Frontiers
Canadian vocalist Bobby John, twin brothers Tom and James Martin (ex-Vega, Nitrate) and Swedish bassist Dennis Butabi Borg (Cruzh) unite for the debut album of The Switch. The retro rock album is steeped in 80s nostalgia, deliberately evoking a soundtrack to a fictional blockbuster, the band imagines a universe where their namesake film, “The Switch”, was the biggest movie of 1987, featuring a band turned action heroes forced into a fight for survival. The cinematic theme is matched by the ambition of John’s vocals, delivered with clarity and power, carrying the big choruses on “Play the Game” and lead single “Danger on the Loose”, and showing sensitivity in the more reflective tracks “One Night With You” and “Strangers Eyes”.
In a genre rooted in nostalgia, striking a balance between uniqueness and homage is tricky. Nestor have managed this balance very well. The Switch are safely in the “homage” camp (“Young Hearts”, for example, has an underlying rhythm that brings Bon Jovi’s “Livin on a Prayer” to mind). However, “No Way Out” is still a strong debut album, despite not taking any risks. If you are a fan of feel good, 80s AOR/melodic rock full of hooks and sweeping synths, with a polished production, check it out.
4/6 | Anne-Marie Forker
Release date: 12 September 2025