Bailey - Long Way Down

Nigel Bailey is really making a name for himself on the melodic rock scene. And this album cover is fucking classic.Nigel Bailey may be a relatively new name in the genre (unless you're a Three Lions fan), but he's steadily making a name for himself as a purveyor of that classic melodic rock sound. And his new self-titled album, Long Way Down, has all of the hallmarks of the genre in spades, from driving rhythyms, flashy solos and huge, anthemic choruses in the vein of classic Mr. Big or Bad English.

Now, while I am totally behind this album in terms of genre and even songwriting, I do have a few nags. Bailey is a good singer, sounding like a cross between a young Paul Stanley and Jack Blades (with maybe a touch of John Waite thrown in). And I'm not honestly sure whether Nigel plays the solos too or if it's the guitar work of Mario Percudani, but it hits the right tone and is very well-suited to Bailey's songwriting style. What this album really could've benefited from however is some high-level production. It's not bad here, but with the gloss of a veteran like, say Mutt Lange, this could be a stellar album. Looking forward to more from this band.

The Bottom Line: Fans of the hard rock/melodic metal genre will find a lot to like on Nigel Bailey's solo debut even if the production needs a bit more polish.

Tracks To Wash Your Camaro To At Full Blast: In The Name Of The King, Bad Reputation, Love Falls Down and Dirty Angel

- Genghis did a lot of fist-pumping during this review...