Uncle G’s FUN Music Reviews: Lunden Reign – American Stranger (2015)

Date Published: 30 May 2015

Uncle G’s FUN Music Reviews
Lunden Reign – American Stranger (2015 Cleopatra Records)

By Gary “Uncle G” Brown (GaryBrown@garyunclegbrownarchives.com)

Beautiful Cover Artwork by: Ioannis – Photo: Benjamin James – Model: Marie

From the great state of California, and what was The Lori G & Nikki Lunden Band, comes Lunden Reign.

For a modern rock band publicly described as big beat/alternative rock, after playing their debut CD many times in a row, I decided that what we have here is a new rock band with an appreciation for the rock and roll that came before. Touching on old-school vibes while emitting their own fresh, unique sound.

First listens, and my mind compares the music with The Bangles or Heart. Successful musical groups that had a distinctive sound, which earned them, as time went by, buckets full of cash and a rather large following. I feel the same can happen for Lunden Reign. If the radio were what it was decades ago, when the outstanding bands I just mentioned were breaking ground, I would play two tracks from ‘American Stranger’ to the general public, and in the process would make them stars. It would be that easy! The title track, American Stranger, and what can also be referred to as Track Six on American Stranger, is a solid number with a hard edge entitled, Hear Me. Infectious drum beat. Every song on American Stranger deserves attention/airplay. These are just two. And not just for the music, but the lyrics, which can be found to be more real than poems about Egyptians, or magic men.

The comparison is all about Lunden Reign’s leading ladies: Nikki Lunden, who performs lead vocals and is a keyboardist, and Lora G (Espinoza-Lunden), who’s a guitarist and synth player. I’m genuinely impressed. Saying they play or sound like women who made it to the top of the music heap, in popularity and sales, and actually are lifelong professional musicians now, is certainly meant as a compliment. It’s my job as a writer to describe what I hear. If ‘big beat’ means ‘upbeat’ or ‘rocking’, then I’m hearing that loud and clear.

Telltale signs you got something. American Stranger isn’t too long in length. Ten songs, with the whole disc coming in at around the thirty-eight-minute mark. It was recorded in three very cool places: Capitol Records (Hollywood, CA), Stagg Street Studios (Van Nuns CA), and Abby Road Studios (London, UK). Plus, it has a very prog-rock-like cover art. Works for me!

Lunden Reign – American Stranger is an album / CD easily played from beginning to end. Here is where I would usually say what my favorite songs were, and the truth is, at the moment, I find it impossible to say what tracks I get into the most. I conclude that I must dig them all! Each one has something special about it. A guitar riff, a vocal performance, a groovy beat, a catchy melody, or a chorus. Every part is interwoven perfectly with the others. And now that the opportunity presented itself, hats off to the rest of the band, and a word of thanks to anyone I may have left out who made ‘American Stranger’ possible.

Rating: Back to the business at hand, I’ll cut to the chase and say that I now consider myself a fan of Lunden Reign. Am already looking forward to whatever their follow-up is.

Using the five-star rating system, where one star means it sucks through a long straw, to five stars meaning one can spend their hard-earned money on it, I, Gary “Uncle G” Brown, give Lunden Reign – American Stranger …5 stars! Had to have seen that coming.

For more information on Lunden Reign, please check out their official social media websites:

Official Website: www.lundenreign.com
Official Facebook: www.Facebook.com/LundenReign
Official YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MakeBelieveFriends

Promotion: Glass Onyon PR

End of Article

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