Powell-Payne ‘Voilà’ (Frontiers Music)

By David O’Neill

If you like artists like Journey, Foreigner, Asia and Toto (to name the pinnacles of the AOR genre) you would know that many of these are at the terminal end of their careers with the likelihood of any new music or tours getting less likely as time progresses. So you’d have to wonder where AOR as a genre was going to go in future. Could Welsh rockers Powell-Payne be a potential answer? Read on to find out!

Originally formed by Mark “Penfold” Powell (IYKYK!), ex drummer of Psycho Kiss and vocalist Adam Payne (Airrace), they have been joined by Ayden Watkins (guitar) and Alex Anderson (bass). Initially formed to write a heartfelt ballad to their lost loved ones with ‘Distance Between Us’ in 2022, which is included on this collection. This was rapidly followed by formation of the current group members, composition of this first album, ‘Voilà’, and a very quick recruitment into the Frontiers stable.

Opening up with the upbeat ‘Better Days’, it is obvious that this is going to be an AOR offering. The vocals readily sit on top of the mix demonstrating Payne’s vocal power and range. However, none of the instrumentation is lost with each protagonist being given their own “air space” (sic). There is a very good guitar solo at the breakdown, but the whole offering is typically AOR, (and good too!)

A very Styx-like opening guitar riff grabs the ears on ‘No Escape’, and the whole progession reminds me of ‘Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)’ by said band. However, it is a very catchy track with another good breakdown section. ‘Voices’ gives rip to the range of Adam Payne, but the rest of the band are no slouches in their efforts either. A much more upbeat rapidfire drum beat carries the track throughout until the chorus and breakdown solo which rises to a crescendo before the outro solo. Breathless!

However, there is time to take a breath as ‘The Storm’ is much slower, but nonetheless a very good track. ‘Staring At The Sun’ is a typical AOR album track, with very good backing harmonies and more of the same in guitar riffage. ‘Girl Like You’ opens with a slightly distorted riff that carries the vocals to the chorus in a similar fashion to the other tracks thus far: it could easily be a title track to a summer romcom.

‘Questions’ has a typical country feel with its opening acoustic and slide guitar sections, and Adam Payne’s vocals are a bit JBJ throughout it – not that that’s a bad thing to be compared too! ‘Fly High’ opens with a piano solo and chord progression before Payne’s voice clearly expresses the emotional content in the lyrics, it really highlights his range and clarity in his intonation. The addition of a cello in the breakdown adds additional depth to the track.

‘Taking Back Yesterday quickly picks up the pace into the vocals and chorus that are very Tyketto-esque in its development, similar to ‘Forever Young’ in its style. ‘Distance Between Us’ was the initial track written by Mark and Adam in response to losing loved ones: it’s very emotive and will tug at your emotions if you have lost significant people in the past few years.

‘All For Love’ is the final track on the album and as the title suggests is a typical AOR ballad about love lost in a failing relationship. Musically it is a slow lilting ballad with good harmonies and the principle vocals of Adam clearly demonstrate his vocal range. There are parts where it is reminiscent of ‘If You Leave Me Now’ by Chicago, but it has its own depth of sound.

Altogether, in answer to my initial question, who knows, but on this first offering from Powell-Payne I’m sure there is much more to come in the future. Well done on your first album boys.

‘Voilà‘ will be released next Friday (6 December).

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