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Sahara Hotnights “Love In Times of Low Expectations” Album Review 2022 – Sweden Pop Rock

Sahara Hotnights 2022 Album Cover Love In Times of Low Expectations Swedish Rock
Sahara Hotnights Love In Times Of Low Expectations 2022

Release Date

May 6, 2022

Universal Music AB

Tracklisting

1.”Reverie” -> Background Music

2. “Avalanche” -> Recommended

3. “Vertigo” -> Recommended

4. “Predictable” > Favorite Track

5. “Gemini” > Favorite Track

6. “Diving For Pearls” -> Recommended

7. “Heavy Load” – > Recommended

8. “Athena” -> Favorite Track

9. “Mind Games” -> Skip

10. “Leander” -> Background Music

Total Recommended / Favorite Tracks – 7 / 10

Total Background Tracks – 2 / 10

Total Skip Tracks – 1/ 10

Who is Sahara Hotnights, Love In Times Of Low Expectations for?

Sahara Hotnight’s, Love In Times Of Low Expectations, is for fans of mellow 80’s pop. The music that instantly pops into my head when I listen is Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”, Talk Talk “It’s My Life”, Wham! “Last Christmas”, Goldfrapp “Rocket” and all the other music that’s 80’s tastic.

The Sahara Hotnights took ten years off and came back with an album that has some classic hotnights tones but for the most part is out of left field. Most people, I think, will either love it or hate it.

Members

Vocals – Maria Andersson

Guitars – Maria Andersson / Jennie Asplund

Bass – Joanna Asplund

Drums – Josephine Forsman

Sahara Hotnights Promo Band Photo Love Int Times of Low Expectations 2022
Sahara Hotnights – Robertsfors, Sweden

Why are the Sahara Hotnights Unique?

The Sahara Hotnights to this day actually have all original members since originating in 1991.

The Sahara Hotnights blew up in the late 90’s when there was this garage rock, rock n roll resurgence. The Swedish band, The Hives, exploded on Mtv along with The Donnas, Buckcherry & Monster Magnet. Soon to follow would be The Vines, The Strokes, Franz Ferdinand and many more.

Sahara Hotnights front woman, Maria Andersson, & The Hives frontman, Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist, also could not resist each other’s charisma and were romantically involved for a time until moving their separate ways sometime 2006.

The Sahara Hotnights became part of my record collection with the 1999 major label debut of C’mon Lets Pretend. The late 90’s was a weird period for rock and this one of those bands that filled a void.

I can honestly say after the C’mon Lets Pretend album there were a few tracks on each album I dug but not an album as a whole. Although after listening to Love In Times Of Low Expectations I rediscovered the album What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing released in 2007.

What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing featured “Cheek to Cheek” & “Visit to Vienna”. What If Leaving Is A Loving Thing and Love In Times Of Low Expectations pair really well together and I think showcases the Sahara Hotnight’s best songwriting.

Sahara-Hotnights Color Band Photo
Sahara H, Nikki Brumen

Where Were the Sahara Hotnights for 10 Years?

There isn’t much information out there, but this is what I got.

Courtesy of Newsbeezer.com:

Singer and guitarist Maria Andersson Lundell has released a solo album and was assistant to Plura from Eldkvarn on the TV show Plura’s Kitchen. Bassist Johanna Asplund toured with Love Antell and became a project manager on television. Guitarist Jennie Asplund bought a farm in Skåne and started a furniture company. Drummer Josephine Forsman played with the band Casablanca and did music shows for Utbildningsradion before moving to Los Angeles where she works with LOUD, an international music school for young people.

Pro tip: Even if 10 years goes by with your bandmates, it’s never over until you all say it’s over. Keep in touch keep doors open this could be the year for new music.

Maria Andersson Live Stockholm Sweden Festival
Maria Andersson Live Stockholm, Sweden

Love In Times Of Low Expectations – Review

On first listen of debut single “Reverie” and the corresponding photo shoot I had very low expectations. I like many wanted to hear some distorted guitars and the see the band in leather jackets. Instead I got no guitars just mellow keyboards and oversized 80’s/90’s mom sitcom attire.

I assumed the Sahara Hotnights jumped the shark with this new crop of music until I heard the second single, “Gemini”. I have no idea why this was not the first single, but I guess it doesn’t matter since the rest of album sounds like alternate versions of these two songs.

Love In Times Of Low Expectations chose a tone & vibe and went whole hog. If you need a mellow album that sounds like Cyndi Lauper or something similar while your vibing out late at night then this is your album.

I was actually really surprised how many times I played this album skipping really only one track consistently, “Mind Games”. Hands down “Gemini”, “Predictable” & “Athena” carry this album. These three tracks are the “best of” what Love In Low Times Of Expectations offers. Other tracks like “Avalanche” & “Vertigo” have great hooks in them but do not come close as a whole to the three I just mentioned.

I have read reviews of this album where the consensus seems to be good but unsatisfied. What I really like about this record is that the Sahara Hotnights showcase great songwriting, attention to vocal melodies & music hooks.

The biggest negative I would have to say is the zero tempo change. The album sounds like one long song in the same key at the same slow tempo, even a slight key change in one of the choruses would add some nice color. When the banjo dropped on “Predictable” I was like fuck yeah, it elevated the hell out of the song without changing tempo.

I love the 80’s pop sound and the Sahara Hotnights paid serious homage to it. I also love thrash metal, Ryan Adams and the UK Subs. Honestly I am weirdly addicted to Love In Times Of Low Expectations, but definitely not the look.

Sahara Hotnights Videos

Tour

Sahara Hotnights Tour Dates

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Classless Act – Welcome to the Show Album Music Review 2022 (Hard Rock / Rock N Roll / Los Angeles, CA)

Classless-Act-Band-Los Angeles-CA

Release Date

June 24, 2022

Better Noise Music

Tracklisting

1.”Classless Act” (Featuring Vince Neil)

2. “This is for You” (Featuring Justin Hawkins) -> Skip

3. “Time to Bleed” -> Skip

4. “On My Phone” -> Recommended

5. “All that We Are” > Recommended

6. “Made in Hell” > Recommended

7. “Storm before the Calm” -> Background Music

8. “Haunting Love” -> Guilty Pleasure

9. “Walking Contradiction” – > Favorite

10. “Give it to Me” -> Skip

11. “Circles” -> Recommended

12. “Thoughts from a Dying Man” -> Skip

Who is Classless Act, Welcome to the Show for?

This album has a weird confusing focus demographic. In a nutshell, if you are into hard rock on the 80’s / 70’s side and any Slash solo album then the debut Classless Act album, Welcome to the Show is your cup of tea for the most part.

On the flip side, if you are a My Chemical Romance fan then this album is also for you. Most people getting into this album will most likely only like half and either ignore or tolerate the other half pending where you fall and your age.

For some reason it seems the label is really trying to get this band laid by 40 plus horny cougars as well as service the Eddie Trunks of the world. I was always under the impression the big label move is to focus on the younger market so your audience grows with you and buys into all of the marketing shenanigans.

Members

Vocals – Derek Day

Guitars – Dane Pieper / Griffin Tucker

Bass – Franco Gravante

Drums – Chuck McKissock

Classless-Act-Band-Promo

Why is Classless Act Unique?

Here’s the fun part. On first listen, checking out music videos, photo content & live appearances, you’re going to wonder where the hell did these young dudes come from.

The former drummer is London Husdon, Slash’s offspring. I had the pleasure of speaking to London & former guitarist Nico Tsangaris on the Appetite for Distortion podcast hosted by Brando in 2018 at IHeart Radio.

It was an awesome conversation with these driven rock n rollers. From what I dug up, both stopped playing with Classless Act sometime mid 2021, but not before doing massive shows with Slash and the like. I am assuming this is where Classless Act’s music industry mysteriousness comes from.

I read through a few interviews and the band glosses over how they jumped to a Motley Cue / Poison Stadium Tour off the debut album. The focus of the bio seems to be that Classless Act got together using social media and then poof, stadium tour with all the pro sauce.

Classless-Act-Live

The Motley Crue Stadium Tour came out of nowhere with minimal touring experience, seemingly no more industry connections and most likely lacking serious funds to buy on, which is a thing or favor deals between entertainment lawyers.

This is hardly a shade being thrown. When there’s blood in the water go for broke and exploit all opportunities. Every band / musician needs to seize every and any opportunity because it may be the only one you ever get.

Pro tip to all the young bands: talk to literally everyone everywhere because you never know when someone with juice will take a liking to you.

Where Did Drummer, London Hudson, Go?

Since this blog is about Classless Act, I will make this quick, but I think it is worth mentioning since it is Slash’s kid and this record sounds like a fresher Slash album.

London & Nico, package deal I assume, parted with Classless Act sometime in 2021 and then began SUSPECT208 with Scott Weiland’s kid, Noah Weiland, and Rob Trujillo’s kid, Tye Trujillo.

The band released two singles, “Long-Awaited” and “You Got It”, before breaking up due to multiple singer personal issues. They drew resemblances to Velvet Revolver.

London & Nico then began S8NT ELECTRIC (I guess pronounced Saint Electric). You can listen to S8NT ELECTRIC on Spotify.

Pro tip: Don’t name your band something impossible to remember. It makes googling unnecessary and annoying.

I checked out S8NT ELECTRIC and it has cool trashy genuine rock n roll vibe but the songs need a lot of work. The songs are way raw without any hooks and the performance on the recordings is questionable The song “Subliminal” I’m digging though.

S8NT-ELECTRIC-band-los-angeles
S8NT ELECTRIC

Welcome to the Show – Review

All in all it’s a solid hard rock album that I think I would recommend to those into 80’s hard rock, but that’s a question mark. To be honest I didn’t want to like this album because the lead single, “Give It To Me”, was a pile of dated management polished cheese.

I read a lot of other reviews about this record out of curiosity and I was surprised on how praised it was. I will definitely give credit where due. The band’s performance is killer. There is a ton of energy, charisma & personality delivered on each track.

I give a general recommendation to hard rock fans to check this album out because there is something for everyone, but the kitchen sink approach to this album is out of control. I have no idea who Classless Act is.

What is this band’s actual sound? Is Classless Act another label management product where a team of 50 plus writes the music, another team dresses them and then they perform to a sea of 50 plus rock fans? Did Vince Neil secretly put this band together to make himself seem relevant again, if so maybe genius?

The weird marketing of Welcome to the Show is exaggerated by not taking advantage of the summer release. The song “Made in Hell” is a well written super pop song using One Direction and Five Seconds of Summer as a model. It is a happy beachy hooky song made unique with Derek’s manic voice.

You would think this would be the first obvious single to capture the younger market partying on boats at the beach etc… Just do what Diamond Dave would do. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Twenty somethings in bikinis (not mom or grandma in a bikini) partying with some young studs rocking out and taking over the world.

How was “Circles” not used as the second summer single? You take the same twenty somethings chicks from the beach put them in pick up trucks, daisy dukes & cowboy hats, get a young pop country pop star to sing one word and all of a sudden you’re riding the Country Music pop charts. Hopefully they push this song at some point because it deserves attention.

The album uses both Vince Neil and Justin Hawkins as a means to push this band, but why? Harry Styles, Taylor Momsen or even Lizzy Hale could have fit somewhere giving more relevant features. It’s funny because Classless Act even acknowledge this by not having Vince Neil in the music video where his vocals are featured.

Instead there’s a half ass ridiculous cut to 80’s Vince Neil drawn on an easel where the viewer stares at his mysterious vocals coming through the drawing as if a scene from Ghostbusters. In regards to Justin Hawkins he is barely audible on the track and it seems like a payday. Good for you, you deserve it. The last Darkness album, Motorheart, in 2021 was absolutely amazing, possibly better than the debut.

Listening to this album repeatedly I keep thinking it should have been split into multiple EP’s focusing on each spectrum of rock this album hits. The song “Give it to Me” could have been an old school English stand alone single not appearing on the album just in single format maybe with a b-side.

I really hope Classless Act move to a younger tour with bands like Palaye Royale, Black Honey, The Pretty Reckless or vets like My Chemical Romance. The talent in this band is so high and deserves to be treated with a more relevant touch.

I am routing hard for Classless Act and hope the band is given more opportunity to showcase what they want to showcase rather than be forced to read from the script. This band has so much talent and I look forward to the sophomore effort.

Cheers lads!

Classless Act Videos

Tour

Classless Act tour dates

Let’s Talk Amigos!

Please hit us personally here at Vanzig Studios for any reason whatsoever using the Contact Form. If you’re curious where Carly and I come from then read over our bio.