JORN: "Heavy Rock Radio"

Rating: N/A
Label: Frontiers 2016
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

No! No! NO! Oh God... please no. Make it go away. Make it stop. Oh, the horror, the horror. For the love of music and all the things you keep sacred. Why did you have to test our strength and devotion by giving us yet another cover record by Jorn and yet another cover version of "Don't Stop Believin"? It's not like we hate that song enough already? Christ oh mighty. I'd rather have 40 days and nights of rain or any other divine intervention or suffering for that matter. Hold on to that feeling? Street light? People? Sheer and utter agony. It's not a Journey, it's a trip to hell and back in which your poor soul will never recover.

Oh, the terror, the terror. Add to this. The darn right butchering of "Hotel California" (I know someone must be spinning in his grave). The pointless recording of "Rainbow In The Dark". Yet another Dio cover by Jorn? When recording this song and I quote, "we stayed very true to the original, it felt natural and was the right thing to do". Really? What's the point in recording your version then? Do something differently with the arrangements and people could enjoy it more. The same goes for Black Sabbath's "Die Young" and no, it doesn't sound fresh nor does it rock hard. "Killer Queen"? More like Killed The Queen.

I do enjoy the fact that he's managed to dig up a couple of 'outside the box' moments though. Thinking about "I Know There's Something Going On" originally recorded by Frida from ABBA in 1982 and not 1985 as Jorn suggest in the booklet. "Running Up That Hill" - another decent attempt at something differently and I kind of like it. Mostly due to the fact that it's one of the all-time best songs out there. I totally agree with Jorn as he writes in the booklet and I quote again, "Kate Bush is without a doubt one of the most unique and special artists the world has ever known". Amen brother. Amen.

Final verdict: You shouldn't have to pay to play Heavy Rock Radio. It could most definitely work as second bonus disc on a 2CD release featuring a completely new Jorn studio album. By the way. The same goes for all you artists/bands out there. If you ever feel like recording the tribute and cover songs of the past. Stick it as bonus disc on your brand new original songs album. What's next? Well to get the bad taste out, yours truly definitely need to play the originals starting with the mighty Kate Bush and "Running Up That Hill". Now, she's a genius if ever...