Advanced Spin

The Swedish vocal trio known as Spin Gallery may be a little soft for some Sea of Tranquility regulars, but Standing Tall merits mention here because it's full of exquisitely performed ear candy that won't leave you feeling empty inside. On Standing Tall, Christian Antblad, Kristoffer Lagerstrom and Magnus Weidenmo sing a dozen songs, most of them written by Tommy Denander, who's worked with the likes of Marcel Jacob (Malmsteen, Talisman), Tony Franklin (Blue Murder, Lana Lane), Fergie Frederiksen (Toto), Steve Overland (Alan Parsons) and Fee Waybill (The Tubes). With roots firmly planted in the Eighties, this is an album packed with soaring harmonies ("To Hell and Back"), melodic rockers ("Standing Tall") and atmospheric ballads ("Grace"). I could do without some of the boy-band influences ("Am I Wrong") and Peter Cetera sound-alikes ("Need to Be Free"), but most of Standing Tall is a high-caliber pop record that offers a refreshing and lighter change of pace.