Kev Rowland After disbanding around 1993, the original members of the legendary melodic hard rock quintet Unruly Child reunited to produce a brand-new album for Frontiers Records in 2010, with subsequent releases following in 2014 and 2017. Marcie Free (vocals), Bruce Gowdy (guitars), Guy Allison (keyboards), Larry Antonino (bass) and Jay Schellen (drums) are now back with the latest release, ‘Big Blue World’. I think I first came across the band at the time of their third album, by which time there had been some line-up changes and Mark Free was one of those who had left, releasing a solo album under his original name in 1993 before becoming Marcie Free, in time for ‘Tormented’ in 1996. It takes a heck of a of guts to come out as transgender at any time, but to do it more than 20 years ago when he was already known as a singer shows huge cojones and I tip my hat to him.

This album is exactly what I expect from Unruly Child, namely melodic hard rock, with plenty of emphasis on all three words. There are lush harmony vocals to support someone at the front who is singing her heart out with total control, all combined with superb hooks. We get power ballads, slower numbers, more in your face songs, but all with total control at all times. "For this album, there was a conscious decision to merge the best of what Unruly Child does, while still evolving,” says Guy Allison. "You know, melodic rock, but with that unique Unruly Child approach. It's hard for us to stand still and repeat ourselves, but we also can’t help but sound like ‘us’, irrespective of any artistic lateral movement. While I’m sometimes surprised what catches the ears of our fans, I think that the album has something for everyone."

And you know what, he’s right. This is a classy and classic melodic rock album with songs that make you think, and others which are perfect for driving along and singing to at the top your voice. Well worth seeking out for fans of the genre.

Stephen Unruly Child caught me by surprise when they announced a return to the scene. With a good memory of how magnificent their debut is, I anticipated a mighty release after being amazed with the earlier video release of their single, "Very First Time". As in the eponymous debut when Unruly Child played a cool combination of softer-edge of glam metal with pompous magical AOR, that's exactly the classic mixture that was revived in "Worlds Collide".

Strengthened by original members and some powerful songwriting, this album has a great potential of becoming a contender of the greatest melodic rock of 2010, but unfortunately couple of songs just failed to equalize the glow of the others. "Show Me The Money" and “Insane", for instance, aren't really a good pick of album starters. Free's vocal is as strong as ever, but unlucky for the songs, they aren't. However, the album is back on track with "When We Were Young", made a great reincarnation of their old tune, "Who Cries Now". A pure dark verse that burst out with some white melodic chorus. Another stunning tracks are "Love Is Blind", "Read My Mind", "When Worlds Collide", and the single, "Very First Time".

If you love the debut, no doubt you'll love this one as well. After 20 years, I only found them to be more mature and brilliant in terms of musicianship and writing. Free's voice is surprisingly consistent, charming, and full of emotion, just like it was back in the 80s. This album is totally worth the long wait and let’s hope this is only the beginning of a fruitful career to come. Nicely done!

Stephen Unruly Child was formed by Mark Free after Signal split up in 1989. Bruce Gowdy and Guy Allison joined him after they left World Trade. Musically, they continued the AOR path which was derived from Signal's sound, and mixed it with the glammy sound of Giant and also Bon Jovi. Mark Free, whom later transformed into Marcie Free, definitely has one of the truly magical voices, and he's the shining star of this album.

The ultimate reason to buy this album is because of Free's voice singing two insanely beautiful tunes, "Who Cries Now" and "Is It Over". While "Who Cries Now" is more of an uptempo track with an unbelievably awesome chorus, "Is It Over" puts their tender side ahead. You can hear the sadness and emotion wrapped tight inside the arrangement and this is the type of song that'll be loved by many, and very nostalgic, if I must add.

Some other wonderful tracks to watch are the ballad "To Be Your Everything" with a superb sing-along chorus; "When Love Is Gone" with another stunning delivery by Free; "Wind Me Up", a great hard rock effort by the band; and "Lay Down Your Arms", a midtempo groovy with a strong chorus. The rest are also listenable, nothing's really spectacular, and probably "Tunnel of Love" and "Long Hair Woman" are the worst fillers.

The production level is very good and you can catch every detail of Mark Free's great voice. The band's musicianship is quite decent, but Gowdy did throw some memorable riffs and solo. For fans of AOR, pop-metal, or Mark Free, the debut of Unruly Child is undoubtly their greatest release. It had been out of print for a long time, so it's gonna be a tough job looking for this in the market. With the band reunited again for a comeback album in 2011, I wish they still have the fire to match the strength of this one.