This is the second effort from Danish combo Boys From Heaven. It’s mostly west coast styled music that will appeal to many here.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Boys From Heaven
ALBUM: The Descendant
LABEL: Target Records
SERIAL: Target2393CD
YEAR: 2023
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Denmark
LINEUP: Chris Catton – vocals * Mads Schaumann – guitars, backing vocals * Mads Noye – keyboards * Morten Bille – bass * Jonas Klintstrom Larsen – sax * Soren Viig Mathiesen – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Sailing On * 02 Make It Right * 03 Sarah * 04 Endless Love * 05 Last Time * 06 Circles * 07 The Dream Is Gone * 08 Too Far Gone
RATING: 70/100
WEBLINKS: Bandcamp Page | FB Page
Background
This is the second effort from Danish combo Boys From Heaven. It’s mostly west coast styled music that will appeal to many here. Dave T wrote up an article on this band back in 2020 based on their debut ‘The Great Discovery’ and much of what was written then applies similarly here. The Toto references are still intact, but I’m inclined to think that an even closer reference would be fellow Danes Michael Learns To Rock who occupied a similar musical position back in the 90’s to great effect.
The Songs
Personally, I love the fact that Boys From Heaven can shuffle between styles with ease. West coast, yacht rock, AOR, pop and jazz can be interchanged on a whim, the personnnel involved are adaptable enough to make it happen within the space of eight tracks and the 30 minutes run time.
Swirling synths abound on the opener ‘Sailing Away’ before Toto like piano lines come crashing through the barriers. The song builds to a crescendo by solo time. Keeping things in cruise mode is ‘Make It Right’. When I first heard this track I was led to believe it was called ‘Hold On’ such was the repeat phrasing on the chorus. The next track ‘Sarah’ is a killer ballad for mine, it reminded of Don Henley‘s’ Boys Of Summer’ due to the similar arrangement. Probably the best track here.
‘Endless Love’ doesn’t really get the speed dial racing, a bit stop/start for my liking, it’s only on the chorus where things come to life. ‘Last Time’ is the best example of the template adhered to by Boys From Heaven. It’s west coast but wearing a hard rock coat. ‘Circles’ is one of the shorter tracks here, quite a blustery tune with hard piano and sax parts being prominent.
‘The Dream Is Gone’ has some likeable moments including a chorus that kinda sticks. But mostly it’s pop rock in the vein of the aforementioned Michael Learns To Rock. Boys From Heaven complete this 8 song set with ‘Too Far Gone’, played with a slower than usual metronome through the verses, but sparked to life by chorus time.
In Summary
‘The Descendant’ had a couple of useful tunes as in ‘Sarah’, ‘Sailing On’ and ‘The Dream Is Gone’ but the rest was kinda so-so, not really grabbing me the way that I hoped it would. Still, I’m certain there is still an audience for this style of rock, and kudos to Boys From Heaven for keeping the west coast flag flying.
Boys From Heaven on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
