Search - Annica :: Badly Dreaming

Great "rocker chick" album

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 03/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hailing from Finland, Annica Wiklund was another one of those "too tough for pop" rocker chicks that seemed to be everywhere in the late 1980's to early 90's. Like similar artists Saraya, Robin Beck, and Vixen, Annica's music was pretty straightforward pop-infused rock & roll.



Annica's 1988 debut album Badly Dreaming was equal parts pop and power, sounding a lot like Pat Benatar, Lita Ford, and that era's Heart albums. There are plenty of great guitar hooks (courtesy of Hanoi Rocks guitarist Jan Stenfors, a.k.a. Nasty Suicide), a nice use of keyboards, and of course Annica's powerful voice. The lyrics suffer a bit from

"translation lag", but the whole album has a great 80's movie soundtrack vibe that more than makes up for it.



Plus, she's hot. I know that shouldn't make a difference, but I'm only human.



Badly Dreaming is a hard hitting, highly melodic rock album with a terrific vocalist. I highly recommend it to fans of melodic rock in general, and specifically fans of the artists mentioned above.



NOTE: Fortunately, Badly Dreaming was re-released in 2004 by MTM Classix, or else I'd probably never have heard this album. The reissue features remastered sound and 5 additional tracks.

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