Review: FM – Brotherhood
FM – Brotherhood
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: Frontiers Music Srl
Release: 2025
Text: Martien Koolen
Anyone who has some affinity for AOR music will of course be familiar with the work of the band FM, as they are a true British AOR/melodic rock institution. Now, almost forty years since FM’s incredible debut album called ‘Indiscreet,’ the band around singer Steve Overland, releases their 15th studio album called ‘Brotherhood.’
Do You Mean It is the opening track of ‘Brotherhood,’ and it is not a typical AOR-FM song, as this one echoes the bluesier side of the original band, featuring an organ solo, female backing vocals and bluesy guitar solos by Jim Kirkpatrick. Follow up Living On The Run definitely has a more traditional AOR sound with those typical massive vocals, an almost perfect mix of keyboards and guitars and a huge, addictive chorus.
Coming For You has an eighties retro feeling and that vibe continues with Raised On The Wrong Side, which features some excellent guitar work. The odd one out on this album is called Just Walk Away, which is in fact a rather, mellow slow track, featuring acoustic guitars and too much choral-like backing vocals. The lead off single called Don’t Call It Love is a 100% pure FM track, a nice melodic rocker with powerful guitars, driving bass guitar and heartfelt vocals by Steve Overland.
‘Brotherhood’ ends with The Enemy Within, a song unlike anything FM has ever recorded before as it sounds like indie pop and rock and not like AOR indeed, although it is a solid closer for a rather impressive AOR record. ‘Brotherhood’ is indeed an excellent album, an album of old-school AOR for sure, featuring wonderful songs and great musical skill indeed and Overland’s vocals are as magical as ever. Listening tip: Because Of You.
Tracks:
01. Do You Mean It
02. Living On The Run
03. Coming For You
04. Raised On The Wrong Side
05. Love Comes To All
06. Just Walk Away
07. Don’t Call It Love
08. Time Waits For No One
09. Because Of You
10. Chasing Freedom
11. The Enemy Within
Line-up:
Steve Overland – Vocals, guitar
Merv Goldsworthy – Bass
Pete Jupp – Drums
Jem Davis – Keyboards
Jim Kirkpatrick – Guitars
Website: https://fmofficial.com/