The Western Front - 'Eureka' Album review

‘Eureka’ is an album that could have been destined to exist only in the memories of the men who made it. Unreleased as the result of a record deal that wasn’t to be, all remained quiet on The Western Front for some forty years. But now, the master tapes have been dusted off and restored (or perhaps unearthed from the ground, as suggested by the cover!) with ‘Eureka’ finally set to debut on the 10th July. 

If you’ve not heard of The Western Front (and really, why would you have?), you’ll certainly have heard of Scott Gorham, who lends his guitar playing prowess to the project, the result of a collaboration with high school friend and fellow guitarist Marty Walsh. But there’s little of Thin Lizzy in the smooth, AOR sound that this quintet deliver so well. Opener ‘The Law of the Jungle’ could be mistaken for a forgotten Toto track, the lush harmonies and sparkling keyboards introducing an album that feels warm and familiar from the first listen. 

Recorded between 1983 and 1984, songs like ‘Set Me Free’ and ‘Danger’ undoubtedly feel lifted from that time, but in the best possible way. A time when melody and big choruses mattered, and it was important to have a frontman who could really sing. Richard “Moon” Calhoun certainly fits that bill, bringing soul to ‘1000 Nights’, and passion to the grooving ‘Just Go’. 

Sometimes reminiscent of Night Ranger at their anthemic best, the soaring chorus of ‘If I’m the One’ feels made for arenas, as does the key change that propels ‘Rain’ to a satisfying conclusion. Impossibly catchy, even when you suspect they might not be trying, fans of FM will find much to enjoy in the epic balladry of ‘I Would Rather Be Lonely’ and the brooding ‘Heartland’. 

An AOR lovers dream, ‘Eureka’ should have been remembered as an 80s classic. Instead, it will be launched into a world that no longer seems to value brilliant song-craft, electrifying guitar solos and powerful vocals. But for those of us who still do, it’s an album that deserves to be heard, a eureka moment that leaves you wondering how something this magnificent could have been left to be forgotten.