The Millions, Disrespectfully Yours

Those that have been missing the power ballad and anthem-rock sound that has been MIA since the mid-’90s will undoubtedly find their fix with The Millions’ sophomore release, Disrespectfully Yours. It delivers almost a sugary-sweet injection of upbeat hard rock. The edgier and more modern sounds on the album manage not to overshadow the happy rock target at which the Millions aim and keep the group from being a direct offshoot of bands like Poison and Bon Jovi. Be forewarned, though: the “hard” part is very subtle, and it is impossible to be in a bad mood while listening to this album. The foundation of this Chicago band is the twin guitars of Johnny Million and Dan “The Fox” Edwards, who’re backed by drummer Kip Serena and bassist Christopher Grey.

The lilting hook on “We’re Through” is downright “pretty,” to use a word that is not generally in my vocabulary. “Island of You” is the quintessential power ballad that runs in the vein of Def Leppard, and “Stay Down” actually starts out a little harder, with a pluckier guitar opener, before quickly falling back to the happy-go-lucky, “I’m stronger than your suppression and will rise again,” poppy metal/rock optimism. This is not a bad thing, considering that the sound the band sets out achieve is heavily memorable harmonizing hooks. Mission accomplished…

I’m not going to ruin the CD for you by doing a play-by-play of each of the 13 tracks, but if you’re a fan of ’80s and early ’90s rock, you’ll love Disrespectfully Yours. The more you play it, the more it tends to grow on you….damn those hooks.

The only downside to the album, if you can call it a downside, is that there is virtually no difference in the speed of the songs, and it’s easy for them to blend into each other rather than stand significantly on their own. Otherwise, Disrespectfully Yours is well-produced and ready for radio play. The arena rock sound combined with dueling guitars, heavy kick drums, and those big harmonizing hooks is the recipe for success that allows The Millions to stand out among the other anthem-rock bands.