Super Eurobeat 156

1.Dave Rodgers - Wild Reputation 2005 (A-Beat C)
If eurobeat classics are discussed Wild Reputation is all the way up there for most people. I myself have never really enjoyed the song that much, I've had a pretty neutral liking to the song, I can listen to it but I never really yearn to hear it. This new version is pretty much like the old one for me, it's not bad by any means but it also doesn't really light any kind of special interest in me, a nicely done re-visit to the ABEAT-1003 track.
Rating : 7+

2.Lilibeth - Shine Forever (SCP)
SCP has had a few titles awaiting for release for sometime now, Lilibeth was one of them and I was really looking forward to hearing any new artists from the label. Lilibeth is definitely a new name for the eurobeat crowd and that's always a great thing but I was slightly disappointed with the song itself. SCP has a talent of making aggressive and bubbly eurobeat tracks irresistible for the most part, but this song just is missing its soul. The sounds sound great the vocals are good, but I still wasn't really that impressed by it. Perhaps the similarity to many other songs or the rather neutral melody caused this, but either way the song is fun to listen to occasionally, but it's no big hit.
Rating : 8

3.Jackson O' - Shock (Time)
The previous Jackson O' song was something I never really learned to love no matter how hard I tried. This time around Time and their geniouses have prevented the same scene from happening by creating a rather irresistible song. The same Michael Jacksonish vocals are here and the track pretty much becomes distinctive through that. In addition to the vocals the melody and the sounds are really nicely done, a bit of a surprise for me I guess, but I really did like this one, Time seems to be getting better once again.
Rating : 9-

4.Vicky Vale - Maximum Love (Delta)
Now this title is something most eurobeat fans have adored for a really long time, but they can't succeed everytime. Shibuya Girl on SEB121 is pretty much considered to be perfect eurobeat by many people, and the song set a high standard for the future songs, therefore most of the Vicky fans will surely be disappointed with Maximum Love. This song is relatively fast, but the sounds are just too light and the uninspirated melody just don't really help here. The lyrics are something most people will notice right away as there are a few funny parts that always manage to make me smile, but that's pretty much the only original thing in the song. Nothing bad again, but I was expecting for so much more from Vicky.
Rating : 7½

5.Terence Holler - Dance Into Your Fire (A-Beat C)
With the previous Terence Holler song there was some debate about if this title was an alternative for Manuel and this song even more boosts the suspicions. I wasn't really having any expectations for the song as I wasn't that big of a fan of the previous Terence song and that's mostly when I get surprised. This track starts off with a great intro that slowly gets better and better and once the song hits the chorus you'll really know why this song is great. The robotic background vocals in addition to the great vocals and simple yet effective backgrounds just work perfectly. Nothing groundbreaking in eurobeat terms but a song most of the male type eurobeat fans will love.
Rating : 9

6.Kiki & Fancy - Big In The Night (SCP)
So since Wake Up! hit the jackpot over a year ago I've been waiting for new Kiki & Fancy songs and this is what I get in reward. If you already don't know what Kiki & Fancy are like then one key-word here is in place: Happy. We've experienced many perfect bubbly songs from the duo in the past and my standards are high for anything they put out. At first when I heard the song I was in a weird psychosis due to the sudden change the duo has gone through. The general happy eurobeat sounds are replaced by trance-sounds for most part and it took me a really long time to get adjusted to them. I was really expecting to get a new Wake Up! as it was pretty much my favorite song from the 140's, and well we got close but still the spirit of Kiki & Fancy seems to be gone. I loved the song, but I still felt kind of disappointed with it at the same time, go figure. This song will definitely divide the crowds, you will either love it or hate it, I love it, but still I would've wanted more.
Rating : 10-

7.Karen - I Know What You Like (A-Beat C)
When Karen appeared on SEB154 the last time, she blew most of the eurobeaters away with a great song and her unique style. Now she's back to carry on with her current level that is sky high. In the past Karen was a name I never really noticed much as her songs were kind of boring and only her low and special vocals managed to make them distinctive, but in the recent past she's only done marvellous materials and I Know What You Like doesn't make an exception. The song has a solid background and Karen doesn't need to do much to make this distinctive and great. General good A-Beat C.
Rating : 9-

8.David "Off" - Imagination (Delta)
This title is something that I feel most people won't remember in a few years unless they start to get as good as Imagination is. I remember when I saw the tracklisting for the first time and noticed David "Off" I was really disappointed, as I wanted somebody else in his place, but I'm pretty darn happy I didn't. This song was one of the few that I really paid attention to on the first time I listened through the album and it also survived as one of the best songs. The song has a killer background that sounds really unique and different, the vocals are excellent and especially the extra background vocals in the chorus are excellent : Rave!.
Rating : 10-

9.Ace Warrior - Fire On The Beat (A-Beat C)
Ace Warrior an another title I never really paid much attention to, I didn't hate him or love him. I guess I finally gotta start moving either way as this song is a good signpost. The track starts off with the best line on the whole song, the title. I'm not sure if it's just me but everytime Tobias Sammet sings the title I pay attention to the way he says Beat, as it sounds somehow really cool and the best part of the whole song. If you know what to expect from Ace Warrior you'll know how this song is: Aggressive, heavier than most eurobeat and pretty distinctive. I have to say that I'm leaning towards the great praises on this one, but I just don't think of it as something phenomenal in the end. So my judgement: Great eurobeat, just not my type in the end.
Rating : 8½

10.Rose - It's Fine (Time)
Rose is a title that Time seems to wanna keep as their longest running one. The previous Rose song appeared on 152, and it was actually pretty good, but this time they go back to the general and unimaginative kind of eurobeat. The song is all around really unnoticable as there's nothing in it that'd lighten any kind of interest in me. The backgrounds are boring, the chorus sounds exactly like the verses do and the c-melody even sounds boring. I have no clue what Time has done with Elena Ferretti she used to do a lot of excellent energetic songs in the past like Helena - Lonely Night, but during the recent past all we've gotten from her has been songs like this.
Rating : 6+

11.Donna - In The Name Of Loving (Delta)
Donna has experienced the same fate as many other female vocalists in eurobeat, her songs have gotten slower and slower. If we rewind back to the first times she appeared with Captain America or Broken Heart her songs had punch in them, but the current trend seems to be non-existant backgrounds and boring choruses. The Delta-team really has talent and they can write songs that leave an impression and that's also why many of the biggest eurobeat classics are by the label, so I really wish this that Donna would get some of her old charm back. As it is, In The Name Of Loving is a boring track that won't probably arouse much interest in most of the eurobeat fans.
Rating : 7

12.Luna - Your Love Is Magic (Vibration)
If Vibration is discussed Luna rises clearly above the rest for me. So I had my expectations high, and boy did I come crashing down. The song has nothing of that usual Vibration energy the fans usually adore, and it's also missing that killer kind of craziness the label adds to their songs. The song starts off with really boring intro and verse, the chorus fixes some of the problems but then c-melody goes boring again. I don't really know how to say this, but this song really is bad. I've slowly lost more of my faith in Vibration as the label seems to do way too many unimaginative songs these days.
Rating : 7

13.The Girls - Hold Back The Fire (Delta)
A title that appeared only once on Euromach before, and I also had some expectations for it. The song starts off with a good intro and carries on with okay verse, but the chorus is really what gets this song going. The song isn't really fast at any standard but the chorus has some weird magic to it and that's what makes this song rock. The backgrounds consist of really transparent synths and a weird effect that mostly is unnoticable so the vocals get the most attention here and they work really well. Clara Moroni really knows how to handle her job well, as this song wouldn't have worked without the great vocals.
Rating : 9-

14.Martina Dry - I Belong To You (HI-NRG Attack)
It's been a really long time since we heard any HI-NRG Attack women on SEB and now I kinda wish we didn't. I was expecting for energy and class from the label and instead got slow melodies and chimes that have been used way too many times already. The pitched female vocals that HI-NRG Attack does are back and you surely won't recognize the artist as she could be any one of the other what.. 20+ female titles the label has. A song that goes by without any peaks, all around mellow and transparent.
Rating : 6+

15.Jock- Lee - Sexy Guy (Time)
Even more new titles from Time, are they trying to freshen up their image or what's the name of the game here. Either way the past new names like Big Town Guy, Stylophones and Bad Gang have worked really nicely, so perhaps this breeze of fresh air will do wonders on Time's image. Jock-Lee follows the general formula of Time male songs so you won't experience too many surprising moments with the song. But I still think it works much better than most of their recent songs. The vocals sound nice and the backgrounds work nicely, but I still would've enjoyed something more distinctive. A good Time song, a general eurobeat song.
Rating : 8+

16.Pamsy & Ace - 2 Love, 4 Love (SCP)
How many of you people reading had/have high expectations for this song? I bet a lot of you do, two big titles from SCP unite and we all know how well Go 2 worked out. Well my initial reaction to this song was even more of a shock than Kiki & Fancy were. This song is boring! I really was expecting something different and noticable, even the duets Ace did with Melissa White in the past were much more entertaining and longlasting, but this song just doesn't light me in any way. The vocals are good, I got no complaints about the backgrounds but there's no real melody to speak of, the track just kinda flows on without anything happening at all. I have to say that I haven't been this disappointed with any title in a really long time, but well that can be forgiven as SCP has done so many wonderful songs in the past, just let's hope this doesn't happen again.
Rating : 7+

17.Mickey B. - Snowgame Fighters (A-Beat C)
Without doubt this song is the biggest hit on the whole album, and quite possibly one of the best eurobeat songs on the whole 150s so far. With these words, I'll start the praises. Mickey B. is an unique eurobeat artist as she knows what she's doing and she's had her own style from the beginning. We all remember such classics as Let The Rain and Take My Soul, and this song falls into the same classic category right away when you hear it. The song has a really different background from 99% of the eurobeat songs out there, the vocals are brilliant, the chorus is a killer and we even get Mickey B. rapping. The track is what Eurobeat really needs in these days: Class and originality. A perfect song at every angle you look at it, and also something that will surely be remembered from the 150s in the future. Though what the hell are Snowgame Fighters
Rating : 10+++

18.Eurofunk - DJ Is Playing My Song (Delta)
Well well, we're already at the last song as it's Delta's turn to present us with a new title. The main vocals are handled by men and I wanna go guessing that it's a new name for a change. The track sounds kind of disco-ish but not in the same way as the Queen 26 song did, the track just uses some extra parts that add a disco-flavor to it. The song is pretty speedy and reminds me of the good old times, as it also works really nicely. The different vocals and distinctive backgrounds really boost the song to a whole different level. Lots of electric guitars combined to traditional eurobeat sounds + disco sounds works surprisingly well and this is a nice way to end the album.
Rating : 9

Final Words :
Well what do you know, we went back to general SEB level with this album. The album has a nice variety which gives it a big plus, but it also has way too many songs that are easy to forget and even songs I didn't wanna listen to a lot. The few killer songs on the album Kiki & Fancy, David "Off" and Mickey B. will surely get their place in one of the biggest hits from 150s in the end, but mostly this album will be left behind by the way better albums. Nothing really horrid, but also not much to cheer at. I'm not really sure to what kind of a crowd would this album be suitable to the best, perhaps the ones who enjoy male kind of eurobeat will love it the most, I just was left cold without the usual quota of Lolita/Go Go Girls/Virginelle/etc. as only Kiki & Fancy represented the lighter side of eurobeat to the max.

Final Score : 8

Reviewed by Bore