Reviews
Super Thanx to Lucas Gordon for the vanity blvd reviews =)
The title of this CD says it all. Vanity Blvd disk overdose is a true rock and roll.
It’s funny how there are so many good bands in Sweden, where are the VB and at the same time there is so little moved in Stockholm.
The other day talking to one of the guys just told me that Crashdiet in Stockholm there is one place where they can play that kind of sets.
And on the other hand are not only many, but that fucking sound of Swedish groups. Hardly receive anything of poor quality, made in Sweden.
It is true that the move is more geared to the raw rock and bluesy side without a lot of this has been the ally of the glam scene in the U.S. ochentona.
And Vanity Blvd is no exception, honestly.
These guys are led by the sultry Cindi Savage, Cindy’s voice can easily be confused with an effeminate voice of a man, something also common in the hair metal.
“Rock and Roll Overdose” hits you a whack with the first five issues, which are raw and powerful, while lowering the decibels in “Come Dance With Me” which seems to have been out of a movie teenager in 1985, actually is one of my favorites.
“4 The Love Of Rock N Roll” is the basic rhythm track with a good kinky, which is composed with Aerosmith type guitar playful “Rag Doll” (I think I use this comparison already, right?), In fact the only guitar is memorable, I think Traci Trixx shines here.
All other subjects completed a delivery that will undoubtedly preserved in my collection.
If you are looking for something just to enjoy loud with a couple of girls or with friends, I propose that “Rock and Roll Overdose”!
Thank you for sending the compact signed guys!
More info at:
””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
ROCK EN CUBA
El titulo de este cd lo dice todo. El disco de Vanity Blvd es una verdadera sobredosis de rock and roll.
Es curioso como hay tantas buenas bandas en Suecia, de donde son los VB y al mismo tiempo hay tan poca movida en Estocolmo.
El otro día hablando con uno de los chicos de Crashdiet me comentaba justamente que en Estocolmo hay un solo lugar donde pueden tocar este tipo de conjuntos.
Y por el contrapartida no solo son varias, sino que suenan de la puta madre las agrupaciones suecas. Difícilmente recibo algo de mediocre calidad, made in Sweden.
Es cierto que la movida esta mas volcada al rock crudo y que carece muchísimo del lado bluesy lo cual ha sido el aliado del glam en la escena ochentona norteamericana.
Y Vanity Blvd no es la excepción, honestamente.
Estos chicos están liderados por la sensual Cindi Savage; la voz de Cindy fácilmente se puede confundir con una voz afeminada de un hombre, algo también común en el hair metal.
“Rock and Roll Overdose” te pega un trompazo con los primeros cinco temas, los cuales son crudos y potentes; mientras que bajan los decibeles en “Come Dance With Me” que parece que hubiera sido sacado de una película teenager de 1985, de hecho es uno de mis favoritos.
“4 The Love Of Rock N Roll” es el track con una base rítmica bien kinky, el cual se compone con guitarras juguetonas tipo Aerosmith en “Rag Doll” (creo que use esta comparación ya, cierto?), de hecho el solo de guitarra es memorable, creo que Traci Trixx se luce aquí.
Los demás temas completan una entrega que sin dudas estará conservada en mi colección.
Si estas buscando algo simplemente para disfrutar a todo volumen con un par de chicas o bien con amigos, te propongo este “Rock and Roll Overdose”!
Gracias por mandarme el compacto firmado chicos!
Lucas H. Gordon
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http://www.mundorock.org/view.php?type=2&id=1238
Vanity Blvd
Rock And Roll Overdose (2011)
85%
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http://metalzine-reviews.blogspot.com/2011/12/vanity-blvd-rock-and-roll-overdose-2011.html
Heavy Metal Blog Zine
http://www.hvymetalblogzine.com
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http://www.subterraneoamerical.net
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http://www.canedorock.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5532&Itemid=1
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http://metalfoxweb.com.ar/new/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1963&Itemid=174
metalfox
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Classic Rock Magazine jan 2010 iusse 140
*HIGH HOPES / The Dirt
Steel yourself: Sweden´s latest glam/sleaze
sensations are sharpening up their act.
Whenever you read a Def Leppard article, the chances are it´ll contain
an honourable mention of the band´s home town of Sheffield, plus
references to srainless steel and suchlike. So it would be remiss of us not to
point out that Vanity Blvd come from rhe town of Avesta – Sweden´s
counterpart to Sheffield in terms of steelmaking.
“We also have a lot of famous musicians from around here,”
says guitarist Traci Trexx. “Like Gerog Wadenius, the guitarist
from Blood Sweat & Tears, and Scar Symmetry´s Jonas kjellgren.
Also, I used to go to school with two members from The Hives.”
It´s a tradition that centers of heavy industry spawn grear rock
bands – and that´s deffo the case with Vanity Blvd. Yerlike many
swedes they´re obsessed with the glammier, rather than grimier,
end of the spectrum. “A lot of people seem to like glam and sleaze
in our country,” Trexx affirms. “It became really big after Motley
Crue´s The Dirt came out and they started playing big shows again.
Finally people started to realise what good music is all about.”
According to Trexx, Vanity Blvd take their inspration from
a variety of sources: “Old-school glam with some blues influences
and AOR as well. We try to incorporate everything from Motley
and Kiss to classic Led Zeppelin, Whitesnake and Journey.”
We gotta admit we´re hugely impressed. As we said in our
review of debut album Rock ´N´Roll Overdose in Classic Rock issue 138:
“Remember when you heard Poison´s Look What The Cat Dragged In for the
first time? The songs here are equally as memorable. NO word of a lie.”
Vanity Blvd´s ace in the pack – or steak knife in the cutlery drawer – is
singer Cindi Savage. “She´s an amazing frontwoman. She gives mr and the
audience major goosebumps. She´s influenced by David Coverdale; you
could say she´s the female answer to Coverdale, but she´s much cuter, ha-ha!”
Savage formed Vanity Blvd back in 2005 along with Trexx´s bass-playing
little sister, Roxxy.
Trexx takes up the tale: “They were looking for a guitarist, so
they asked me. I brought along my drummer Frecko from our 70s
psychedelic rock band. Roxxy played bass on the studio album but
she quit right after we finished recording. It was for many different
reasons. But we are still friends and jam together sometimes.”
Trexx´s old friend Ted took over four-string duties, “but we have
a new bass playr now, Marty – we used to play together in a prog-
hippie band about 10 years ago”.
Vanity Blvd´s line-up complete, they´re on a mission to become
the (to name-check one of their song-titles) Talk Of The Town.
“We´re gonna play like hell,” Trexx enthuses. “We want to tour
as many countries as possible, then we´ll make our next album
that´ll be a total blast for glam and sleaze fans around the world.”
Sounds like a plan to us. GB
FOR FANS OF… SARAYA
“Saraya´s self-titled
debut (1989, above) is
one of my absolute
favourite albums of all
time,” says Vanity Blvd
guitarist Traci Trexx.
“It´s got great songs
like Love Has Taken Its
Toll and Runnin´Out Of
Time that totally blow
my mind. I´m also a fan
of Billy Idol, especially
White Weddind and
Dancing With Myself.
And i just love Steve
Stevens´sguitar riffs.”
“Cindi´s an amazing frontwoman.
She´s like David Coverdale -
but she´s much cuter.”
Geoff Barton, “Editor At Large”
Classic Rock Magazine
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Classic Rock Magazine Reviews nov 2009
8/10
Vanity Blvd – Rock n Roll Overdose
“Vain glorious.”
On the face of Vanity Blvd are just another band who´d love to swap Sweden for the Sunset Strip. But their
influences go beyond the usual hair-metal suspects. Instead,
imagine Motley Crue with Sandi Saraya or Karen Lawrence on
vocals. Just whit until you hear
power ballard Come Dance With
Me: it´s like 1994 – the band, not
the year – all over again.
Singer Cindi Savage can switch
between a smoulder and snarl,
while guitarist Traci Trexx, full of
sassy licks and scarifying riffs, is
clearly a glam-rock guru of some
distinction. Remember thefirst
timeyou heard Poison´s Look
What The Cat Dragged In? The
songs on Rock ´N ´Roll Overdose
are equally as memorable. No
word of a lie.
Geoff Barton
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A look at the latest releases from W.A.S.P., Paramore and newbies Vanity Blvd. Plus mighty-fine reissues from Vardis and Thor… and news of something very special coming your way from the coffers of Rock Candy Records.
» One of the hottest discoveries of the year is Sweden’s Vanity Blvd. Their debut album Rock’N’Roll Overdose is out now through Gain/Sony BMG. Imagine Mötley Crüe with Sandi Saraya or Karen Lawrence on vocals… and just wait until you hear their power ballad Come Dance With Me: it’s like 1994 – the band, not the year – all over again.Yes, Vanity Blvd are that damn good! Check them out on the web here and here.
» We gotta admit it: we’re rather taken by the new W.A.S.P. album Babylon (Demolition). It’s jam-packed full of powerful, politically charged anthems from Blackie Lawless, especially Crazy, Thunder Red and Seas Of Fire. Plus there’s a coupla killer cover versions: Deep Purple’s Burn and Chuck Berry’s Promised Land. Yep, Babylon is unexpectedly awesome – and with nary a hint of blatant sexism and/or torture tactics in sight. (Forget W.A.S.P.’s legendary chainsaw-codpiece’d beast – this time it’s the world that’s fucked.)
» Two excellent reissues are comin’ your way via Krescendo Records: 100 MPH and The World’s Insane by NWOBHM ne’er-do-wells, Wakefield’s very own Vardis. The unfettered energy of both these albums – released in 1980 and 1981 respectively – is undiminished, and Steve Zodiac’s guitar playing remains entirely untamed. No bonus tracks, nonsense sleeve-notes, but who cares? Does anyone know where Herr Zodiac is these days? Motorcycle Irene, even? If so, drop the Classic Rock website a line!
» Talking about reissues, we’re lovin’ Thor’s Unchained, which originally rampaged into the shops thru’ Mongol Horde Records in 1983. It’s a magnificent city-rocking opus and no mistake; all hail Canada’s muscular devastator! Unchained is being re-released by the mad-as-a-fish Finnish label, Ektro Records. Check out Ektro here – you simply must listen to another one of their signings, the completely bonkers Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo!
» While certainly not cast-iron Classic Rock territory, we’re impressed by Paramore’s latest album brand new eyes (Fueled By Ramen). The precocious – and preposterously young – pop-punks have really come of age on this record, which documents their near break-up (it happened a year or so back) in suitably spiky fashion. The moral of the story being: please don’t think of Paramore as just a Kerrang! band. Hmm… since when did that become a term of denigration rather than celebration?
» Finally, some fantastic news from Rock Candy Records: they’re re-releasing Montrose’s groundbreaking self-titled debut album in late October. The band’s 1974 milestone, originally on Warner Bros, has been completely remastered: Ronnie Montrose’s guitar reportedly sounds immense; Sammy ‘Sam’ Hagar’s vocals even more so. What’s more, the CD comes with extensive sleeve notes (or an ‘essay’ as those highbrow Rock Candy dudes say) by fabled alliterative pen-pusher, Brian Brandes Brinkerhoff. Crazy name, crazy guy! Stop press: Montrose are apparently performing live on November 18. Click here for more.
– Geoff Barton
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Rock N Roll Overdose – debut album by Vanity Blvd.
By: Tracy Forsyth-Lundy
Sweden certainly continues to export some of the best Rock music and Vanity Blvd is no exception to this rule. What a kick ass album! Packed with 10 Rock & Roll tracks ‘Rock N Roll Overdose’ delivers in your face Rock & Roll with a flare of “Glam” and a hell of a lot of style! Now don’t let the word ‘Glam’ misguide you, Vanity Blvd is NOT some “Pop” band trying to pull off a Rock & Roll look – oh no no my friends! Vanity Blvd IS what Rock & Roll is all about! Cindi’s vocals will give you goosebumps, Traci’s licks & riffs kick ass in each and every track. Frecko is on drums and he beats them like a man should beat his drums – HORNS UP! Marty is on bass and provides a killer beat right on cue.
Check out the tracks on this album:
Talk of The Town – Right On!! Cindi brings it on this track, totally catchy tune!
Sweet Saturdaynite – Love the vocals again, wicked harmonies! Hooks to die for in this track.
Private Hell – Kick this track off with Traci ripping on guitar – love it! THIS is what I dig about Rock & Roll! Tight Bass and Drums – well done.
Share My Pain – This is where those goosebumps I mentioned begin to surface – Cindi’s vocals are simply brilliant. This band knows how to write a catchy song.
Summer Tease – Love that tight snare – the snap is perfect! Hooky chorus – it’s addictive to listen to. We can all relate to this track on some level.
Come Dance With Me – DAMN I love this track!!! Rock and Blues are the perfect marriage. THIS track is AWESOME with a capital ‘A’. Traci’s variety of guitar will please the fussiest music fan, Cindi’s vocals are comparable to Amy Lee meets Lee Aaron with a hint of Joan Jett – it’s f***ing phenomenal! THIS is my favorite track on this album – I give a standing ovation for this song!
Nasty Girl – Harmonies are perfect again, this would be what I would say is the ‘Pop’ style song they have on this entire album. Don’t get me wrong…it’s NOT POP music – but it has that vibe to how it’s written – still a great Rock song.
4 The Love of Rock N Roll – the title alone makes me smile :) Take a touch of Bluegrass style guitar at the start and fade into a wicked RAWK riff – I have nothing but accolades for Vanity Blvd – they ARE artists that can write a song that will embed itself into your brain for life!
Feed My Obsession – Classic Rock & Roll is what this track is all about. Can’t say enough about those harmonies – I’m totally impressed.
Since U Been Gone – Thunder, beautiful and soothing guitar followed by a brilliant drum beat along side of Marty’s bass…THEN Traci kicks into his fabulous guitar style – it may be the last track on the album but they finish this album just as strong as it began.
If you love an album you can play from start to finish WITHOUT wanting to skip a song – then THIS is the album you need to buy. North America is just beginning to hear what this band can do – wait until you see them perform these awesome songs live! You’ll find me front row…CENTER!!
FULL HORNS UP for Vanity Blvd and what a way to begin 2010!!
Vanity Blvd is my choice for Indie Artist for 2009 in Backstage Live Magazine & we will have a FULL feature on this incredible band launching later this week. Congratulations Vanity Blvd & cheers to your future success!!
RAWK ON!
Backstage live magazine
http://www.backstagelivemagazine.com/?page_id=879
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http://www.powerofmetal.dk/reviews09/vanityblvd_review.htm
powerofmetal.dk
Rating 74/100
Some of our readers will remember the days when glam-acts such as Mötley Crue, Hanoi Rocks, WASP, Ratt, Poison, Britny Fox and other hair-bands were very popular. A lot of those members even looked prettier than my own girlfriend. Vanity Blvd. would have fit in perfectly back then. This record which is already over a year old, is musically in the same kind of style.
Female vocalist Cindi Savage has a voice that sounds a bit like Lita Ford. Besides the bands I mentioned above, Vanity Blvd. is also influenced by Kiss, Lita Ford, Billy Idol, Saraya and The Runaways. And they have a point there, if you like all these bands you will dig this one too. I would also add Def Leppard, just hear the beginning of the song “Nasty Girl” and you know what I mean.
These Swedes haven’t invented a new style of music, they just play old school no-nonse party Rock’ n Roll. A perfect record for a wild dancing and beer drinking party with some wild chicks. Let’s party!!
http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/classic-rocks-new-release-round-up/
One of the hottest discoveries of the year is Sweden’s Vanity Blvd. Their debut album Rock’N’Roll Overdose is out now through Gain/Sony BMG. Imagine Mötley Crüe with Sandi Saraya or Karen Lawrence on vocals… and just wait until you hear their power ballad Come Dance With Me: it’s like 1994 – the band, not the year – all over again.Yes, Vanity Blvd are that damn good!
————————————————————————————————————————
http://venue.de/music/reviews/2009/09/20/vanity-blvd-rocknroll-overdose/
http://venue.de
Review: Vanity BLVD – Rock’n’Roll Overdose
Geschrieben am 20. September 2009 von Andrea
10/10 points
Gegründet wurde die Sleaze/Glam-Rock Band “Vanity BLVD” 2005 in Avesta (Schweden) und bereits kurz danach wurden Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper) und Chris Laney (Europe, Candlemass, Crash Diet) auf die Band aufmerksam. Man begab sich gemeinsam mit Chris Laney ins Platform Studio und nahm das Debütalbum auf, welches man an Markus Tagaris von Gain (Hardcore Superstar, Lillasyster, Avatar) schickte und prompt einen Deal erhielt. Am 27.11.2008 wurde das Debütalbum mit dem Namen “Rock’n’Roll Overdose” veröffentlicht. Seit dieser Veröffentlichung bekamen die Songs Airplay bei Radiostationen in Schweden, Europa und den USA und die Reaktionen der Hörer waren überwältigend. Beeinflusst wird die Truppe um Sängerin Cindy Savage, Gitarrist Traci Trexx, Schlagzeuger Frecko und Bassist Marty von namhaften Bands wie Mötley Crue, Kiss, Lita Ford, Billy Idol, Saraya und The Runaways, welche ihre größten Erfolge vor allem in den 80er Jahren feierten. In Deutschland erscheint “Rock’n’Roll Overdose” am 25.09.2009 und seit ich auf MySpace über die Band gestolpert bin bzw. der Gitarrist Traci Trexx über mich, lässt mir die CD keine Ruhe mehr.
Schon bei seinem Soloalbum Pure zeigte Chris Laney mal wieder seinen Hang zum Sleaze-Rock und bei Vanity BLVDs “Rock’n’Roll Overdose” konnte er seine Ideen als Mixer, Produzent und Musiker gut einbringen. Zusätzlich spielt er auch einige Instrumente und steuert den Background-Gesang bei. Ich bin der Meinung, dass man das auch deutlich heraus hört. Los geht’s mit dem knallenden “Talk Of The Town” bei dem der Gesang von Cindy und der Background-Chor eindeutig im Vordergrund stehen. Gestützt wird alles von einem harten Gitarrenbrett und einer gehörigen Portion Rock’n’Roll mit Klavierparts und allem drum und dran. Genau wie “Sweet Saturdaynite”, welches durch sein “nite” im Songnamen schon gleich verrät, dass es auch hier sehr 80er Jahre sleazig zugeht. So fällt auch gleich die “4″ bei “4 The Love Of Rock’n’Roll” auf und man muss sofort an lange, dauergewellte Mähnen, fette Posen und Leopardenschals am Mikroständer denken. Neben den rockigen Stücken mit viel Glam, wummernden Bässen, krachenden Gitarren, einprägsamen Melodien und dem hellen, aber dennoch wuchtigen Gesang von Cindy, welcher sehr an Lita Ford erinnert, sind auch zwei ruhigere Stücke auf dem Album. “Come Dance With Me” und “Since You Been Gone” sind allerdings keine Jammerballaden, sondern ruhige und dennoch kräftige Songs mit genügend Wumms. Die Streicher- und Bläser-Arrangements bei “Since You Been Gone” geben dem Ganzen einen gewissen melancholischen und zugleich bombastischen Touch. Der Song tanzt also schon ein wenig aus der Reihe, passt aber dennoch prima ins Songgefüge.
Fans von 80er Jahre, Haar-, Poser-, Sleaze- und Glam-Rock MÜSSEN das Album auf jeden Fall kaufen. Es würde etwas in der Sammlung fehlen. Die Einflüsse von Mötley Crüe und Lita Ford sind deutlich herauszuhören und ich bin der Meinung, ein bisschen Def Leppard ist auch zu hören.
Also: Spandexhosen und Leopardenhemden raus und CD in den Player! Ich hoffe wirklich sehr, dass die Band mal einen Abstecher nach Deutschland macht, denn ich will die Songs unbedingt mal live erleben. Redaktionstipp und 10/10 Punkte.
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Melodic Hard Rock Today
96/100
Some years back I got in contact with Vanity Blvd, and I wrote a review of what I believe was their first demo recording back then. So it was a pleasure when their first album Rock N Roll Overdose, landed in the post some weeks ago. I grew up listening to many of the bands that Vanity Blvd is inspired by, and on this debut they impress me a lot with a bunch of great rocking songs. We are directly from the start dragged into a great rocking song called Talk Of The Town. A great driven rhythm with cool riffing guitars, and the vocals from Cindi lifts the song to a high level! A cool guitar solo and the piano give the song the little extra. The melody lines and choruses glues like gum into your hair, so watch out!! Sweet Saturdaynite continues this great rocking album. A hard kicking rocker with a strong melody and addictive chorus. For me that grew up with the hard rocking bands from the 80`s it pleases me to hear an album like this! Vanity Blvd can of course be compared with a lot of bands, but at the same time the have manage to create their own twist on their songs that sounds just great! An example of this we get with the next song Private Hell. It opens with some cool riffing guitars before the fine vocals enters the song for the first verse. The song nicely builds up to some nice choruses with great choirs. A really good guitar solo give this tune the little extra! Share My Pain is a more melodic hard rock oriented song with a strong melody that lead us to some rememberable choruses. The vocals from Cindi is delicate and has the exact right style that takes the song to a top level! Summer Teaze is one of my favorite tunes, a song that get me into a good mood with its style! I like the riffing guitars and the vocal melody and chorus is cool and has the exact right ingredients that of course takes me back to the 80`s and remind of many of the big names from that time. With Come Dance With Me, they without no doubt convince me that they are really good songwriters, a more down tempo rock song with a beautiful melody and chorus! Nasty Girls is a little jewel of a song, that opens with some great keys, a straight forward rocker of the finest mark, and if you don`t remember the addictive chorus lines after listening a few times to this something has to be wrong! 4 The Love Of Rock N`Roll opens with banjo, a pumping catchy rock song that remind me a bit about some big southern rock bands like Molly Hatchet and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The great driving`Feed My Obsession lead us to the last song Since You Been Gone, a great power ballad with a big melody and strong choruses. An album I will recommend on the strongest with ten great rock songs of the finest mark, and for fans who enjoy the hard rocking bands from the 80`s, this is a must to have!!
http://home.online.no/~kasboe/new_reviews.htm
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mundorock – Melodic Rock Webzine
Vanity Blvd.
Rock N Roll Overdose (2009)
90%
(Crítica por Diego Ramírez, Septiembre 2009)
De las tierras suecas (cuándo no!!) llega esta excelente banda con fémina al frente. Vanity Blvd presenta su primera producción discográfica titulada “Rock N Roll Overdose” la cual trae una descarga de adrenalina total en sus diez temas. Hay que decir que la península escandinava se ha vuelto en los últimos años en la meca del hard rock como en los ochenta lo fue la escena angelina. Crashdiet, Hardcore Superstar, Gemini Five y mucho más productos de calidad a los que ahora se suma Vanity Blvd.
Hay que decir que Cindy Savage hace un estupendo trabajo y le da su propio toque a la banda. Sin embargo es Traci Trexx el verdadero protagonista de este “Rock N Roll Overdose” asumiendo un completísimo trabajo de guitarras, probablemente potenciado por su productor Chris Laney, otro destacado guitarrista de la escena europea.
La producción del álbum es bastante buena y hace que el disco sea altamente disfrutable para todos los amantes del hard rock. “Talk Of The Town” abre de la mejor manera, pero son realmente “Summer Teaze” y “Nasty Girl” los verdaderos himnos al rock and roll que trae Vanity Blvd. En otras circunstancias serían hits radiales a nivel mundial. Hard rock ochentero de grandes coros que hacen pensar en que aún se está en esa época.
En conclusión, un muy buen producto de estos suecos los cuales dejan con ganas de más. Se le augura un gran futuro a esta banda. Bien podrán ser los referentes escandinavos del hard rock con mujer al frente como en USA lo han sido bandas como Vixen o Saraya.
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powerofmetal.dk
Rating 74/100
Some of our readers will remember the days when glam-acts such as Mötley Crue, Hanoi Rocks, WASP, Ratt, Poison, Britny Fox and other hair-bands were very popular. A lot of those members even looked prettier than my own girlfriend. Vanity Blvd. would have fit in perfectly back then. This record which is already over a year old, is musically in the same kind of style.
Female vocalist Cindi Savage has a voice that sounds a bit like Lita Ford. Besides the bands I mentioned above, Vanity Blvd. is also influenced by Kiss, Lita Ford, Billy Idol, Saraya and The Runaways. And they have a point there, if you like all these bands you will dig this one too. I would also add Def Leppard, just hear the beginning of the song “Nasty Girl” and you know what I mean.
These Swedes haven’t invented a new style of music, they just play old school no-nonse party Rock’ n Roll. A perfect record for a wild dancing and beer drinking party with some wild chicks. Let’s party!!
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strutterzine
(Points: 8.6 out of 10)
Now this is more like it, good old fashioned straight-ahead Melodic Hardrock with female vocals a la LITA FORD and JANET GARDNER, in a real pure 80s style, delivered by a Swedish band called VANITY BOULEVARD, whom released a full-length CD on the major label SONY MUSIC. THE DONNAS, VIXEN and THE RUNAWAYS are also good comparisons, but the bio even mentioned SARAYA! Anyway, female singer CINDI SAVAGE has a very good strong voice and the included 10 songs sound pretty good, both musically and production wise speaking. Highlights are “Talk of the town”, “Private hell”, “Come dance with me” (awesome midtempo almost AORish a la HEART, VIXEN, LAOS, HEAT, etc) and “Since U been gone”. Must-have CD for any fan of female fronted melodic rock!
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Uppsala Nya Tidning 3/9 2008
4/5 betyg
Rock ´n roll overdose(gain)
GLAMROCK. Unga avesta-
bandet Vanity BLVD står
knock på lyssnaren med
sin första fullängdare som
rymmer de redan fram-
gångsrika singlarna Share
my pain, Talk of the town
och Sweet Saturdaynite.
Och fler singlar kan myck-
et väl komma av dessa tio
starka spår och placerar
bandet i glamrockens
frontled.
Till skillnad från en del
retroglammare nöjer sig
Vanity BLVD inte bara med
de stilriktiga greppen och
attityden, utan lägger sig
vinn om att skriva bärande
melodier och kombinera
gitarrdrivna arrangemang
med väl utvecklade sång-
stämmor.
Att bandet sticker ut är
inte minst sångerskan Cin-
dis förtjänst. Hennes coola,
lite bluesiga röst ger vanity
BLVD ett distinkt sound.
En Chrissie Hynde från Av-
esta.
Ulf Gustavsson
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Vanity BLVD
”ROCK N ROLL OVERDOSE” 7 P
Den glittrande melodiösa sleazen lever och fodras i Sverige som aldrig förr.
Samtidigt är inflationen som urvattnade det som var bra med 80-talets gäng återigen farligt nära. Än en gång luras folk med att sätta utseende före talang.
Ett gäng som lyckas hålla sig på rätt köl är Avestas Vanity BLVD som vet hur man
Plockar russinen ur 80-talskakan. De riktigt stora refrängerna som är ett måste i en sådan här genre återfinns kanske inte i alla låtar, men topparna är betydligt fler än dalarna.
Det finns ett omedelbart driv i inledande ”Talk of the Town”, och ”4 the Love of Rock n Roll” har ett smittsamt studsig riff. Absoluta höjdpunkten finns i de molliga undertonerna till ”Share My Pain”, som för tankarna till ”Starry Eyes” med Mötley Crüe. Och det är inte fy skam.
CARL LINNAEUS
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GROOVE svergies största musiktidning
GGGG
Vad har Crashdïet sått? Det är uppenbart att det bandets stora break har väckt skivbolag och fans att leta efter fler band med samma fetischism för hårspray.
Första gången jag hörde Vanity BLVD:s Share my pain skickades jag tillbaka till 1981 och gitarrsoundet på Mötley Crües debutalbum Too fast for love. Det fick mig särskilt att tänka på den underskattade låten Starry eyes. Och det kändes himla bra att göra det.
Även om Vanity BLVDs tio låtar inte alla är lika starka som Share my pain är det här ändå ett starkt albumsläpp. De fyra inledande spåren är välbyggda låtar där sånghooken har fått stort utrymme men utan att sätta riffen i andra hand. Bra. Himla bra, för det är så lätt att bara satsa på en refräng och låta gitarren lojalt anpassa sig efter melodin. Efter det går låtmaterialet ner både ett och två hack, men utan att för den delen låta som bottenskrap.
Torbjörn Hallgren
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dagensskiva.se
9
Som hämtat ur guldåldern
Precis när jag lyssnat igenom ett desillusionerande berg med ljumma recensionsskivor och nästan förlorat hoppet om att det produceras något annat än urvattnad drak-power metal nu för tiden, dundrade Vanity BLVD rakt in i mina hörlurar och mitt hjärta.
Bandet är färskt som nysnö, bildade i Alvesta 2005, men det gedigna soundet och den beroendeframkallande hittiga refrängen indikerar långt mycket mer erfarenhet. Jag kommer osökt att tänka på Dokken. Sångerskan Cindis hesa, kraftfulla röst minner om Lita Ford och är verkligen kronan på verket. Den här åttiotalsstinna glam/sleazerocken har hög densitet av effektiva riff och mäktig arenakänsla och hookar mig snabbare än Crazy Lixx gjorde när jag hörde dem första gången.
Om jag inte kände till Vanity BLVDs ålder och härkomst skulle jag lätt kunna tro att de var sprungna ur glamrockens guldålder, som i och för sig fått en svensk revival på senare år.
Märkligt att så här mästerligt utförd och sällsynt högkvalitativ glam inte slagit igenom rejält för länge sedan. De upptäcktes bland annat av Ryan Roxie från Alice Cooper och den kommande debutskivan producerades av Europe-producenten Chris Laney.
Om skivan håller lika hög standard som singeln kommer jag hjula av glädje.
Isabelle Ståhl
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agonyzone
Vanity BLVD – “Rock ‘n’ Roll Overdose”
Gain, Sony BMG
28 augusti, 2008
När dagens glamrocksband skall jämföras med åttiotalets, så blir det oftast med band som Mötley Crüe och Guns n’ Roses. Men i Avestabandet Vanity BLVDs fall så känner jag mer likheter med band som Ratt och Cinderella – då både i form av dess riff och refränger.
För en annan som växte upp med hela glamsvängen känns bandet inte så revolutionerande, men för den som har upptäckt denna musikstil de senaste åren kan jag tänka mig att de är både spännande och intressant både musikaliskt och visuellt.
För det Vanity BLVD gör – gör de bra!
Christer Roos
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SUNDSVALL (ST) 2008-08-30 03:00
Rock’n roll overdose
Modern glamrock med starka melodier. Så vill jag kort och gott sammanfatta Vanity BLVD och deras debutplatta Rock’n roll overdose. Det är enkel och rak rock med bra stomp och sväng.
Bandet upptäcktes av Ryan Roxie och Chris Laney, vilka medverkat i produktionen. Den första hälften av plattan är det riktigt bra partystuk på. Traci Trexx sjunger bra, även om hon saknar den där riktiga pipan. Körsången, vilken Laney står för, är snygg.
Originalitet? Knappast! Profil som band? Knappast!
Plattans öppning med Sweet saturdaynite, Private hell och Share my pain funkar på vilken förfest som helst. Efter en vaken inledning trubbas jag av under plattans andra hälft, vilket sannolikt beror på avsaknaden av egenart. Sammantaget är Vanity BLVD ändå en trevlig bekantskap. Framför allt gillar jag de rockiga riffen.
Lars Erik Palmgren
metalcentral.net
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Vanity BLVD – Rock’n'roll Overdose (7)
Betyg: 7/10
Recensent: Johan Hagengren
Så kommer här ännu ett band som tycker att hårdrock gjordes bäst på det glammiga 80-talet. Svenska VANITY BLVD från Avesta upptäcktes av Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper) och Chris Laney, mannen bakom bland andra EUROPE och CRAZY LIXX och släpper härmed sin debutskiva. Det kunde absolut låta sämre än så här.
Något som gör att bandet sticker ut lite från konkurrenterna är det faktum att de inhyser en kvinnlig sångare i form av Cindi, som har en helt ok röst men som däremot inte alltför ofta tar ut svängarna eller klättrar högre på tonskalan.
Hur som helst är det här en mer än hyfsad debut. Säkerligen har Chris Laney plockat och ändrat lite i låtarna för på den här plattan finns det hitar. Inledande ”Talk Of The Town” är en riktig kanonöppnare med ett bra driv och en smittande refräng. ”4 The Love Of Rock N Roll” är en svängig rackare som sätter sig direkt och liksom alla bra sleazeplattor har de också inkluderat en ballad, ”Come Dance With Me” fungerar som ett skönt avbrott.
Bandets styrka ligger i de välkomponerade låtarna och de snygga harmonierna. Jag skulle som sagt däremot gärna höra Cindi ta ut svängarna mer på sången. Hon har en fin röst men tar ofta det säkra före det osäkra och det är sällan hon går särskilt högt. Det gör att låtarna förlorar i rivighet och styrka och till nästa fullängdare skulle jag gärna se att hon filar på det.
Men i det stora hela står sig VANITY BLVD starka mot många andra av sina genrekollegor som visat sina sprayade hårmanar på sistone, och betygsåttan är farligt nära.
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AORHEAVEN
Kick ass Swedish hard rock outfit in the vein of Danger Danger, Ratt and Lita Ford with a brilliant debut album, which mixes both 80s hair metal and sleazy hard rock feat. the extra ordinaire vocals of singerin Cindi Savage. A clear winner !
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Vanity BLVD
Rock ‘N’ Roll Overdose
( 8+ )
Jos Suomi on metallin luvattu maa, niin Ruotsi olkoon sitten glamrockin. Ainakin svenssoneilta sujuu kyseinen lajityyppi ja varsinkin siihen liittyvä tälläytyminen härmäläisiä luontevammin. Pitää myös muistaa, että Hanoi Rocksin kulta-aikojen kokoonpanostakin leijonanosa oli ruotsinkielisiä, puhumattakaan siitä, että bändi piti majaansa Tukholmassa. Ehkä se on se kepeämpi kansanluonne.
Keski-Ruotsalaisesta Avestan kunnasta Tukholmaan mobilisoitunut Vanity BLVD nousee heti debyytillään genrensä kärkeen. Katurokahtavaa hard rockia paiskovan nelikon ulkonäöstä tulevat mieleen Tigertailz ja Wrathchild, mutta musiikkinsa on huomattavasti laaja-alaisempaa. Sweet Saturdayniten ja Nasty Girlin tyyppisten peruskimallepalojen lisäksi albumilta löytyy Skid Row’n ensi albumin mieleen tuovan Talk Of The Townin ja jyräävän, mutta pikaliiman lailla tarttuvan Private Hellin kaltaisia iskusävelmiä, jotka tuovat mieleen ajat, kun taivaskanavilla näytettiin vielä rock-videoita. Seesteisempi, mutta jännitteinen Come Dance With Me sekä kuoliaaksi puukotetulle ystävälle omistettu Since U Been Gone taas osoittavat, että homma toimii myös pienemmillä kierroksilla.
Biisikynän lisäksi Vanity BLVD:lle luo edellytyksiä Cindi Savagen vahva ja taipuisa ääni, eikä taustajoukoissa lymyilleen ex-Alice Cooper –kitaristi Ryan Roxien ja Randy Piperin Animalissa soittavan tuottaja Chris Laneyn panostakaan voine aliarvioida. Näkemyksen omaava tuottaja kun on oikeasti hyvä asia näinä kovina olohuoneäänitysten aikoina. Klassiset vajaa neljäkymmentä minuuttia kestävä Rock ’N’Roll Overdose on valmis paketti vain kolmisen vuotta kasassa olleelta ryhmältä, jolta on lupa odottaa vielä suurempia.
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8+
Dopo una manciata di demo e singoli, ecco il debut album dei Vanity BLVD, che esce per la Gain Records, casa discografica famosa per gli ultimi lavori dei più noti Hardcore Superstar, a cui sono arrivati grazie all’interessamento di Ryan Roxie (Alice Cooper) e Chris Laney (Zan Clan, Randy Piper’s Animal), quest’ultimo anche (impeccabile) produttore del disco. L’album mette in mostra un sound robusto, accattivante e decisamente godibile, che fonda le proprie radici nell’hair metal 80iano di Lita Ford, Princess Pang e Danger Danger, nonostante le capigliature e il look dei musicisti farebbero pensare all’ennesima glam band della solita ondata new glam svedese. L’opener “Talk Of The Town”, già sentita come b side del singolo “Share My Pain”, è il classico apripista dal coro anthemico e 80iano che lascia il segno sin dal primo passaggio. Un po’ di brani ripresi, e opportunamente rivisti, dal demo Playin’ It Ruff del 2006 (la diretta “Share My Pain”, il più sostenuto rock and roll “Feed My Obsession”, la ballatona “Since U Been Gone”) e qualche pezzo nuovo di zecca (“Sweet Saturdaynite”, “Private Hell”, “Nasty Girl”, “4 The Love Of Rock n Roll”) convincono appieno e rendono l’ascolto gradevole e spensierato. Un songwriting qualitativamente alto e costante per l’intera durata del disco, una produzione cristallina e possente, ed una performance senza dubbio positiva dell’intera band (nota di merito per la voce della brava Cindy e le affilatissime chitarre della coppia Tracy Trexx/Marty) rendono questo debut album una piacevole esperienza per tutti gli amanti dell’ 80s hard rock. Buono il booklet, semplice e con i testi ben leggibili.
Stefano Gottardi
www.nordische-musik.de
Rock n Roll Overdose
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If Mötley Crüe had a female singer they would probably sound like the Swedish Vanity BLVD, founded in 2005: Rockvoice Cindi Savage is braving the male competitors from the opener »Talk Of The Town« until the end of the 39-minute-long CD. With their debut »ROCK N ROLL OVERDOSE« the band lost against Gemini Five’s at 2008′s Swedish Metal Awards – undeservedly. The quintett shows a tad more independece, gains extra points thanks to Cindi’s cool and almost bluesy voice; only the production could be better.
With the young band from Avesta attitude, arrangement and charisma complement one another to a harmonious Glam Rock overall picture. The most powerful of the 10 songs are packed into the first half of the record: the opener, followed by »Sweet Saturdaynite« and the first single release »Share My Pain« have forward guitars, catchy tunes and sing-along choruses (including background singing by the guys). We will surely hear more from Cindi, the »Guitarshredders« Traci Trexx / Marty, »Bass-Tard« Ted and »Drumstar« Frecko in the future. (nat)
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Established in 2005 in Avesta, VANITY BLVD was quickly in contact with Ryan ROXIE ( ALICE COOPER ) and producer Chris LANEY ( EUROPE , Candlemass ).
A deal was made with Chris LANEY studio and the stage began. Considering the result is the Label GAIN (including who signed HARDCORE SUPERSTAR ) which has the contract for distribution. And the end of 2008 after a first single ( Share My Pain ), the album Rock’n'Roll Overdose sort enfin!
If it does not dream any French group?. !
Initially I thought VANITY BLVD would be a group of more than Glam as it rains hundreds in the suburbs of Stockholm!
But once the first chords I felt a real personality in this group of young people! This is nothing more than the Hard Rock 80′s revisited with a big production and especially with a lot of talent!
Cindi vocals, Traci TREXX guitars , Marty on bass and Frecko on drums are the talented musicians who give you your money if you are fans LITA FORD , Girlschool , VIXEN among others! Indeed
singing Cindi is very good to excellent! It is not tons, but produces accurate parts! Moi j’adore!
The first title, Talk of the Town I even found a small air WITCH CROSS (Danish Group of 80′s).
Each title is rhythmic, melodic and would fly on n? Matter what radio “Classic Rock”!
Talk of the Town , Sweet Saturdaynite , Hell Private , Share My Pain , Tease Summer , Nasty Girl , 4 The Love Of Rock’n'Roll , Feel my Obsession and two beautiful ballads Come Dance With Me and Since U Been Gone is real simple and efficient!
Only point to improve, finding songs a little more catchy, fun story and in concert (the Heavy Metal Kid who writes) muscles a little more compositions! But for a first album the bar is already high!
Thank Traci TREXX contacted me on Myspace and good luck VANITY BLVD , a group that is expected to rise above a few years!
Style: Hard Glam Artistic
Part: 4 / 5
interest for fans of 80′s Heavy Metal: 5 / 5
Interest in traditional metal fans in general: 5 / 5
RASKAL The French Warrior gives: 18/20
Objective RASKAL gives: 18/20
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A look at the latest releases from W.A.S.P., Paramore and newbies Vanity Blvd. Plus mighty-fine reissues from Vardis and Thor… and news of something very special coming your way from the coffers of Rock Candy Records.
» One of the hottest discoveries of the year is Sweden’s Vanity Blvd. Their debut album Rock’N’Roll Overdose is out now through Gain/Sony BMG. Imagine Mötley Crüe with Sandi Saraya or Karen Lawrence on vocals… and just wait until you hear their power ballad Come Dance With Me: it’s like 1994 – the band, not the year – all over again.Yes, Vanity Blvd are that damn good! Check them out on the web here and here.
» We gotta admit it: we’re rather taken by the new W.A.S.P. album Babylon (Demolition). It’s jam-packed full of powerful, politically charged anthems from Blackie Lawless, especially Crazy, Thunder Red and Seas Of Fire. Plus there’s a coupla killer cover versions: Deep Purple’s Burn and Chuck Berry’s Promised Land. Yep, Babylon is unexpectedly awesome – and with nary a hint of blatant sexism and/or torture tactics in sight. (Forget W.A.S.P.’s legendary chainsaw-codpiece’d beast – this time it’s the world that’s fucked.)
» Two excellent reissues are comin’ your way via Krescendo Records: 100 MPH and The World’s Insane by NWOBHM ne’er-do-wells, Wakefield’s very own Vardis. The unfettered energy of both these albums – released in 1980 and 1981 respectively – is undiminished, and Steve Zodiac’s guitar playing remains entirely untamed. No bonus tracks, nonsense sleeve-notes, but who cares? Does anyone know where Herr Zodiac is these days? Motorcycle Irene, even? If so, drop the Classic Rock website a line!
» Talking about reissues, we’re lovin’ Thor’s Unchained, which originally rampaged into the shops thru’ Mongol Horde Records in 1983. It’s a magnificent city-rocking opus and no mistake; all hail Canada’s muscular devastator! Unchained is being re-released by the mad-as-a-fish Finnish label, Ektro Records. Check out Ektro here – you simply must listen to another one of their signings, the completely bonkers Röyhkä ja Rättö ja Lehtisalo!
» While certainly not cast-iron Classic Rock territory, we’re impressed by Paramore’s latest album brand new eyes (Fueled By Ramen). The precocious – and preposterously young – pop-punks have really come of age on this record, which documents their near break-up (it happened a year or so back) in suitably spiky fashion. The moral of the story being: please don’t think of Paramore as just a Kerrang! band. Hmm… since when did that become a term of denigration rather than celebration?
» Finally, some fantastic news from Rock Candy Records: they’re re-releasing Montrose’s groundbreaking self-titled debut album in late October. The band’s 1974 milestone, originally on Warner Bros, has been completely remastered: Ronnie Montrose’s guitar reportedly sounds immense; Sammy ‘Sam’ Hagar’s vocals even more so. What’s more, the CD comes with extensive sleeve notes (or an ‘essay’ as those highbrow Rock Candy dudes say) by fabled alliterative pen-pusher, Brian Brandes Brinkerhoff. Crazy name, crazy guy! Stop press: Montrose are apparently performing live on November 18. Click here for more.
– Geoff Barton
http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/classic-rocks-new-release-round-up/#more-23029