The church bells are ringing and the PERFECT PLAN lads are singing - 'When the war comes closer and the fight is all we got. It's time that we know it's time. It's Time For a Miracle' Bloody'ell. I believe they are saying it's TIME? The band's second album finds them in excellent form with undoubtedly the best pure 80's AOR release of the year so far. The Swedish lads have captured a lot of the dut-dut and stabbing keyboards from Jimi Jamison-era Survivor, Foreigner, Giant, Signal, and Scandinavian AOR (Alien, Europe) with a personal magical touch and feel. The band features the superb singer Kent Hilli together with Rolf Nordström on guitar, Fredrik Forsberg on drums, Leif Ehlin on keyboards, and new bassist Mats Byström. The latter used to play with Ehlin in the band Desert Rain (Bang Bang/1991) and are now once again reunited. Catchy and hooky to the last, Perfect Plan piledrive their way through the now familiar pure AOR territory. Here to answer some questions for RockUnited.com, their impressive vocalist: Mr. KENT HILLI
Thank you Mr. Hilli for taking the time to answer some Q's. Listening to the title track from your new album 'Time For A Miracle' - what's it all about?
The title track is really about giving a perspective of living in a "safe world" when a sudden thing happens which turns your whole life around facing the absolute worst that could happen to you and your loved ones and something that is closing in on you. There are wars going on in different places in the world and a lot of people areliving in fear everyday, so it is really a song trying to find the feeling that these people are experiencing. It is also a song that relates very much to the current situation we have in the world today with Covid 19. The fine thing about art is the everyone can interpret the song as the want and suits them.
Going through the writing process and what you're basically trying to capture on the album?
The writing process for "Time For A Miracle" started early 2018 and was finished around mid 2019. The goal was of course to write great AOR/Melodic Rock songs and do a very diverse album showing progress in the band in terms of both songwriting and production. I write all the melodies and lyrics as i did on "All Rise" except for "What about Love" who is written by Leif Ehlin. But this album has been more of band collaboration than the first album which has been great fun. All the songs on the album could have been a potential single as we think this a much stronger album than our first album. We are really pleased with it and its a slightly heavier album with a more compact sound but diverse with some heavier and bluesier stuff but also a couple of ballads which we did not have on the first album.
This being the "difficult" second album. Would you say it was challenging to compose these songs?
No, we did not feel that it was challenging really. ..of course there need to be some pressure and being creative can sometimes be challenging. But we just want to have as much fun as possible and do our very best. we can't do much more than that. The audience have different tastes and colour when it comes music but in the end the most important thing is that we as a band are satisfied with the result and that we are :-) We were so inspired after the first album so we had about 5-6 songs already written just 3-4 months after the release.
What kind of input did friends, fellow musicians, record label, have during the process?
Not much really to be honest...we were in a kind of a bubble during the process but of course some inputs from the label and some friends of course..
You're keeping it AOR. You wouldn't change anything just to suit the music industry?
No, definitely not...AOR melodic rock is in our genes :-)...the Perfect Plan sound is what it is...
Are you supposed to feel uplifted by the lyrics of 'Living On The Run'?
Good question... it is all about how you interpret it yourself... that it is the fine thing about art as I have said... the song for me is an uplifting relationship oriented song where there are ups and downs but there is still hope if you know what I mean :-)
So, Would you say it's important to have a postive attitude and message? (regarding overall lyrics)
No, I think everything is allowed and that is how it should be... I write about what comes to my mind and in my heart. That is the only way for me..
Are you pleased with the cover art-work? It's very "Unruly Child" somehow? :-)
Yes, we are very pleased with it and the guy who did this lives in our hometown (Christopher Harnesk-nilsson). He really did an awesome job from the idea we came up with [Urban - i still think it's straight from uc's back catalogue though :-)]
Are you basically all massive fanatics of the 80s scene, production, and sound? It's Survivor and Foreigner til' death?
Yes we are massive fans of the 80´s but we do listen a lot to modern stuff and also other genres.. I am a big fan of country and blues..
If there's anything you'd like to add, say, please do:
Thank U so much for having me and god bless to everyone :-)
Interview by: Urban Wally Wallstrom
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Photos from the band's website