Tracks
1. Across the universe
2. Renegades
3. Cry
4. Watching over you
5. Are you ready
6. Suzanne
7. Waiting for a miracle
8. Stop breaking this heart of mine
9. Heaven waits
10. Whatever it takes
11. Justify
12. Party is over

Band:
Steve Overland (vocals)
Chris Childs (bass)
Harry James (drums)
Steve Morris (guitars & keyboards)

Discography:
Land of the Living (2004)
Different Angles (2006)
Ghost in the Mirror (2008)

Guests:

Info
Produced by Steve Morris
Mixed by Tommy Hansen

Released 22/4-2011
Reviewed 6/6-2011

Links:
overland-shadowman.com
harryjames.info
escape-music

1. Do you like AOR? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here. If you don't know what AOR sounds like you can jump forward to question four and continue there.
2. Do you think AOR should sound just like it has always done? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here.
3. Do you like the sound of Carlos Santanas guitars? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here. If you don't know how Santana plays his guitars you can continue reading.
4. Do you prefer when the tempo of the music is in the slower category? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here.
5. Do you like when there's plenty of guitars in the music? Like virtuosic guitar playing? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here.
6. Do you like vocalists that sings more or less only in the middle frequency? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here.
7. Do you like music that is completely anonymous and doesn't make any attempts to stand out? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here.
8. Do you see music as something that should be used in the background and not played actively? If you do, please continue reading. If you don't then you can stop right here.

Have all your answers been yes? In that case this is an album made for you, the fourth album with Steve Overland lead Shadowman and his merry men. 'Watching Over You' is an AOR album that is very much AOR. It's like reviving the 80's and the arena rock of that time. Had this album been released in the 80's I would almost have guaranteed that it would have been successful, but since it's not - how unfortunate that ever might seem - this album has to deal with all the music that's already been released in the genre. And I don't think it do that very good. It's too anonymous to create an interest and stays that way throughout the album. Had it been a sheep it would have been white and about 1 1/2 meter long with a 10 cm long tail and withers height of 90 cm. And it would have sounded "baa-aah".

I think this is a good album, but it doesn't have anything that makes it special in any way at all. It's much too alike what else that's been released and lacks that extra something. In my opinion, this will have a hard time to be anything but a band and an album in the middle, something to check out if you're in to AOR, but otherwise it's nothing that will do anything for you except possibly in that direct moment in which you'll play it.

HHHHHHH

Label - Escape/Connecting Music
Three similar bands - Santana/Myland/Houston
Rating: HHHHHHH
Reviewer: Caj Källmalm