Blue Ambition The Scarlet Touch Review
Blue Ambition
The Scarlet Touch
Perris Records
2026
After a rousing debut with “The Seduction of the Innocent” last year, the supergroup Blue Ambition has come storming back with another heavy dose of AOR gold on their latest release, “The Scarlet Touch”. If you missed their debut, you missed a collection of tunes that felt like they were pulled straight from the glory days when jukeboxes were packed with 45s from Foreigner, Journey, and Bad English. You know… the good stuff.
While the debut leaned heavily into that classic AOR Radio-Rock vibe, the new album brings a bit more bite to the table, and I say that lightly, because we’re still firmly planted in Melodic Rock territory. This time around there’s a stronger emphasis on riffs and lead breaks, delivering the kind of gut punch you’d expect from bands like Alias, Survivor, and Night Ranger. That shouldn’t come as a surprise - Frédéric Slama is a world-renowned guitarist, and his musical instincts here not only meet expectations but often exceed them.
Vocally, things remain squarely in the Lou Gramm school of thought. Frontman Robbie LeBlanc is damn near a dead ringer for the Foreigner legend, and truth be told, he would’ve been my pick to replace Gramm years ago. For some listeners that might be a turn-off, but for me it feels like coming home. The vocals, harmonies, and melodic lines are top-tier, and considering this style of music has largely vanished from the mainstream, I’m more than happy to soak it all in.
There are ten tracks here and not one slacks. The album is catchy, confident, and executed with precision from start to finish. Sure, there are plenty of tried-and-true Glam and AOR vibes throughout, but that’s partly because I’m cut from that cloth. If you know me, you know my music collection is packed with records just like this. If it looks like AOR or Glam and I’ve got a few bucks in my pocket, I’m probably buying it without even hearing a note. That’s just who I am.
“The Scarlet Touch” will be released on CD via Perris Records on March 20th, and I strongly recommend checking it out and grabbing a copy. While you’re at it, take a deeper dive into the Perris Records catalog - they’re still one of the last great homes for AOR and 80’s style Metal. They’ve also just released a new Helix album that absolutely slams. And don’t stop there, dig further back and grab Sweet Cheater’s “Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’” or a Broken Teeth release. Support the label. From where I’m standing, they’re keeping this style of Rock alive.
Standouts – “In Love With A Shadow”, “Love From A Stranger”, “Burning Secrets” and “Two Nights With You”.