• New Music Reviews
• |
• Archives
• |
• News
• |
• Submissions
• |
• About
• |
• 
• |
• 

September 2023

• Kerrigan: Bloodmoon
• Taz: Shipwrecked, Vol 2
• Taz: Wake Up & Sweat, Vol 1
• Ronnie Romero: Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters
• The Flower Kings: Look At You Now
• Vega: Battlelines
• Blackbird Angels: Solsorte
• Primal Fear: Code Red
• Eclipse: Megalomanium
• Seventh Wonder: Mercy Falls (Reissue 2008/2023)
• Seventh Wonder: The Great Escape (Reissue 2010/2023)

August 2023

• Hurricane: Reconnected
• U.D.O.: Touchdown
• Streetlight: Ignition
• Sarayasign: The Lion's Road
• Neal Morse: The Dreamer - Joseph - Part One
• Rian: Wings
• Icon Of Sin: Legends
• Lancer: Tempest
• King Kobra: We Are Warriors
• Dark Sky: Signs Of The Time
• Hell In The Club: F.U.B.A.R.
• Kent Hilli: Nothing Left To Lose

July 2023

• Turkish Delight: Volume Two
• Winterstorm: Everfrost
• Scream Maker: Land Of Fire
• James Robledo: Broken Soul
• Houston: Relaunch III
• All For Metal: Legends
• Withering Scorn: Prophets Of Demise
• Bloodbound: Tales From The North
• Kikimora: For A Broken Dime
• Degreed: Public Address

June 2023

• Night Legion: Fight Or Fall
• Midnite City: In At The Deep End
• Pyramaze: Bloodlines
• Shakra: Invincible
• Vypera: Race Of Time
• Stardust: Kingdom Of Illusion
• Pride Of Lions: Dream Higher
• Joel Hoekstra's 13: Crash Of Life
• The Defiants: Drive
• Ray Alder: II
• Art Nation: Inception
• False Memories: Hybrid Ego System

[ More Music Reviews ]

Baltimoore: Quick Fix

Melodic Hard Rock

Rating: 3.0/5.0

BLP Music
www.baltimoore.net
www.myspace.com/baltimoore
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 06.07.2009

On the cover of Quick Fix, the 11th release, from Swedish outfit Baltimoore is a die-like cube with choices: yes, no or maybe. If these are the choices of recommendation to faithful readers, then the answer is a definite 'maybe.' If you like your melodic rock a bit more bluesy ala early Coverdale, your vocals predictably raw, throat meets rough grain sandpaper, and really dig old school Hammond organ, then Quick Fix might be right up your alley.

This disc is really a turn for Baltimoore (which for our purposes is vocalist Bjorn Lodin), as a dual guitar dynamic is replaced with guitar and Hammond organ (Orjan Fernkvist). The latter influence is quite wide and deep throughout, and noticed immediately within I'm All About Me and Haze of Wonder. Mostly, the organ presence is masterful by inclusion and performance, but exceedingly overwhelms everything else. (Fernkvist is not to blame for this, but rather Lodin, as principal and composer.) Generally, the songs follow a blues enhanced melodic hard rock. When they favor this motif, as on I Am Who I Am When I Am Alone, Make Good (probably the best song), and possibly Tell Me What You Want To Be Today, the music better than average. The only other real star on Quick Fix is fervent and steady rhythm section. In the end, though interesting in parts, I remain ambivalent to Quick Fix.

Quick Fix is truly a roll of the die as on its cover. The latest incarnation of Bjorn Lodin's Baltimoore is old school rock, rhythm and blues, thanks generally, to the arrangements but more specifically to the heavy use of Hammond organ. It's impressive and well played, but quite overwhelming throughout and left me ambivalent towards Quick Fix. If your ears are truly eager for some versatile blues-based rock, then check out the new UFO album, The Visitor.

Quick Fix is truly a roll of the die as on its cover. The latest incarnation of Bjorn Lodin's Baltimoore is old school rock, rhythm and blues, thanks generally, to the arrangements but more specifically to the heavy use of Hammond organ. It's impressive and well played, but quite overwhelming throughout and left me ambivalent towards Quick Fix.

Alphabetical Index

Formed in 1999 by singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Erik Martensson, Sweden's Eclipse is well into their third decade of making music. In the recent past, their recordings and reputation have ... [ Read More ]