From their EPK, “since 2000, Frédéric Slama has released 23 albums under the AOR name & several other productions with the who's who of Westcoast music & Melodic Rock. Now Frédéric is back with a new Melodic Rock project titled BLUE AMBITION. You will discover great melodies and arrangements reminiscing of the 80’s combined with more recent rock influences. With its Retro Futuristic style, “Seduction Of The Innocent” is by far the most consistent and most melodic of all Frédéric Slama’s albums with a different approach and style, but within the Melodic Rock boundaries.”

AOR is an acronym for “album-oriented rock,” or “adult-oriented rock,” as it is sometimes referred to. Many music historians might point to early bands such as JOURNEY, or even BOSTON as two American bands who led the charge with this style of music. As a teenager who lived through this movement, I ate it up. It dominated the airwaves until the early 1990’s, when Grunge sprang up and wiped out 95% of the bands in this style, especially the more Glam oriented ones. Oddly enough, the AOR sound moved overseas and continued its popularity there while most Americans didn’t even notice. A revival of this sound thrives today.

Let’s get to some of the best songs on the album to see how BLUE AMBITION stacks up against the competition, which is quite saturated today. “Ground for Suspicion” has some strong emotional moments and a gentle sway, rich with melody, and they sound a bit like TOTO to me. “Holding on to You” has heavy keyboard-laden hooks, and another strong chorus, but the chord progressions are a bit unusual at times. “Without Warning” is a slower, mid-tempo song where the background is filled in nicely with rich melodies, and the title track has gentle, sultry tones from guitars and keyboards. “Diamond Blue” has another gentle swing and reminds me of things that are good in life.

“Paradise Hunter” has another sultry sound, and that is one area that the band is very good at. It combines a longing with a heightened sense of emotion. “The Color of Rain” is the final song, and it is jam packed with emotion. It reminds me of the peacefulness of a rainy day when you are stuck inside with a good book, or some good tunes. Soak it in, and let it ride, I say. On the spectrum for AOR, this is on the gentler side…like JOURNEY, but without some of big cinematic moments or crashing crescendos. The songs are quite pleasing as well, although as an album it lacks a big punch.