Supernova
For a band whose individual members each captured the spotlight in the '80s and '90s, it should come as no surprise that the music of Rock Star: Supernova (a quartet comprised of Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, Jason Newsted of Metallica, Gilby Clarke of Guns 'N' Roses, and 2006 reality-show winner Lukas Rossi) strongly hearkens back the sound of that era. Their chosen frontman Rossi, a Toronto-based singer/songwriter, has some impressive pipes, moving effortlessly from falsetto to raunchy guttural growls throughout the disc. No amateur, Rossi previously worked with Canadian bands I Mother Earth and the Tea Party, as well as Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. The strongest tracks from the disc are unsuprisingly ones the group performed repeatedly on the series. Rossi's original number, the emotional (if somewhat erratic) "Headspin" fits in well with the prescribed other material, while "It's All Love" is both accessible and enjoyable enough to work on Top-40 radio. The unquestionable standout, however, is disc opener "It's On" within which Rossi's soprano chorus of "let it shine on" evokes the very best aspects of Radiohead's Thom Yorke's falsetto fronting a Smashing Pumpkins-style track. There are a few unfortunate tunes ("Underdog," "The Dead Parade") that contain a plethora of rock clichés but lack authenticity. That said, the aforementioned gorgeousness of the opening track shows great promise, making this a band to keep an eye on in the future.--Denise Sheppard