Tag: Rob Marcello

My Sunday Song – “Fallin’ For You” by The Defiants

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic3 Comments

For My Sunday Song #419, we have another song from The Defiant’s. This time around it is “Fallin’ For You” from the bands second album, ‘Zokusho’. It was written by Paul Laine and his buddy Bruno Ravel. If you thought the first album was good, then this one will not disappoint. A band that is celebrating that 80’s rock sound and this particular song is all that and more. This one was a single and even had a video. You gotta love that.

Lyrically, the song is about a woman that comes in to his life when he wasn’t looking for love. Heck, she wasn’t either as she just got out of a relationship. They were both wrong place, wrong time, but the heart wants what the heart wants. He has fallin’ for her hard and wants to know what to do. How can they make it work despite everything saying it can’t. A classic love story that has been in every Rom-Com out there.

With a little keyboard opening and then a gritty guitar riff, we get a classic Danger Danger style rocking love song. You get swept up in those big choruses, catchy hooks and that Paul Laine vocal. He was made for these type of songs. The guitar solo is huge, crazy riffs, fast flying fingers. It all screams 80’s and I scream along with it…Hell Yeah!!! A fun song that will get stuck in your head for days.

Give the song a listen and tell me that music doesn’t take you back to the 80’s. 80’s music was the best as it was the most fun and I am thrilled The Defiants are celebrating that sound. It makes you feel so good. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed this week’s song. Have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

“Fallin’ For You”

I wasn’t looking for somebody to love me
I wasn’t waiting for a second chance
You know I’ve never really been that lucky
I’d given up trying to understand
You were getting over some old heartbreak
You never counted on me walking through your door, yeah

I didn’t know I was waiting for you
It’s out of my hands and there’s nothing I can do

Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it)
There’s something in the air tonight
I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you)
That my heart’s got nothing to hide
I can’t hold back even if I tried
Tell me what I gotta do
‘Cause girl, you got me
Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you)
What’s a boy to do? (Fallin’ for you)
You got me fallin’, fallin’ for you, oh

I was runnin’ in the wrong direction
I was headed down a dead end road
In the mirror was my own reflection
Telling me you’re better off alone
All I knew is there was someone for me
Someone out there with a heart that beat like mine, oh

You were the one I was dreaming about
I’m head over heels and there ain’t no doubt

Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it)
There’s something in the air tonight
I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you)
That my heart’s got nothing to hide
I can’t hold back even if I tried
Tell me what I gotta do
‘Cause girl, you got me
Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you)
And there ain’t no use (fallin’ for you)
You got me fallin’, fallin’ for you

‘Cause that’s the thing about love when you find it
Try to hold on and never let go
It’s the chance that you take
Between love and fate
And only your heart will know

I didn’t know I was waiting for you
It’s out of my hands and there’s nothing I can do
You were the one I was dreaming about
I’m head over heels and there ain’t no doubt

Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it)
There’s something in the air tonight
I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you)
That I’m ready to give you this heart of mine
I can’t hold back even if I tried
Tell me what I gotta do
‘Cause girl, you got me
Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you)
Girl, I’m stuck on you (fallin’ for you)
(Fallin’ for you) and there ain’t no use

what’s a boy to do?
(Fallin’ for you, fallin’ for you) oh girl, you got me fallin’
(Fallin’ for you) hey (fallin’ for you) oh, oh, I’m fallin’
(Fallin’ for you, fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you
(Fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you
(Fallin’ for you) yeah, you know I can’t help it (fallin’ for you)
Oh, I wanna tell you (fallin’ for you)
There’s something in the air tonight (fallin’ for you) hoo

Songwriters: Paul Laine / Bruno Ravel Dicecco

My Sunday Song – “Save Me Tonight” by The Defiants

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic10 Comments

For My Sunday Song #416, we are going back to The Defiants and this time around we are talking about “Save Me Tonight” from their self-titled 2016 album. The Defiants are Paul Laine, Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello and basically they are Danger Danger 2.0. Better, stronger and have aged nicely. The Defiants don’t get much notice here in the States and that is too bad as songs like this show this band has the goods to take over the world. If this was the 80’s, they would be as big as Bon Jovi…at least I think they would…they are better then today’s Bon Jovi at least.

A ballad that is full of so much heartbreak and heartache. The song is about a man who is fallen so deeply in love with this woman, but she is leaving and it is over. He is in so much pain and he wants her to come back and save him and give their love one more chance. There are some great lines that highlight the pain such as “They say love never dies but it sure leaves a scar” and “And all that’s left behind is a tattoo on your heart”. A beautifully written song.

But how beautiful is it really? Is it too sappy? No, not in the least. The Defiants put on a master class on how to perform a ballad. The music is tender, heartfelt and aches with the pains of the lyrics. The opening synths give it an almost atmospheric tone like floating through the air. The guitar tone is almost weeping and that solo will leave you breathless. But the winner is those vocals by Paul Laine. The notes he hits are amazing, the angelic tones, the emotiveness of his words is crazy good. Paul is still one of the finest vocalists out there today. He still has it in spades. If you ever thought the ballad was dead…here is proof it is alive and better than ever.

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My Sunday Song – “Another Time, Another Place” by The Defiants

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For My Sunday Song #413, we are tackling the power ballad “Another Time, Another Place” by The Defiants. The song is off the band’s third and latest album, ‘Drive’ and it was written by Bruno Ravel and Paul Laine. You have Paul on vocals and keyboards, Bruno Ravel on bass and Rob Marcello on guitars with Van Romaine on drums. The song did not chart and heck I don’t even know if it was a single, but I do know that if this song was released in the mid to late 80’s it would be #1.

The song is about a love that could have been and doesn’t fall in to the abyss of a love that never was. There was someone in the past that he can’t stop thinking about and he longs for her, but they never became lovers. He dreams about that time in the future in another time and another place where that longing gets fulfilled and they fall in love and are together forever and a day. It is rather heartbreaking to want someone so much and long for them like that and yet nothing to satisfy that desire…at least not yet.

This is more like a Journey ballad as “Another Time, Another Place” might be the best ballad by any band in decades. Yes, it is that good to me. Steve Perry look out. I get lost in the chorus as Paul’s vocals will take over your ears and surround you in comfort and a magical bliss. The chorus is huge and so catchy. It draws you in and won’t let go. The scream Paul has at the end is such a surprise and so cool. I mean it isn’t Rob Halford type of cool, but still pretty awesome. The song is pure perfection again. When it comes on and I’m driving in my car, I keep hitting repeat and can never get enough. It usually accompanies for the rest of the drive. “Drive”…isn’t that the name of the album…how funny.

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The Defiants – ‘Drive’ (2023) – Album Review

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic19 Comments

The boys are back with their third album. The boys, of course, are Paul Laine, Bruno Ravel and Rob Marcello or more properly known as The Defiants. The band was brought together back in 2016 thanks to Frontiers Records. I was worried this was going to be a one and done, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.

I spoke with Paul Laine a couple years ago and I knew he was working on this album. And about 6 months later, when I was exchanging emails with him, he was coming up on his deadline to submit the album to Frontiers. He seemed a little stressed, but in a good way. This was around January 2022. I am not sure what happened, but the album didn’t see the light of day for another 18 months. I hope to talk with him again soon and I will make sure to see what was going on. Regardless, as of June 7, 2023, we have the new Defiants album and I couldn’t be happier.

The guys had worked together before in a band called Danger Danger, you remember them from the late 80’s and 90’s. The Defiants were made to recapture that 80’s rock magic and capture it they did. I will try not to be biased as I am a huge Paul Laine fan and I pretty much love everything he does and there is a reason for that…he is one of the best vocalists in the business and his voice gets stronger as he ages. He does not disappoint here either. In fact no one does. This is my album of the Summer and in fact, could wind up as album of the Year. Yes, I said it! And here’s why…

The album opens with a scorcher in “Hey Life” which is a massive anthemic rocker. And listen to that opening guitar riff…does it not sound like “Rise” by Extreme??? Which is wild as both albums came out on the same day. Paul’s vocals soar as he tells life to get out of his way. The drums are pounding, the guitars are a rip-roaring shredfest and the song makes a massive opening statement.

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The Defiants – ‘Zokusho’ – Album Review

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Recently, I looked up the definition of the word “fun” in the Oxturd Dictionary and it told me the definition was “to be Defiant”.  I thought that sounded about right.  So, how could I be defiant.  Well, the quickest and easiest way was to pick up the latest release by the band The Defiants.  I figured that fit the bill of “fun” quite nicely.

And I was right!

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The band consists of three members all stemming from the band Danger Danger.  They are Bruno Ravel on bass, Rob Marcello on guitar and Paul Laine on vocals.  And to make the Danger Danger connection even stronger, drummer Steve West filled in on the kit for this recording.  Since Danger Danger still exists with lead singer Ted Poley, they couldn’t use that name so they came up with their own.

 

‘Zokusho’ is the band’s second album and the word actually means “sequel” or “next chapter” in Japanese which is actually what this record is.  The band picks up right where they left off on their debut.  If you liked 80’s rock and the whole melodic rock scene, let me tell you that it doesn’t get much better than this.

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The Defiants – The Defiants – Album Review – 82%

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Paul Laine, Rob Marcello and Bruno Ravel all make up the new band The Defiants.  If those names sound familiar to you than you are obviously a fan of Danger Danger as all three were once a part of that great band.

Frontiers Music SRI brought these 3 back together again to bring us a rock masterpiece.  Okay, I am being a little overly dramatic.  But it is really, really great! If you were a fan of  Danger Danger or just a fan of Paul Laine’s vocals, be prepared for some of his best vocal performances.  The band has such a cohesive sound and this is the album that Danger Danger should have made years ago.

As much as I enjoyed Ted Poley as the lead singer of Danger Danger, when he left and Paul Laine took over vocals, the band’s dynamic changed and I feel for the better.  Years later when Ted Poley reunited with Danger Danger and Paul was no longer a member, I yearned for more music from his version of the band.  Now I have it.

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