2010 has been a good year for Brit based AOR with stunning comeback albums from FM and Moritz, plus new boys on the block Serpentine and now we have Vega. Vega is a new band featuring some familiar names in vocalist Nick Workman (Kick/Eden/Wildkard) who hooks-up with brothers James and Tom Martin, who've provided songs for Sunstorm, Khymera, House Of Lords and many more. Drummer Dan Chantrey rounds out the line-up and Dennis Ward handles production.

Vega, like Serpentine, successfully meld the classic 80's keyboard-led AOR sound with their own modern take. There are definite bits of Kick and Wildkard (a great album sadly overlooked), and U2 as Vega go for the big, bombastic arena rock on some songs and with Dennis Ward at the helm they can pull this off.

Picking a few choice highlights I'd plump for 'S.O.S.' that opens with a stellar keyboard riff before launching into an ultra catchy tune. The title track is another catchy as heck song and it is air keyboards to the fore again backed by some crisp, heavy riffing.

'What It Takes' is the perfect ballad building slowly from a piano/vocal opening to a big, grand finale. 'Stay With Me' could grace a Journey album and they'd be glad to have a song this strong I am sure. The good thing about this album is that any song could be used on radio.

This is how to do modern melodic rock/AOR – take the classic 80's sound as a starting point and then bring it bang up to date with your own twist. Nick Workman has a perfect voice for these songs and it is the best album he has appeared on, which is no mean feat as I love both the Kick and Wildkard albums. Is it too late to change my albums of the year please Mr Webmaster?

****½

Review by Jason Ritchie