You can always count on good ol'
Europe to supply grandiose and bombastic rock of the highest order (did any song score higher on the "arena rock-o-meter" than "The Final Countdown" back in the '80s?). After reuniting for good in the early 21st century, the group -- which is still led by one-time "golden god" vocalist
Joey Tempest -- has been issuing albums on a regular basis, and 2009 saw their third disc since reuniting,
Last Look at Eden. The "anticipation" builds with a string-heavy "Prelude" before leading into the epic
Zeppelin-meets-symphony rock of the title track. Elsewhere, you'll find songs that sound like they could have been plucked off of a modern-day
Whitesnake album ("Gonna Get Ready"), the obligatory sappy power ballad ("New Love in Town"), and
Zeppelin-like grooves that would make
Kingdom Come green with envy ("Mojito Girl," "Only Young Twice," "U Devil U," etc.).
Last Look at Eden sounds exactly as you would picture a
Europe album to be in 2009 -- for better of for worse. ~ Greg Prato