Tracks:
Let Me Let You Go
On The Path of Greed
The Angels Must Have Missed the Train
Never the Same
Second Hand America
Hearts to the Flame
Believe in Me
Eyes
Sleepless
Jenny's Heart (bonus)
The World is not Enough (bonus)
Pitch Black Ride (bonus)

This Swedish trio's self titled debut album, which was originally put out by AORHeaven in 2003. Mixing AOR with the more pure sound of Westcoast and more than hint of straight ahead Pop music, Coastland Ride is an album crammed with hooks and sing along choruses
With the pairing of Anders Rybank and Mikael Bohlin sharing, guitar, keyboard and "programming" duties (the former also handles bass and there isn't a live drummer on this album), the trio is completed by singer Markus Nordenberg, whose voice sits somewhere between the clarity of Bobby Kimball, the charm of David Glenn Eisley and the power of Grand Illusion pairing Peter Sundell and Per Svensson.

Surprisingly for a band who operate in a bright, breezy area of music, the lyrics from Coastland Ride can at times be of a serious and insightful nature, with "On The Path Of Greed", "The World Is Not Enough" and "Second Hand America" all making interesting comments on the world we live in. The vocal delivery ensures that the weighty subject matter never sounds out of place alongside the upbeat and sunny disposition of the music, although they can still make for unusual bedfellows. There's no denying that Westcoast is always the style of Rock that veers closest to pure Pop, but in the case of Coastland Ride, that line can become extremely blurred indeed, with a couple of the tracks and especially "Never The Same" being almost manufactured boy-band style fodder. That said "Let Me Let You Go" and "Sleepless" are excellent bursts of AOR, with the former being the more in your face variety while the latter is a poised and refined slower number.


Excellent release this one...Westcoast/ Pop from Sweden. Reminds me a little of Toto, and the mighty Jojo from Germany, although a little lighter than them.
In addition to a significantly improved sound, the re-issue of the band’s debut also includes three bonus tracks in the form of the unreleased songs “Jenny’s Heart”, “The World Is Not Enough” and “Pitch Black Ride” from the original recording sessions.

Line up:
Anders Rybank - Guitars, bass, programming
Markus Nordenberg - Lead and backing vocals
Mikael Bohlin - Programming, keyboards

Guest musicians:
Per Stenvall
Anders Ringman
Tomas Coox
Benka Jansson
Mikael Cederholm