then this is safe to say that you won’t be dissapointed.
Track list (Japan Edition):
1. Rock N Roll Never Dies
2. This Love*
3. Rock You Like A Bomb
4. Bring The Light*
5. Rip It Up
6. I Close My Eyes*
7. Lay It All On The Line
8. Miles Away
9. I Wanna Buy You A Star
Japan Bonus Tracks
10. Don't Ever Stop
11. Heaven Down
12. Forever
13. Rock Ain't Dead
14. Feel The Music
