Lamorna – The Rainhorse (1999)

Believe it or not LAMORNA is actually an independent AOR band from Germany without a record deal or a big budget, but their DOUBLE (2) CD “The Rainhorse” will for sure be on my Top-10 albums of the year list. All I can say is: I’d sign these guys if I had a label! What you get is more than 100 minutes of superb AOR with a sound not far from bands such as T’BELL, TOTO, FOREIGNER, ALIEN etc. mixed with a couple of progressive AOR tracks on DISC 2 a-la early ASIA.

LAMORNA was formed 3 years ago as a “Sunday Evening Recording Project” for saving the ideas of the members ULI HARDT (Keys/Bass/Programming), HORST BRUCKMAN (Guitars), & DIRK HACKENBERG (Vocals) and they have all been involved in the German music scene for a long time. Hardt/Bruckman may be most known for the pretty successful band NЋCHTELANG in the 80’s and Hackenberg for his days with ESSEX, HALIFAX and SALVAGE (ZERO Records/Japan).

DISC # 1 is filled with unbelievable catchy songs, lovely melodies and keyboard driven AOR. The Opening track “Mary (I still love you)” is THE song of the YEAR! I absolutely love the way HARDT plays his keys and the chorus is mega catchy. I was going to write “Other Highlights are” but the fact is that I can’t find one single weak track here. I’m just happy that DIRK sent me this as it’s for sure already a classic/independent release and we still got another disc to listen to. DISC # 2 may be a bit weaker or maybe I should say different as some of the songs are more progressive like “After the Fall” and “I Won’t Close My Eyes” that I both could have done without. “Save Me Tonight” is a great, sentimental POP/AOR ballad, “Indians” sounds a lot like a mix of EUROPE & TOTO, and “Crime Don’t Pay” reminds of early ASIA. This is a double CD that I could recommend to all fans of the above artists and AOR.

Disc 1
1.Mary (I Still Love You)
2.The Rainhorse
3.From Now On
4.How Long
5.How Many Tears
6.You Ain’t Got Nothing
7.Take Me Back
8.Living Out of Touch
9.Still

Disc 2
1.Fading Away
2.Save Me Tonight
3.Indians
4.I Won’t Close My Eyes
5.After the Fall
6.Crime Don’t Pay
7.Reprise

Dirk Hackenberg Lead Vocals
Horst Bruckmann Guitars
Uli Hardt Keyboards, Drum Programming
Andrea Schwarz Background Vocals
Martin Verborg Soprano Saxophone

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