Hailing from Burnley (two minutes from where I live), David Readman is best known as the vocalist who replaced Andi Deris in Pink Cream 69. If life was fair after the release of this, his first solo effort he would be known as a huge star. Sadly I suspect that won?t happen because radio and television here in the UK aren?t interested in a) rock music and b) artists with real talent. On any scale of measurement David Readman has made a fantastic record. To be fair, the signs are always good when one sees that Dennis Ward is behind the production desk and a veritable who?s who of the melodic rock scene playing alongside the man himself doesn?t hurt. Without You is the opening song is a contender for song of the year. It races along powered by Frankie Sullivan style guitars and an instantaneous chorus that is truly excellent. A fabulous start to any album. Evil Combination is a bit moodier but with another great chorus whereas Take These Tears is reminiscent of late 80?s Whitesnake. Don?t Let It Slip Away is a melodic classic in the making and again shows the sheer class of the song writing on this disc. This song is good enough to have appeared on last year?s Sunstorm album and that is high praise indeed. No Peace for the Wicked is exactly the kind of song you normally get at this juncture on this type of CD. It is much heavier than anything else thus far and has a more offbeat hook and sounds like House of Lords ? another compliment. Long Way to Heaven rounds off the first half of the album and again has a fantastic chorus that burrows itself inside your brain and refuses to go away. Wild in the City has more 80?s feeling to it but with a more contemporary edge and is another key track. Gentle Touch finds Mr Readman in ballad mode, not a sloppy power ballad but a more modern rock one. Prisoner of Shame finds us back in full on rock mode and once again the all round quality on offer is astonishing. New Messia (sic) has a lyric that could well be misinterpreted but is based on a satisfying acoustic groove. Over the Ocean again starts off with acoustic guitar intermingled with what sounds like a Hammond organ and stays in pop mode through its length ? what a versatile chappy Davey Boy is! Love in Vain is the final track and is big ballad that just about creeps into being an epic as it cruises past the five-minute mark. Again the guitar work is understated but highly effective. This is an almost flawless record that deserves wide attention. A definite contender for Album of the Year.