Hand in Hand

Come Home

"This L.A quartet released their commerically challenged self titled album back in 1979. Overblown pomp of some substance, and still very much a

talking point among pomp/seventies collectors to this day. Their aural bombast was a breath of fresh air at the time, though really, the band were difficult

to pin down stylistically, and as such, media had great trouble understanding them. Not so the fans of AOR from that era, who took to the band

enthusiastically. Four years later, Storm have toned down their zany antics and have instead concentrated on putting together an artistic piece of work

befitting their obvious talent. Again, it's a self titled album, this time on a different label. Still very much the focal point influence-wise is the UK band

Queen, though the overall package has more melodic rock and pure AOR than the debut ever did.

'Settle Down' is the opening track, and has some nice keyboard parts going on - a great lead-in. The chop/change nature of it smacks a bit of Heart

circa 'Little Queen/Dog And Butterfly'. On the other hand, 'Runnin' From You' has a similarity to that one-off Riff Raff album 'Vinyl Futures' with big

bucket-like drumwork, while Jeanette screams her head off! 'Come Home' is the ballad, and if you can imagine the three female singers from Tantrum

singing a Queen song, then this is it. 'Hand In Hand' owes a debt to the fieriest moments of Queen, including operatic piano, Brian May soundalike

guitar flurries and some brutal drumming. A throwback to the debut is the excellent 'Anything for Your Love' - massive vocal harmonies on the chorus

and a continuation of the heavy-handed bottom end. 'Play With Me' has elements of hard edged pop, and features one of the guys (I'll presume it's Lear)

adding lead vocals alongside his chugga chugga guitar. Some angelic vocal effects precede the track 'Take Me Away', but it meanders in a similar fashion

to Canadian keyboard wizards Strange Advance. Thankfully they finish off in a bombastic flurry.. 'So Long' in terms of a songtitle it maybe their epitaph,

but this track sizzles with some clever pieces and style changes contained within it...

...Of the two Storm albums, I think I prefer this one, but only just. I would love to see this get an official CD release. The sonic quality of the

all songs by Chase/Stevens

Copyrights © 1978-2008 BMI