“The completion of this album is a love letter to the music that shaped my life, musically and otherwise,” said Swedish bassist and producer Victor Brodén of Midnight Transmission, the debut album due from Transatlantic Radio, the international AOR supergroup he founded in Los Angeles in 2020 while covid was taking hold of the world.
With one live appearance under their collective belts at the Malmö Melodic Festival in Sweden in 2024, and now signed with Italian record label Frontiers Music Srl for a 20th February release, Midnight Transmission was preceded by the single ‘Wide Awake’ in December. That’s now followed by ‘City Of Angels’, which Brodén discussed.
“‘City Of Angels’ was the last song written for the album,” he explained. “It is a tribute to all the great songs, throughout history, about going west to try to make your dreams come true and live your best life. In our case, it is also a tribute to the diverse city of Los Angeles, but it could be wherever the city of your dreams is.
“The song delivers the quintessential Transatlantic Radio sound: a huge chorus, big sweeping melodies and lots of attitude. This is a song to roll down your windows and sing at the top of your lungs on the way to a party or on a long road trip.”
Discussing the overall qualities of the forthcoming album and those involved, he said: “The guys in this band took what was a casual idea and turned it into something beyond my wildest dreams. Mattias Osbäck is truly one of the greatest rock voices of this generation with a rough edge that brings our big, sweeping melodies to life and gives them attitude.
“R.J. Ronquillo, on lead guitar, is a legend in his own right and a role model for guitarists around the world, as well as one of the world’s most watched six-string heroes with his YouTube channel,” he continued. “His work on this album makes me grin ear to ear. Chris Reeve on drums is one of the most sought-after touring drummers in the world right now, and a bass player’s dream come true. Him agreeing to join this project is still mind-boggling to me.
“Fred Kron on keyboards, my partner in production for this project, is nothing short of a wizard. There would be no Transatlantic Radio without his invaluable input, otherworldly mixes, and his ability to sprinkle magic dust on all of these songs. This is the band I could never have imagined being in growing up, and this is the record I always dreamed of making.”
Midnight Transmission features the tracks: ‘That’s What You Get (For Falling In Love)’, ‘City Of Angels’, ‘Wide Awake’, ‘Fever Dream’, ‘The Good Times’, ‘First To Be The Last’, ‘All For You’, ‘Against All The Odds’ and ‘Born To Rise’.
Brodén commented on their label signing: “We couldn’t be more excited and honoured to be working with Frontiers. The great bands who were part of establishing AOR as a major force years ago are on this label, as well as many of our more recent favourite bands in the genre. During the long process of making this debut album, Frontiers has been a constant presence with good energy and encouragement. We can’t wait to release this album, and we hope the fans love the songs as much as we do and as much as the great people at Frontiers do.”
Mario de Riso, A&R and Business Affairs VP at Frontiers, added: “We are always on the lookout for fresh talent in the AOR/Melodic Rock genre at Frontiers and with Transatlantic Radio, we are thrilled to welcome a band that we believe is a true contender for greatness in the years to come.”
Brodén, with a career backing multi-platinum artists such as Richard Marx, LeAnn Rimes, and Dokken, seized the opportunity during the pause in touring to craft songs that serve as musical comfort food during uncertain times. To bring his vision to life, he reunited with University of Miami classmates guitarist R.J. Ronquillo and keyboardist Fred Kron. Their collaboration led to the formation of Transatlantic Radio.
Keyboardist Fred Kron is a film and television composer whose work has been featured in productions such as Anchorman 2, High School Musical 2, and 90210. He has performed with legends such as Ringo Starr, plus Michelle Branch and Joe Bonamassa. In addition to his role in Transatlantic Radio, Kron is a regular presence in the house band on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Guitarist R.J. Ronquillo brings experience from performing with artists like Ricky Martin, Stevie Wonder, and Stone Sour. Known for his influential YouTube guitar channel, Ronquillo’s acquisition of a vintage 80s Rockman effects unit propels Transatlantic Radio‘s sound into classic AOR territory.
Drummer Chris Reeve, originally from Australia, began his U.S. career with the rock band Filter. Currently drumming for Avril Lavigne and Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, Reeve’s rhythms provide a solid foundation for Transatlantic Radio‘s music.
To enhance the band’s international flair, Brodén enlisted fellow Swede Mattias Osbäck. A prominent figure in southern Sweden’s rock scene and a high-ranking officer in the Swedish Navy, Osbäck contributes powerful vocals and co-writing to the ensemble.
