Dangerdog Music Reviews :: © 1999 - 2023 Craig S Hartranft :: All Rights Reserved
No part of this this website, including design and music reviews,
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
the prior written permission of the publisher.
- New Music Reviews
- |
- Archives
- |
- News
- |
- Submissions
- |
- About
- |
- |
New Music Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, AOR, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal
Recent Reviews
June 2023
- The Defiants: Drive
- Ray Alder: II
- Art Nation: Inception
- False Memories: Hybrid Ego System
May 2023
- Renaisance Rock Orchestra: Ice Age Cometh
- Imperium: Never Surrender
- House Of Shakira: Xit
- Cry Of Dawn (Goran Edman): Anthropocene
- Sweet & Lynch: Heart & Sacrifice
- Screamachine: Church Of The Scream
- The Michael Thompson Band: The Love Goes On
- Heaven's Edge: Get It Right
- Circus Of Rock: Lost Behind The Mask
- Enforcer: Nostalgia
April 2023
- Smackbound: Hostage
- Revolution Saints: Eagle Flight
- One Desire: Live with The Shadow Orchestra
- Mecca: Everlasting
- Bite The Bullet: Rocky Road
- Kardinal Sin: S.A.L.I.G.I.A
- Jason Bieler: Postcards From The Asylum
- Angel: Once Upon A Time
- Mike Tramp: Songs Of White Lion
- L.A. Guns (Guns & Lewis): Black Diamonds
- Magnus Karlsson's Free Fall: Hunt The Flame
- Archon Angel: II
- Blazon Rite: Wild Rites And Ancient Songs
March 2023
- Excalion: Once Upon A Time
- RPWL: Crime Scene
- Transworld Identity: Seven Worlds
- Stormwarning: Stormwarning
- Phantom Elite: Blue Blood
- Narnia: Ghost Town
- Redemption: I Am The Storm
- Cross Country Driver: The New Truth
- The Banishment: Machine And Bone
- Seventh Crystal: Wonderland
- Demons Down: I Stand
The Poodles: Tour de Force
The Poodles: Tour de Force
Melodic Hard Rock/Metal
4.0/5.0
Website
Facebook
YouTube
Frontiers Records
by Craig Hartranft, 05.08.2013
It some big cojones to name your band after a species of dogs that are generally considered to be fuzzy bundles of four-legged cuteness and extravagance. Perhaps, that latter word can describe Swedish rockers The Poodles's approach to their music. They certainly don't to anything half way when delivering their catchy brand of melodic hard rock and metal.
The Poodles:: get silly.
Their fifth studio album, Tour de Force, is no exception to this. While still believing the debut Metal Will Stand Tall and its follow up Sweet Trade, to be The Poodles' best material, this album is up there. At the very least, it demonstrates their ongoing consistency in both their sound and performance.
The formula has always been rather simple, even if the songs are not, for The Poodles: big rock groove, strong melodies, hooks in lyrics and arrangements, and ripping guitar solos wrapped up in metal edged hard rock. If it ain't broke don't fix. Period.
You get this start with the very strong Misery Loves Company, the very funny Shut Up!, and Happily After. Not so much with with Viva Democracy which sounds too busy. The band rebounds with the rockers Going Down, Kings & Fools, Now Is The Time, and Miracle, complete with some Eighties cowbell. Then 40 Days and 40 Nights finds them settling down with a more pop flair. You get one in the adequate Leaving the Past to Pass. You get a bonus track with En For Alla For En (Swedish for 'One For All For One'), chosen to be the Swedish national hockey teams anthem for the upcoming World Hockey Championships. It's all basically standard Poodles material, and if you're a fan, as I am, you'll dig Tour de Force. Recommended.
In Short
Tour de Force is The Poodles doing what they do best, namely, very catchy metal-edged melodic hard rock. If you're a fan, as I am, you'll dig it.
Find A Review
Alphabetical Index
Album of the Week
This experience deserves mention for one very good reason: Finland's One Desire is one of the best classic AOR melodic hard rock bands in the genre and, perhaps, the world, right now So, I also apologize, in ... [ Read More ]