2011 the year of the great ballads

[zacharyamelie]

I'm not a ballad fan in general. Although a great ballad is a great ballad. For some reason, this year has had one of the greatest crops of killer ballads in recent memories....as recent as 1991.

 

Angel - The Magnificent

Time Of Our Lives - Night Ranger

Beneath The Surface - Dream Theater

This Is The Life - Dream Theater

Fantasy - Reckless Love

Patiently - White Widdow

If You Really Really Love Me - Steel Panther

Weenie Ride - Steel Panther

One Day I'll Stop Loving You - Toby Hitchcock

Till We Meet Again - Miss Behaviour

 

and those are just from the top of my head. Other that the dumb lyrics from the SP tracks, this list of 10 would make a great mixed cd.

[Glen]

I agree that there have been some great ballads this year.

 

Regarding Steel Panther I actually think that 'Why Cant You Trust Me' is probably the best ballad.

 

Elsewhere, The first 2 in your list are perfection and probably the best 2 this year - love both.

 

I also love the following -

 

Robin Beck - Dont Think He's Ever (by far the best song on the album)

Dynazty - This Is My Life (brilliant!)

Mr Big - All The Way Up (again probably the best song on the album)

Bad Habit - Fantasy

Eden's Curse - Guardian Angel (really cool and brilliant solo)

Work Of Art - Once Again

Journey - To Whom It May Concern (yet another great Journey ballad)

Mecca - Undeniable

 

Also, after a first spin there are a number of really nice ballads on the new Daughtry album......maybe a tad too ballad heavy!! lol.

 

and for a real laid back vibe try these -

 

Whitesnake - Fare Three Well

Vain - Treasure Girl

[Geoff]

Still quite a few albums I haven't heard or rated, but from what I have so far, these have stood out for me:

 

Toby Hitchcock - - One day I'll stop loving you

Trust Company - - Letting go

Simple Plan - - Gone too soon

Sixx AM - - Oh my god

7th Heaven - - She should have been an angel

A Change of Pace - - The other way

Yellowcard - - Sing for me

3 Doors Down - - Heaven

Mr Big - - All the way up

Saliva - - Never should have let you go

 

From the above lists, a few more certainties are:

 

Reckless Love - Fantasy

White Widdow - Patiently

Steel Panther - I agree with Glen that 'Why Can't you trust me' is probably my fave from that one.

[Glen]

Just one question here - what on earth are people hearing in Patiently??

 

Might one of the worst ballads I've heard all year! Overlong, repetitive, tedious and boring.

[Geoff]

Just one question here - what on earth are people hearing in Patiently??

 

Might one of the worst ballads I've heard all year! Overlong, repetitive, tedious and boring.

Really? Whoops. I love it. I think it's a great 100% 80's style ballad. As you can probably tell from my list, I haven't actually been too taken aback by many melodic rock / AOR ballads this year, but I do like that one. The albums are better than the modern rock albums, but I seem to prefer the modern rock ballads.

 

Here's the rest I rated over 9/10:

 

Trust Company - Stumbling

Adelita's Way - I can tell

Simple Plan - This song saved my life

David Cook - 4 letter word

David Cook - This is not the last time

Work Of Art - Until you believe

Every Avenue - Only place I call home

Edguy - Every night without you

Tupelo Honey - Last thing

Mitch Malloy - Carry on

[zacharyamelie]

Just one question here - what on earth are people hearing in Patiently??

 

Might one of the worst ballads I've heard all year! Overlong, repetitive, tedious and boring.

 

I hear Honestly from Harem Scarem, that's why it's a good one.

 

When it comes to overlong, tedious and boring, Journey and Mecca win that prize hands down.

 

You're right all the Steel Panther ballads are great. I was at work and couldn't remember the name of the 8th track and I'm still forgetting now...why can't you guys trust me...I can't remember. Why don't you guys believe me? Screw you guys or I'm gonna have to go overseas and punch you in the neck......Goddamit whats the name of that song again? I've got to stop going to the petting zoo, that shit is messing with my memory.

[Geoff]

Just one question here - what on earth are people hearing in Patiently??

 

Might one of the worst ballads I've heard all year! Overlong, repetitive, tedious and boring.

 

I hear Honestly from Harem Scarem, that's why it's a good one.

 

When it comes to overlong, tedious and boring, Journey and Mecca win that prize hands down.

Good call Aguado. The Mecca album is a lot better than the Journey album, but there's 2 fine examples of the type of bands that should not bother writing ballads.

[Nightrain]

Every Avenue - Only place I call home

 

okay i completely missed this one, are they releasing a new album in 2011 ?

i like their 2009 disc, how good is this one ? just check that song on Youtube, well a good one man, although i still think 'The Story Left Untold' is super awesome and much better.

[Nightrain]

btw, this is a great thread, i love ballads as well, well this is gonna be a long work, but let's start with a few and I'm cumin' back later. I think there are few great ballads as well from After Hours, Alyson Avenue, Bai Bang, Lionville, etc but need to check the CD again.

 

BAD HABIT - Save Me

BIG LIFE - Stop In Time

BLACKRAIN - Shining Down On You

BRIDGER - Live For The Moment

CHICKENFOOT - Come Closer

DAUGHTRY - Start of Something Good

DREAM THEATER - Beneath The Surface

DYNAZTY - Too Much Is Not Enough (Japanese bonus track)

EDGUY - Every Night Without You

ELEVENER - For The Times We Share

FARCRY - Better Than This

FERGIE FREDERIKSEN - Follow Your Heart

FIONA - This Heart (duet with Robin Beck)

GRAND DESIGN - Addiction For Love

GRAND ILLUSION - Believe In Miracles

HOLLYWOOD BURNOUTS - Show Me Your Love

HOUSE OF LORDS - The Next Time I Hold You

HUMAN ZOO - Everything Changes

INFINITY - Promise

ISSA - Invincible

JOHN WAITE - If You Ever Get Lonely

JOURNEY - Tantra

KIMBALL/JAMISON - I Did Everything Wrong

KING KOBRA - Cryin'

LOVEX - One

MAGNIFICENT, THE - Angel

MECCA - Did It For Love

MITCH MALLOY - Carry On

MR.BIG - All The Way Up

MYLAND - In Your Eyes

NEWMAN - Fire With Fire

NIGHT RANGER - Time of Our Lives

PAGAN'S MIND - Live Your Life Like A Dream

POODLES, THE - As Time Is Passing

RECKLESS LOVE - Fantasy

RICHIE KOTZEN - I Don't Know Why

ROB MORATTI - Lifetime

SEBASTIAN BACH - Wishin'

SERPENTINE - Love Is Blue

SIXX A.M - Oh My God

STEEL PANTHER - Why Can't You Trust Me

SYMPHONY X - When All Is Lost

TEN - Love Song

TNA - Don't Fade Away

TOBY HITCHCOCK - One Day I'll Stop Loving You

VAIN - Treasure Girl

WARRANT - Found Forever

WHITE WIDDOW - Patiently

WHITESNAKE - Fare Thee Well

WILD ROSE - Goodbye

WILLIAMS / FRIESTEDT - Sometimes You Win

WITHIN TEMPTATION - Fire and Ice

WORK OF ART - Until You Believe

XORIGIN - Crying For You

[Glen]

Just one question here - what on earth are people hearing in Patiently??

 

Might one of the worst ballads I've heard all year! Overlong, repetitive, tedious and boring.

 

I hear Honestly from Harem Scarem, that's why it's a good one.

 

When it comes to overlong, tedious and boring, Journey and Mecca win that prize hands down.

Good call Aguado. The Mecca album is a lot better than the Journey album, but there's 2 fine examples of the type of bands that should not bother writing ballads.

 

New there would be a journey hate comment in this thread - to even hint that patiently is as good as to whom it may concern is craziness IMO. But hey ho - to each their own.

 

Also comparing White Widdow to Harem Scarem is just as ludicrous - sorry guys

[Glen]

Yeah one I missed is definitely Edguy - every night without you

 

Agreed - excellent song!

[Geoff]

Every Avenue - Only place I call home

 

okay i completely missed this one, are they releasing a new album in 2011 ?

i like their 2009 disc, how good is this one ? just check that song on Youtube, well a good one man, although i still think 'The Story Left Untold' is super awesome and much better.

Yeah mate, they released a good little disc called 'Bad Habits.' Unfortunately it's not as good as the excellent 'Picture Perfect' but it's not bad at all. Good, short, catchy, punchy modern rock. I like the disc a lot but even for me in a year this good it struggled to make too much of a dent.

 

New there would be a journey hate comment in this thread - to even hint that patiently is as good as to whom it may concern is craziness IMO. But hey ho - to each their own.

 

Also comparing White Widdow to Harem Scarem is just as ludicrous - sorry guys

Oh, and sorry mate... but I'm pretty Hurtsmile probaby wrote a song as good as 'To whom it may concern.' Not to mention every other rock band that recorded a CD this year.

 

I don't think anyone's comparing WW to HS; just pointing out that 'Patiently' has similarities to 'Honestly,' which love it or hate it, you can't deny that can you please?

[Glen]

Cant really see what's not to like about that Journey ballad. The lyrical content is intelligent and engaging, the singing is awesome, Schon's guitar solo is sublime as always.

 

Yeah just a big 'power ballad'........as I said just a typical Journey hater's comment.

 

As for Patiently, yeah I listened to both tracks back to back this morning out of curiosity. I will concede that both songs have a similar structure, but that's where it ends Im afraid. Lyrically the HS tune is better, vocally its streets ahead, and the WW song is about 90 seconds too long....I mean come on 5 mins 45 of droning on about waiting 'Patiently' is enough to annoy anyone! Hope that sums it up.

[Nightrain]

Cant really see what's not to like about that Journey ballad. The lyrical content is intelligent and engaging, the singing is awesome, Schon's guitar solo is sublime as always.

 

Yeah just a big 'power ballad'........as I said just a typical Journey hater's comment.

 

As for Patiently, yeah I listened to both tracks back to back this morning out of curiosity. I will concede that both songs have a similar structure, but that's where it ends Im afraid. Lyrically the HS tune is better, vocally its streets ahead, and the WW song is about 90 seconds too long....I mean come on 5 mins 45 of droning on about waiting 'Patiently' is enough to annoy anyone! Hope that sums it up.

 

I think it's irrelevant to compare HS and WW at this point which one's better because we're talking about 2011 ballads and it's just a similarity they share.

 

'To Whom' is a grower but somehow worse than 'Tantra', how come you didn't pick the latter one?

[Nightrain]

to add some :

 

AFTER HOURS - I Need Your Love

ALICE COOPER - Something To Remember Me By

BAI BANG - Gonna Have It All

BLACK STONE CHERRY - Won't Let Go

GOTTHARD - The Train (new track from 'Alive in Lugano')

KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES - Fire

MISS BEHAVIOUR - Till We Meet Again

[Glen]

Cant really see what's not to like about that Journey ballad. The lyrical content is intelligent and engaging, the singing is awesome, Schon's guitar solo is sublime as always.

 

Yeah just a big 'power ballad'........as I said just a typical Journey hater's comment.

 

As for Patiently, yeah I listened to both tracks back to back this morning out of curiosity. I will concede that both songs have a similar structure, but that's where it ends Im afraid. Lyrically the HS tune is better, vocally its streets ahead, and the WW song is about 90 seconds too long....I mean come on 5 mins 45 of droning on about waiting 'Patiently' is enough to annoy anyone! Hope that sums it up.

 

I think it's irrelevant to compare HS and WW at this point which one's better because we're talking about 2011 ballads and it's just a similarity they share.

 

'To Whom' is a grower but somehow worse than 'Tantra', how come you didn't pick the latter one?

 

Why are we even discussing shit like WW in any case - there's only one ballad this year which can be called truly incredible & that's 'Angel' on The Magnificent !!

 

Everything else pales into insignificance! Killer song on a killer album.

[Geoff]

G-Scallop, I notice your tone towards WW has changed considerably. Say hi to Satan for me at your next card game.

 

Just finally - the HS/WW thing is being waaaay over-analyzed. No one's said WW sound like or are as good as HS, or even that 'Patiently' is better than or as good as 'Honestly.' I think the basic comments have been that they're simply similar types of songs and 'Patiently' reminds listeners of 'Honestly.'

 

And I wouldn't call myself a Journey hater. I do think they're the most over-rated band of our genre, but I duely give them credit every time it's deserved. I dug into the archives and admit that 'Frontiers' is a very good CD, as is 'Revelation.' Two very good albums that I'll give them credit for, but 2 from 80 albums doesn't equal me giving them any undue credit for an absolutely shithouse new CD which I honestly can't even be bothered offering up a rating for (yet) because I don't want to waste time listening to it again.

 

And back on subject, how'd I miss one of my favourite ballads of the year (which I only got around to rating this morning):

 

'Breathe' - Shy

[Glen]

Yeah since Firefest I reckon when I realised they are a fairly average band with a singer who can't sing live - harsh? Maybe, but true.

[Nightrain]

For bands like Journey that has been around over 30 years, they do have way too many songs in their basement and if some of them were lumped in the fillers category while some of them are killers, I don't think we can't call em overrated, because at least they have more than 30 killer songs out of their career and proved to have sold countless albums.

 

Beside that two killer albums, how come you don't like 'Raised on Radio' and 'Arrival' ? i also think the come-back album of 'Trial By Fire' also has numerous great songs, and from their classic such as 'Escape', 'Infinity', and 'Evolution', also we can create a good healthy compilation of great songs.

[Geoff]

For bands like Journey that has been around over 30 years, they do have way too many songs in their basement and if some of them were lumped in the fillers category while some of them are killers, I don't think we can't call em overrated, because at least they have more than 30 killer songs out of their career and proved to have sold countless albums.

 

Beside that two killer albums, how come you don't like 'Raised on Radio' and 'Arrival' ? i also think the come-back album of 'Trial By Fire' also has numerous great songs, and from their classic such as 'Escape', 'Infinity', and 'Evolution', also we can create a good healthy compilation of great songs.

'Raised on Radio' is a harmless pop album. I don't dislike it, but there were hundreds of better albums released in 1986 alone, let alone all the years around it. It's nice enough, but insignificant in the long term. 'Arrival,' 'Trial by fire' and 'Generations' are all identical in a way. You could scrape up 10 great songs and have one great album. But instead you have 3 albums with more than 2/3 filler. Of that lot, though, 'Arrival' does show some promise. 'Escape' was actually much the same for me. About 3-4 of those songs were pretty good, but most of it wasn't.

 

I'm not sure you could get 30 really killer cuts, but they probably do have about 20 throughout their career. But you can't just dismiss the majority of their songs, which are crap, and say they're not over-rated. The way these guys are spoken about in some circles, you'd think they'd never recorded a poor track, when most of their career is made up of bad tracks, imo.

[Glen]

For bands like Journey that has been around over 30 years, they do have way too many songs in their basement and if some of them were lumped in the fillers category while some of them are killers, I don't think we can't call em overrated, because at least they have more than 30 killer songs out of their career and proved to have sold countless albums.

 

Beside that two killer albums, how come you don't like 'Raised on Radio' and 'Arrival' ? i also think the come-back album of 'Trial By Fire' also has numerous great songs, and from their classic such as 'Escape', 'Infinity', and 'Evolution', also we can create a good healthy compilation of great songs.

'Raised on Radio' is a harmless pop album. I don't dislike it, but there were hundreds of better albums released in 1986 alone, let alone all the years around it. It's nice enough, but insignificant in the long term. 'Arrival,' 'Trial by fire' and 'Generations' are all identical in a way. You could scrape up 10 great songs and have one great album. But instead you have 3 albums with more than 2/3 filler. Of that lot, though, 'Arrival' does show some promise. 'Escape' was actually much the same for me. About 3-4 of those songs were pretty good, but most of it wasn't.

 

I'm not sure you could get 30 really killer cuts, but they probably do have about 20 throughout their career. But you can't just dismiss the majority of their songs, which are crap, and say they're not over-rated. The way these guys are spoken about in some circles, you'd think they'd never recorded a poor track, when most of their career is made up of bad tracks, imo.

Yeah IYO - but then you've never really liked Journey - I think most fans of this genre would consider 'Escape', 'Frontiers' to be classic AOR albums with 'Evolution' & 'Infinity' not being far behind. Anyway this is a pointless conversation cos you either like a band or not - 75 million album sales speaks for itself though :-)

[TIM (2)]

I'm not a ballad fan in general. Although a great ballad is a great ballad. For some reason, this year has had one of the greatest crops of killer ballads in recent memories....as recent as 1991.

 

Angel - The Magnificent

Time Of Our Lives - Night Ranger

Beneath The Surface - Dream Theater

This Is The Life - Dream Theater

Fantasy - Reckless Love

Patiently - White Widdow

If You Really Really Love Me - Steel Panther

Weenie Ride - Steel Panther

One Day I'll Stop Loving You - Toby Hitchcock

Till We Meet Again - Miss Behaviour

 

and those are just from the top of my head. Other that the dumb lyrics from the SP tracks, this list of 10 would make a great mixed cd.

 

I don't really agree, I'm not a big fan of most of those songs to be honest. The Magnificent and Toby Hitchcock songs are great, but there are better on those albums. The Reckless Love tune is a bit too cheesy, and the Steel Panther ballads are average. I do like the WW song but it's hardly a world-beater. A better year for uptempo stuff IMHO...

[Geoff]

I'm not a ballad fan in general. Although a great ballad is a great ballad. For some reason, this year has had one of the greatest crops of killer ballads in recent memories....as recent as 1991.

 

Angel - The Magnificent

Time Of Our Lives - Night Ranger

Beneath The Surface - Dream Theater

This Is The Life - Dream Theater

Fantasy - Reckless Love

Patiently - White Widdow

If You Really Really Love Me - Steel Panther

Weenie Ride - Steel Panther

One Day I'll Stop Loving You - Toby Hitchcock

Till We Meet Again - Miss Behaviour

 

and those are just from the top of my head. Other that the dumb lyrics from the SP tracks, this list of 10 would make a great mixed cd.

 

I don't really agree, I'm not a big fan of most of those songs to be honest. The Magnificent and Toby Hitchcock songs are great, but there are better on those albums. The Reckless Love tune is a bit too cheesy, and the Steel Panther ballads are average. I do like the WW song but it's hardly a world-beater. A better year for uptempo stuff IMHO...

I don't think I mentioned that in my original post, but I was also meant to say that as a whole I didn't actually think this year was that great for ballads, and I confess to having quite the soft spot for ballads. When I looked through all my top rated songs for the year I really had to pick and choose carefully because ballads only made up about 1/20th of the list. I agree it's been a much better year for mid to up-tempo rockers.

 

Personally...

[zacharyamelie]

I'm not a ballad fan in general. Although a great ballad is a great ballad. For some reason, this year has had one of the greatest crops of killer ballads in recent memories....as recent as 1991.

 

Angel - The Magnificent

Time Of Our Lives - Night Ranger

Beneath The Surface - Dream Theater

This Is The Life - Dream Theater

Fantasy - Reckless Love

Patiently - White Widdow

If You Really Really Love Me - Steel Panther

Weenie Ride - Steel Panther

One Day I'll Stop Loving You - Toby Hitchcock

Till We Meet Again - Miss Behaviour

 

and those are just from the top of my head. Other that the dumb lyrics from the SP tracks, this list of 10 would make a great mixed cd.

 

I don't really agree, I'm not a big fan of most of those songs to be honest. The Magnificent and Toby Hitchcock songs are great, but there are better on those albums. The Reckless Love tune is a bit too cheesy, and the Steel Panther ballads are average. I do like the WW song but it's hardly a world-beater. A better year for uptempo stuff IMHO...

 

Don't get me wrong it's always a better year for uptempo stuff. By no means are those the best songs on those releases....other than maybe Time Of Our Lives from Night Ranger and without a doubt Beneath The Surface from Dream Theater.

 

I just find the quality of the ballads this year to be really good, but in general I find the quality of the music I buy to be very good this year.

 

If I had to do a list of killer uptempo songs my list would be 100's deep.

 

BTW, here is my list of my fav for the year, not yet complete but this is what I have so far. Not too many of those ballads appear on this list.

 

Top songs of 2011

 

1.) Memories THE MAGNIFICENT

2.) Crash My World LOVEX

3.) Beneath The Surface DREAM THEATER

4.) Never Love Again WORK OF ART

5.) Bring Back The Night THE POODLES

6.) Cheated By Love THE MAGNIFICENT

7.) Why I Bleed DARKWATER

8.) Angel THE MAGNIFICENT

9.) Just Like Tiger Woods STEEL PANTHER

10.) Serenade WHITE WIDDOW

11.) How To Stop TOBY HITCHCOCK

12.) Animal Attraction RECKLESS LOVE

13.) Emelie WORK OF ART

14.) This Is The Life DREAM THEATER

15.) How Far I Run WHITE WIDDOW

16.) City Of Hope JOURNEY

17.) Lost THE MAGNIFICENT

18.) Queen Of The Night DARKWATER

19.) Cuts Like A Knife THE POODLES

20.) The Rain - WORK OF ART

21.) Finest Hour BOREALIS

22.) Hot RECKLESS LOVE

23.) I Should Have Said TOBY HITCHCOCK

24.) Tomorrow Night STEEL PANTHER

25.) Born To Break Your Heart RECKLESS LOVE

26.) One LOVEX

27.) Emergency MISS BEHAVIOUR

28.) Time Of Our Lives NIGHT RANGER

29.) Love Wont Wait - WHITE WIDDOW

30.) Loves On The Line THE MAGNIFICENT

31.) Dreamhunter LIONSVILLE

32.) Life On The Line - ROB MORATTI

33.) It Wont Suck Itself STEEL PANTHER

34.) Anything Is Possible - JOURNEY

35.) On The Backs Of Angels - DREAM THEATER

[Glen]

My fav song is still 'Tear Down The Barricades' which is MHR perfection IMO, but 'Lost' off The Magnificent is now a mighty second and not far off.

 

IMO there have only been a handful of songs which score 9.5/10 or over

 

in no order -

 

Bad Habit - Without You

Shakra - Back On Track

Ten - Love Song

Miss Behaviour - Emergency

Destrophy - It Ends Tonight

Dynazty - Hunger For Love

Lionville - Thunder In My Heart

Toby Hitchcock - This Is The Moment / I Should Have Said / Just Say Goodbye / Summer Nights / Tear Down The Barricades

Nightranger - Time Of Our Lives / End Of The Day

Airrace - Two Of A Kind

Lovex - Queen Of The Night

Outloud - The Night That Lasts

Bai Bang - Come On

Work Of Art - Never Love Again / The Great Fall / Emelie / Castaway

Edguy - Fire On The Downline

White Widdow - How Far I Run

Vain - Cindy / Worship You

Shy - Rain Out Of Time / Blood On The Line

The Magnificent - Cheated By Love / Angel / Loves On The Line / Lost

Chris Ousey - Dont Wanna Dance

Steel Panther - It Wont Suck Itself / Tomorrow Night / Gold Digging Whore / Let Me Cum In

 

Only two ballads in that lot............