Clap, clap, clap!!! Women can rock, who can oppose? TWO OF A KIND - fronted by two beautiful dynamic voices - present a fine AOR album you should definitely not ignore. I'm so suspicious against Frontiers releases the last months, since it seems too many bands/projects came out of this label with - not always - appropriate albums. But, but, but...this time is right for AOR Melodies floating around and things are rather simply when it comes to writing.
Fred Hendrix, is known to many as songwriter and singer for the Melodic Rock band TERRA NOVA. This band has already released four studio albums plus one Best Of combo (with five unreleased songs). He also manages the more Pop-ish band of AQUILA (two studio albums in Japan only), whose musical 'identity' I do not know. Even if TERRA NOVA has delivered some good excerpts of Melodic Rock/AOR music in their career, I feel Fred's works with TWO OF A KIND stands one level above. Why? Blame it on the female 'aura'...
Esther Brouns likes ABBA and Kate Bush. Anita Craenmehr is interested in Pop/Rock music. Both of them will bring in mind - who else? - the HEART duo of the Wilson sisters. Add the BOSTON-ian approach of Fred's songwriting, wrap it up in the TERRA NOVA sound (half the band is associated in this project) and you got it done. The ladies' singing is powerful, flourishing and varied. From AOR sounds to Hard Rock passion, from ethereal US Rock 'silk' throats to ample shouting; Two Of A Kind was recorded during summer of 2006 and sounds rather fresh and solid, without ending being cheesy enough. The vocal arrangements are excellent while the guitars'/keys' instrumentation seems rather bright, indeed.
I hope TWO OF A KIND will carry on releasing albums. Be it the sensation of two women singing or the music itself - or a combination of both - Two Of A Kind is an one-of-a-kind Melodic Rock/AOR album. Released by King Records in Japan (worldwide release comes off by Frontiers, of course), you already have a great album to accompany your melodic moments.