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MIA KLOSE
Stronger

Self-released (2018)
Rating: 3/10

Sweden’s Mia Klose has attracted a strong fan-base for a young lass since her debut album, London, emerged in 2012, and she’s certainly put the hours in supporting the likes of Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row) and Reckless Love. So I was rather looking forward to listening to this one, after all I’ve always had a penchant for the 80s female hard rock sound, ranging from Lita Ford to Lee Aaron, and even Lisa Dominique.

Mia’s band consists of Jonny Nonsense (guitar), Kalle Arheden (guitar), C-Rexx (bass) and Henry Rogers (drums), while former member and guitarist Jonny Scaramanga contributed to the song writing on this latest album.

Stronger, in spite of the rather mundane title, offers up ten rather polished hard rock tracks which, sadly, at times drift in to an all-too contemporary vibe, and I actually blame this on the mixing and mastering of Tony Wilson (the founder of BBC Radio 1’s legendary Friday Rock Show), because the reality is that all-too polished façade just hinders any raw talent Mia expresses.

This issue arises immediately with the cringe-worthy pop-cum-rock migraine of ‘Not The One’, which is only steeled by the lead work. But other than that this is the sort of modern pop slop that could be attributed to any watery artist holding up the American charts, and that’s a shame because behind such gloss there’s clearly a talented performer.

‘Not The One’ just feels too sugary and sweet, while the bubble-gum rock of ‘Living In A Fantasy’ is equally tepid. I sense that the creators have possibly attempted an 80s vibe, but from tracks one to ten we get innocent power-pop that’s out of date as soon as it finishes; bring back Robin Beck I say!

The title track brings an edgy guitar lick and nice plodding drum, but Mia’s vocals just don’t match as she worms her way through those atrocious lyrics. And the theme of the banal continues with the meagre ‘Winning The Game’, the trite ‘Gimme Gimme’ and a whole host of other tunes that’d be better suited to the voice of a 12-year-old.

Why those in charge just can’t let Mia let rip is beyond me. Unfortunately, this is just your by-numbers, half-baked, semi-metallic Americanised plop culminating in such watery downfalls as ‘One More Night’ and the drab ‘Time To Rock’, which closes this uneventful ceremony of clichés.

I find it bizarre that in the press release Crashdïet guitarist Martin Sweet (who mixed one of the tracks) is quoted as saying: “This brings me back to 1989-90. I hear some Firehouse and Vixen at their peak in there.” Well, I must have put the wrong album on then! But he also commented: “However, there’s a freshness to the sound that feels more 2018.” And that’s the major problem; Mia Klose’s latest effort showcases everything that’s wrong with modern music as we’re submitted to another generic, watered down and soon-to-be brainwashed “star”, and it’s not her fault. Mia has simply been caught up in the machine that subdues talent in favour of sales.

Neil Arnold

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