Search - Alias :: Alias

Essential AOR

Fredrik Nilsson | Umeå, Sweden | 04/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1990 members of the bands Heart and Sheriff formed Alias and released this masterpiece. The music is impeckable, and the singer Freddy Curci has a perfect melodic voice. The ballad "More Than Words Can Say" was the hit, but there ain't a weak song on the album. If you like the members ex-bands, and other Canadian AOR like Honeymoon Suite and Harem Scarem, then this album is a must have. Highly recommended!!"

2 parts Sheriff, 3 parts Heart, 1 part 80's music in 90's

Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 06/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After the reissue of their old hit, "When I'm With You," which peaked at #61 in 1983, but then surprisingly topped the charts in 1988, ex-Sheriff vocalist Freddy Curci and guitarist Steve DeMarchi formed a new group, Alias, soon after. Joining them were guitarist Roger Fisher, drummer Michael Derosier, and bassist Steve Fossen, who if you know your music history, used to be with Heart during the 70's.



Upon hearing "Waiting For Love," I wondered if this was something I missed back in the 80's, because this song has all the hallmarks of an 80's rock/pop song produced by Ron Nevison, Mike Chapman, or Desmond Child, soaring synths, harmony vocals, and a pulsing backbeat reminding me of the Police's "Every Breath You Take," Heart's "Nothin' At All," or John Waite's "Missing You." Small wonder I took to it. Despite this late entry in the 80's-style synth-rock, it's #13 peak in 1991 isn't bad, considering the undercurrents of grunge burbling.



I didn't listen much to the radio in summer 1990, hence I missed hearing their first single, the #2 hit "I Need You Now," which is a classic power ballad with squealing and grinding guitars, soaring and long drawn out vocals, and a REO Speedwagon/Air Supply-type sound. A worthy addition to the power ballad pantheon. A less bombastic is "Heroes," a more sobering number of a man remembering his lost love, now in heaven. On hearing the chorus, I detect the marked contrast between the hero one encounters in Greek mythology whom Zeus placed in the stars and "the hero in all our hearts," i.e. the things we are capable of here on Earth.



However, the rest of the album fits in my decade, of choice hard-rockers, such as Scorpion-type rockers like "Say What I Wanna Say," and the rousing Boston meets Bon Jovi "Haunted Heart." Ditto for the accusatory love betrayal of "After All The Love Is Gone," with the bridge confirming one standing one's ground for good: "I'm gonna close that door, forget you're alive/Don't come around no more. I'm walking away."



Others such as "The Power," where the group is roused to the "power of ten" onstage, could stand side to side with corporate-type rock a la Foreigner and Boston.



I wonder if they would've lasted more than this album had they begun earlier. They only made this one album and that was that, and had they done more of the same, it would only have been overlooked by Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and the like. If I get anything out of this album, it's this: remember 80's rock, because it'll never return. It's had its run, and now it's time for goodbye. So glad Alias managed to put this album out so I can remember."

This is no air supply!!!

Carlos Vernaza | Bogota D.C., Colombia | 08/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Once in my life i used to love air supply, that was when i was 10 years old and i was not responsable for my acts, this is the kind of music that you should hear when you are ironing your clothes, so dont you dare to compare alias with this group...no way!!!(this goes for one of the reviewers).



alias is a real 80`s rock n roll band who managed releasing an awesome album, but for the shame this was it... no more. I am sure if they have started earlier would have make it big, and this album would have been #1 in the charts. Great if not the best power ballads i have ever heard, some edgy some slower but always with that great sense of good music!!!



Shame for the short time they stayed with us. But thanks for this beautiful album you gave us... hope someday you could give us another one!!! Who knows..."