Drive, She Said - Pedal To The Metal

[Stefan]

Press release from Frontiers Music:

 

Frontiers Music Srl is excited to present the return of DRIVE, SHE SAID with the release of their highly anticipated new album “Pedal to the Metal” on April 15th, 2016!

Mark Mangold's (one half of the driving force of Drive, She Said) creative rock flame was ignited once again after a performance with the Firefest version of Touch in Nottingham, UK in 2014. That creative desire and destiny intersected when he got an email from his old friend Serafino from Frontiers. Mangold, a renowned keyboardist, and his creative partner in Drive, She said, the amazing singer/multi-instrumentist Al Fritsch, then started talking with the Frontiers label about releasing new music. This was even more special of an event than a regular signing as Drive, She Said was the first proper artist that was signed to the label back when it started.

Mangold and Fritsch got together and they penned a few sensational classic Melodic Rock / AOR numbers, chock full of marvelous and unforgettable vocal harmonies, as well as looking in the archives for two songs that they hadn't recorded before.

Mangold says: “We tried to write this record as if we were again in the 80's/90's, with the benefit of time and modern recording techniques. In those days you needed to write a "hit" to get signed and carve out an original sound. This record was a challenge because we did not want to clone ourselves, or the many bands that have now have mastered this genre, or be generic. And yet we wanted to keep the record in that same world as the first D,SS record. And of course, we wanted to make it totally over the top! Ultimately it's about the songs and having fun, and last but never least to try to give the fans, or should I say the esteemed melodic "cult", something to... consider.”

DRIVE, SHE SAID is set to appear live at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Trezzo (Milano), Italy on April 23rd, 2016. Those attending are in for a treat!

DRIVE, SHE SAID
- Lead Vocals: Al Fritsch
- Guitars: Al Fritsch with additional guitars by Tommy Denander, Daniel Palmqvist, Jon Bivona, Ray De Tone, Ricky Wheels
- Keyboards: Mark Mangold, Al Fritsch
Bass: Ken Sandin, Al Fritsch, Paul St. James, Alessandro Del Vecchio
- Drums: Peter Yttergren, Pontus Engborg, Francesco Jovino, Kenny Aronoff
- Background Vocals: Goran Edman, Chandler Mogel, Ted Poley, Al Fritsch, Mark Mangold, Kevin Osborne, Randy Jackson, Thomas Vikstrom, Peppy Castro
- Vocal Duet on “In Your Arms”: Al and Fiona

 

 

 

1. Touch
2. Pedal To The Metal
3. In 'R Blood
4. Said It All
5. Writing On The Wall
6. Rainbows And Hurricanes
7. Love Will Win In The End
8. Rain Of Fire
9. In Your Arms
10. I’m The Nyte
11. Lost In You
12. All I Wanna Do

 

 

[simo]

Cool, can't listen to the samples right now but this could be good will definitely keep an eye on it. Looks like 2016 could be a good year after a rather disappointing (for me, at least) 2015

[JC_AOR]

Really nice samples, kinda basic but really nice and hard to fault IMO.

[gener8tr]

No brainer for me! I've been a DSS fan since discovering their debut CD in a cut-out bin back in November 1992 (I remember it specifically because it was election day here in the States).

 

I purchased the Electric Angels debut from the very same cut-out bin that very same evening. 23+ years later I still pull both off the shelves now and again and they always put a smile on my face.

[Dead Planet]

Definite pickup...

[Jez]

This could be good if they put in a good production, which was at major fault with the last album and the extra tracks on the 'Dream Will Come' compilation.

[simo]

This could be good if they put in a good production, which was at major fault with the last album and the extra tracks on the 'Dream Will Come' compilation.

Yeah there's one track on ''Dreams'' in particular that sounds VERY modern, just awful.

[All Nights Reserved]

I always loved their name but the music, God, it always sucks.

[Glen]

Even the debut is very patchy. 3 or 4 killer songs tho.

[Glen]

The samples sound ok...but man they have ramped up the cheese. 150% 80s.

 

I wonder if Al has lost any weight....looks half decent in that photo. Last time i saw him at Firefest he looked like Jabba The Hut.

[gener8tr]

No brainer for me! I've been a DSS fan since discovering their debut CD in a cut-out bin back in November 1992 (I remember it specifically because it was election day here in the States).

 

I purchased the Electric Angels debut from the very same cut-out bin that very same evening. 23+ years later I still pull both off the shelves now and again and they always put a smile on my face.

 

Side bar... That very same day Bon Jovi's - Keep The Faith was released. I was a HUGE BJ fan at the time having worn out multiple copies of Slippery and New Jersey on cassette tape. Anyway, I HATED Faith when I first heard it. I was expecting more 7800 and less Blaze Of Glory, but I received more of the later, and even more of something totally new.

 

By Thanksgiving it was my favorite CD in my collection and I was spinning the hell out of it every single day. Heck, I still play that one front-to-back more than any other BJ titles in my collection. It really is a great record.

 

Side bar number two... earlier in the very same day I received in my mailbox my first Columbia House / CRC Club package. It was buy (1) and receive (12) CD's absolutely free. I forget the entirety of my first order, but I specifically remember Pretty Boy Floyd L.B.W.E.T. being one of thirteen as I'd been a huge PBF fan since the release of Leather Boys a few years earlier. I think there were a few Zeppelin titles in there and a Def Leppard and ZZ Top title as well. Incredibly fun day... right up and until Clinton was declared the winner

[Geoff]

Mangold says: “We tried to write this record as if we were again in the 80's/90's, with the benefit of time and modern recording techniques. In those days you needed to write a "hit" to get signed and carve out an original sound. This record was a challenge because we did not want to clone ourselves, or the many bands that have now have mastered this genre, or be generic. And yet we wanted to keep the record in that same world as the first D,SS record.

 

I like these words. And to their credit, they're backing it up. Sounds very authentically like DSS. But as some have mentioned, they were only really an okay band at best even in their prime... but still worthwhile. I'll be happy to give this one a go.

 

I also agree with Jez that production has been an issue for these guys in the past, but those 4 songs sound pretty well produced.

[Nightrain]

Sounds like a 70%-ish album but well gonna give it a shot

[Stefan]

[Glen]

Nice. Love the keys in the second verse.

 

Maybe overdid it slightly on the woahs....but this is undeniably 80s.

[All Nights Reserved]

Boring as hell. And what the fuck is that guitar solo?

[Glen]

I wouldnt call it boring but the solo was a bit odd.

[Geoff]

Wow that is an average, overly corny and pretty poor song, to be honest. Not my kind of thing.

[gener8tr]

Mangold drop an F-Bomb in there?

[Glen]

They overdid the woahs.

[KarpetRydOFunk]

They overdid the woahs.

And the guitar solo.

[lettard]

Not bad but I cant get Queen One Vision outta my head right from the start for some reason

[Stefan]

[crazynights]

I've never been a fan of d.s.s., the debut don't do much for me. But I love the new song and the whoa.

[Glen]

I like the style of the song....just wish he wasnt singing Pedal To The Metal - that must be the worst title ever