I have a feeling that my role should be to absolutely despise this band, but I find it hard to completely dismiss this band. They come from a music tradition that isn’t directly my favourite, West Coast Hard/Glam Rock. In many ways they do fit into my prejudices concerning the aforementioned genre. The feeling on the entire album is pathetically yearning to be cool and Rock ’n Roll, but fails miserably. One example that makes this clear is the lyrics that seem to come completely from the formula of how to write Rock ‘n Roll lyrics about partying and have no connection to the people who have written them. To write about Cadillacs, girls and Rainbow bar, when one lives in a small Swedish town is more than a little ridiculous. To pretend to be a Rock star in the lyrics also shows that the self-distance maybe isn’t what it should be, even if the lyrics probably shouldn’t be taken so seriously.

Musically they are more competent. The song structures are standard Hard Rock, with a pretty positive sound to it and since practically all lyrics are about love and partying, that seems fitting. I think that both the drumming and the work of the guitars and bass are ok here, and fulfill the purpose. There is however not much interesting to find beyond a simple bar or Rock-club music. This band claims to be good live, and that is possible – the material probably fits that environment better than it works in the stereo. The vocals of José Sanchez are decent but with a little too much vibrato. That is tolerable, but the feeling of the album is most clearly reflected in his vocal lines, and that gives me the creeps. The production isn’t the best either, but I have never been very bothered by bad production; I care more about the actual instrumentation and structures.

So, what made me say that I don’t want to completely dismiss SANCHEZ? Firstly, the lead guitarist, Kenneth Jonsson, is talented. His solos are the best parts of this album and manage to capture some of the joyfulness and laid-back attitude that permeate the glam side of Hard Rock. I’m no big fan of it, but it works on me here, so it must be well executed. Secondly, there is at least one good song on here, “Little Bit Of Love”, and parts of some of the others aren’t that bad either. I must admit that my irritation mainly concerns the attitude. Still, this record isn’t good, and the lead guitars can’t drag it up from the lower half of the grading spectrum.

(Online January 10, 2008)