Super Eurobeat 158

1.Leslie Parrish - Victim (Delta)
Leslie Parrish is one of the Delta titles that about everybody seems to love. Her big hits in the SEB 70s and 80s are still warmly remembered by many of us and new songs are always eagarly awaited. This song follows the soft type the title has been doing lately. A very calm song with a beautiful background and excellent vocals by Clara Moroni. The song is pretty unsurprising and it doesn't really have many special ups or downs which makes listening to it kind of bland. A good song none the less, but doesn't stand out as it is.
Rating : 8+

2.Chris Stanton - Love Is Freedom (Time)
Time keeps introducing new titles to us every once in a while and this time we seem to actually have a new singer at least. The vocalist sounds new but so much similar to the other male vocalists on Time which is really a disappointment. You can even hear Elena Ferretti's background vocals in the song which makes Love Is Freedom sound like some old eurobeat song and that doesn't really help the song get anywhere. Boring chorus is the weakest link this song has to offer, there just isn't anything happening in it and you'll end up skipping the song pretty fast.
Rating : 6+

3.Ace - Power Of Sound (SCP)
Okay, the song on this album which seemed to be the most anticipated one. Why? Appearing on Initial D makes random eurobeat songs stick out and give them novelty value no matter how good or bad they are. Facts aside we all know Ace already and are aware that he being one of the biggest names on SCP means that he wouldn't really release a bad song. Power Of Sound was something I was expecting to sound phenomenal and that it would blow my mind, it didn't. I was expecting for energy and class like Ace's best songs, but Power Of Sound just sounded good in the end. I wasn't really expecting it to be like it turned out for me. The song is good but by any means it's not from the better end of SCP releases. Ace handles the vocals well and the chorus sounds catchy but aside for the chorus the song sounds too neutral to strike as really excellent to me.
Rating : 8+

4.Queen 26 - Inside Your Heart (Delta)
I have to admit that I was ready to hate this song after the previous Queen 26 release and how things turned out.. well you never know. I was expecting for more Disco and that's what we got, but Inside Your Heart is from a totally different world than her debut song. The song begins with a chillingly beautiful intro that blends into the absolutely brilliant verse. By the time the song hit the chorus the first time I had already fallen in love with it. The song just stands out on every single area it can. The vocals sound magnificent, chorus is irresistibly catchy and the sounds are very unique. I am glad to admit it that still the people at Delta really know how to produce quality music. It may not be eurobeat but who cares, this is quality disco pop at its best!
Rating : 10+

5.Manuel - What You Need (A-Beat C)
Manuel has by now already confirmed his spot as the frontline male vocalists on A-Beat C, so it doesn't come of as a surprise that What You Need is actually a pretty good song. The song sounds a lot like the other new A-Beat C vocalists but then again a lot of eurobeat sounds similar and that's a fact we fans have come to accept for the most part (well Time might be an exception for me at least). Manuel handles the vocals well and the song has a really striking chorus which will stick in your head for days. A good way to carry on this new comer.
Rating : 8½

6.Van T.K. - Dancin' Time (SCP)
Where as Ace gets quality, Van T.K. so doesn't. I disliked the previous 2 songs he had in the 150s but this song tops them both. The song has a somewhat similar disco beat as the first Queen 26 song did and in the same bad way. The song can't really be called either eurobeat or disco, it's something from between and that's what irritates me the most. The song can't find a footplace in either genre and ends up sounding really disturbing. I just couldn't think of anything positive to say so I'll just say that the only way is up I guess.
Rating : 5

7.Mike J. - Superlove Superaction (Time)
This song is amusing, it really is. I can't remember hearing many songs with as horrible vocals, honestly. The bubblegum bands in the 90s sounded better than this song. The vocals just sound too warped and they don't make any sense either. The song itself is pretty alright but I just couldn't get over how the vocals annoyed the hell out of me. The chorus is the peak of the annoyance for me with the repetition of 'Super' that sounds bad everytime he says it. I am really sad to say this, but seriously I wish Time would either merge with some other label or start doing proper music. Will be surprised if somebody really loved this song and comes in a few years saying 'Hey that song was the best song in the 150s!'
Rating : 5

8.Nick Key - The Speed Of Light (A-Beat C)
So it's been quite a while since we hear of Nick and he's back better than ever. The song starts off with car sounds and the lyrics carry on the same theme. You can already imagine hearing this song in Initial D in the future as it'd fit the series perfectly. The verses might not be very catchy but the chorus makes up for them big time. The chorus with the weird background sounds is just brilliant. The extra guitars here and there fit the song well and add a nice flavour to it. Over all a good song but nothing that'd make me go crazy for a long time.
Rating : 8½

9.Dee Dee - Butterfly (Vibration)
So here we have Vibration once again and once again they end up being the losers on the album. Dee Dee was last heard on SEB155 alongside Regina and that song sounded excellent but this song is miles from it. The song has really light backgrounds and it reminds me of the b-side songs that appeared on Eurobeat Flash years ago. The fact that it sounds like it could've very well been taken from EBF1X is what makes me sad. Back then this song would've been decent at least, now it just sounds outdated and repetitive. But at least it's not annoying and you can listen to it without getting the urge to skip to the next song.
Rating : 7-

10.Mickey B. - Call Me Now (A-Beat C)
Then we have the magnificent Mickey B. that doesn't ever seem to let fans down. Since her debut we've only heard hits under this title and this song is no exception. The song is in a totally different league in contrast to her hard and heavy previous song Snowgame Fighters. The song reminds me a lot of Lolita and I often ended up feeling that she should've sung this song instead as now Michaela ends up sounding a bit out of place with this bubbly and even Go Go Girls-like fare. Still the song in its happiness suits her nicely, it's fun to listen to and boys and girls.. that's what counts.
Rating : 9-

11.Jeff Driller - Stop And Go (HI-NRG Attack)
The first time I listened to this album I was slightly surprised by this song. HI-NRG Attack songs are recognized right from the first rhythms and mostly it's a bad thing but this is not the case. This song really manages to catch the essence of HI-NRG Attack perfectly: It is HI-NRG And very explosive. The verses are extremely energetic and the chorus is very catchy. The song reminds me of the golden days during EBF and this song actually shed some light for the label and I really hope they'll manage to do songs as excellent as this in the future as well.
Rating : 9+

12.Lou Turner - Superguy (Time)
Second Time song with Super in the title, can they get any lower? Well fortunately they're on a different planet again! What I said before about Mike J. doesn't apply here at all. This song starts off sounding like well produced pop music and then turns into the typical Time fare, but a very high quality Time fare! The vocals are typical Time but they are what create the biggest hooks in this song. After a few times you'll start to sing along and the repetition of the word 'Super' in the chorus here doesn't bother at all. The usage of chimes in the background is ingenious and this song really suddenly became one of my favorites on the whole album. The variety that Time is offering us is really stunning, hope they can drop the bad songs and offer us more quality like Superguy.
Rating : 10

13.Cherry - I Can't Stay Without Your Love (Delta)
Poor Cherry Delta sure doesn't seem to like this title anymore. The way the title used to produce perfect eurobeat hits from ballads to fast songs in the past is gone and now there's just a carcass left. Clara Moroni handles the vocals as always and you can already imagine what this song is like if you heard the previous Cherry song. A bland unexciting song that really has nothing but a simple synth with a few extra sounds here and there. I doubt they can ever get better than When I Close My Eyes the best Cherry song still to date as far as I'm concerned.
Rating : 5

14.Garcon - Bazookaaa (HI-NRG Attack)
HI-NRG Attack again but back to the repetitive and similar style they've had lately going on a lot. So Jeff Driller managed to catch me off guard but Garcon sure didn't. The sounds have been used a dozen times before and the vocals can't really manage to do much good for the song. The weird pitched vocals in the chorus sounded amusing for the first few times but in the end they started to irritate me and reminded me of a few other HI-NRG Attack songs in the past. Fans of energetic and fast eurobeat might love this song as it's in the company of many slower songs.
Rating : 7+

15.Giada - Give Me Your Love (A-Beat C)
We have Nuage, Meri, Susy Wender, Norma Sheffield and now Giada joins the ranks of A-Beat C's ever growing line of female vocalists. The song kicks off sounding like a pop ballad with an excellent intro. The verses sound soothing and her vocals sound brilliant and you can without call this one of the highlights of the album after hearing it for one time. The chorus is irresistible and reminds me of the two ballad-type songs Christine did in the past. But the real highlight in the song is the c-melody that sounds just too good. A nice mixture of synths with extra sounds has rarely sounded as perfect. Really hoping that Giada will not end up disappearing like Meri did.
Rating : 10-

16.Fastway - Kingo King'O Beat (SCP)
Add sigh here. What would an album be without Ace AND Fastway? Not a Super Eurobeat album anymore it seems. No matter how much I love hearing them I am getting tired with SCP releasing only titles for these two names and they together. The first debuts on SEB by Ennio Zanini were thrilling and new but now I'm starting to slowly get the feeling that he is just getting repetitive and really needs to find some new sounds. Now don't get me wrong or anything, this song is still good, but I just wish they had more girls instead of the rotation of same males nonstop. The song is a pretty generic Fastway song with relatively fast beat and strong vocals that are the biggest hook. Chorus is catchy and the weird title doesn't make much sense even after you hear it. Still a good song but Ennio like Christian need to leave some room for the girls as well, be gentlemen.
Rating : 9

17.Nuage - I Feel Fine (A-Beat C)
So if the two SCP men are here all the time that can be said also for the pretty Nuage. We heard her go fast and we heard her go slow and either way fans seemed to love her. Can she do anything wrong? Well I've mostly liked her releases so far and I was pretty uneasy about this song at first. The song sounds like a real treat to the ears and you can really feel at peace when you listen to her vocals as this song is possibly the one where she sounds the best ever. But then again the song is rather unexciting and you can only get a real groove going on in the chorus that sounds like typical Nuage, but the fact is that typical Nuage is catchy. The song is actually from the better end of her newer releases even though it's really slow, but it's just simply beautiful.
Rating : 9+

18.Niko - Pilot Is The Hero (Delta)
So Delta has gone from awesome to crappy and back to awesome now. Can they ever find a balance on the label. Niko is the title that every eurobeat fan knows without doubt and not too many dislike it either and it's all for a good reason. Delta has been doing so much good with this title and Night Of Fire is still THE song to combine with eurobeat. Pilot Is The Hero is right away the perfect follow up to Superbad we heard back on SEB148 in a similar style. The song is an excellent example of how eurobeat can be very variable. The vocals are the main hook but you'll also notice the electric guitars and variable backgrounds every time you listen to song. The song slows down a bit in the middle parts with a pretty prelude to a chorus and it fits the song perfectly. So once again Delta has done it, now fans can only wait for the next Niko song.
Rating : 10

Final Words :
This album is a very good example of how SEBs mostly are. The labels offer a lot of variety in sounds and in quality. The labels offer a nice level for the album's biggest hits but in contrast there are so many bad songs that the general level goes pretty down and this album ends up being the worst one in the 150s so far. I can warmly look back to this album in the future as there are so many excellent songs on it, but I won't be naming it as my favorite or anything and that's a fact.  Not much more to say, over and out until 159.

Final Score :
Bore : 7½

Reviewed by Bore