In a critical sense (taking out personal taste and fanatic vies of any kind), the time when an old band isn’t available to deliver great music to its fans is the time this band must end, for the sake of its own past glories. There are tons of old bands today that are just shaming their glorious pasts and important contributions (no name will be given as examples, do not insist). On the other hand, there are those that are still working in a great way, honoring their past and traditions, acts as the Canadian quintet HONEYMOON SUITE, here back with “Alive”, their new studio full length.

Active since 1981, their career is full of success during the 80s, with seven full lengths that earned them a lot of respect. And on “Alive”, the same old and good formula on Melodic Rock (or AOR) is the same, using very good instrumental parts laying on a melodic sheath, allowing the tender vocals (in a way similar to the tunes of another Canadian artist, Bryan Adams). The formula isn’t new at all, but they know how to work it on an uncompromised way, full of catchy melodies, charming choruses and tons of energy. Yes, they’re not laying on the past, but living the present.

The band worked on “Alive” with Alive’ the producer Mike Krompass, a known Canadian producer and songwriter who worked with artists as Steven Tyler, THEORY OF A DEAD MAN, Meghan Trainor, SMASH MOUTH and others. The combination of efforts between Mike and the quintet allowed the album to have a clean and defined sonority in the vein of AOR and Pop Rock acts, in a way that anyone can understand the album, and that makes its songs gain life.

Melodic and full of emotions, “Alive” has a definitive appeal that belongs to the 80s, but that still sounds actual and fresh. One just has to hear to “Alive” (a massive set of catching melodies is unleashed, with excellent chorus and arrangements on the guitars and keyboards), “Find What You’re Looking For” (this one bears a clear Pop Rock accessible appeal, with tender vocals laying on a rich and ample melodic sheath, again with excellent keyboards arrangements), “Done Doin’ Me” (this has a heavier appeal, with a guitar solo in a ‘vanhalean’ way and with a heavy work of bass guitar and drums on the rhythms), “Not Afraid to Fall” (a strong power Pop song with some Folk music elements), “Tell Me What You Want” (another song with a clear Pop Rock-like tender insight), “Give It All” (another savage AOR/Rock ‘n’ Roll song filled with distorted rebel feeling, with excellent guitars and hooking melodies), and… Hey, gave up, there aren’t best moments on a play that still has great songs as “Love Comes”, “Broken”, “Livin’ Out Loud” and “Doesn’t Feel That Way”. They’re a clear statement: that the quintet is extremely far from retirement.

The aging did a good work to the band, indeed. And thanks to HONEYMOON SUITE for another great album. “Alive” is really a masterpiece for AOR fans. A bit of trivia: it was the work as sound engineer on HONEYMOON SUITE’s 1986 album “The Big Prize” that called the attention of BON JOVI to Bob Rock. The rest is a history told by “Slippery When Wet.”