The LRW Project - 'To Love, Repeat and Wonder'

(LRW Music)

If you buy only one independent AOR release this year it has to be ‘To Love, Repeat and Wonder?’ by The LRW Project. Not only is it an impressive AOR album that has been self-released on a limited budget but it is without doubt one of the best pure AOR albums released this year regardless of label backing. I’ve been listening to it non-stop for the past few months and it still shows no signs of leaving my CD player any time soon.

This passion project from English songwriter Leon Winteringham has been a work in progress for some time and it shows as only the best of the best appears on this album. It’s emergence now is through the dedication and desire to release his own music soon as tomorrow never comes as we all know, so kudos to Leon for the bravery and hard work to get his music out there – especially in this bloated music world and hypercritical internet era.

I know he’s looking at this as perhaps a one-off – which would be a crying shame and a real shame for the AOR scene. Hopefully all the positivity surrounding this album will see him release further music in time, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets snapped up to write with other musicians or even contribute songs to labels and projects in the future. Such is the strength of his song writing but also his understanding of AOR and what makes it work.

‘To Love, Repeat & Wonder’ is a near perfect collection of pure AOR crafted by someone with a deep love and understanding of the genre, but given his age and been exposed to an extremely varied music growing up means he does add some modern twists and touches to his own unique sound. It’s highly commercial and owes a lot to bands like Boulevard and late Eighties era Toto.

Although this album has been made and released on a tight budget, it never shows, the production is slick and professional. If you check out the single ‘Hell and Back’ and its video you’ll see first hand how much time and effort has been put into creating a big budget release for as little as possible and he sure puts bigger acts to shame.

I can’t enthuse about this album enough and I really hope this is not the last we hear from Winteringham, as this album is a true AOR fans dream album!

9/10

Essential Track - 'Hell and Back'

Review by Woody

Tracklist

  1. Day By Day
  2. Voices Of Reason
  3. Love Again
  4. Hard To Find
  5. These Days (Interlude)
  6. Dream World
  7. Individual
  8. To Love, Repeat and Wonder?
  9. Hell and Back
  10. The Rain