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Passionfix — Secret
((Not on label) no#, 2026, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2026-08-19

Secret Cover art

Any listeners who have followed Passionfix since their 2020 album This and That will not find any astonishing surprises on this latest album, Secret. The sound and style of singer Kelly Secret is instantly identifiable immediately when the first song starts, and carries through to the very end — she sings every song alone with no harmonies and virtually no effects applied, which some may find to be a little samey over the long haul of the fourteen song set. That said, the songs are all outstanding compositions, written by keyboardist, guitarist, and now drummer as well, Dave Kelly, seemingly tailored for Secret’s voice and range. Joining him this time are bassist Mike Kearney (as before) and new member Pete Sklaroff on lead and rhythm guitar. This is a band that hasn’t played live in decades, as they are strictly a studio entity these days. There are many superb and noteworthy tracks to be found in this set, and the ones I find most engaging are those that deviate from the Passionfix standard: “Hold Onto Me” is a powerful rocker that bears a distinctive funk and blues underpinning and stands apart from all the  other songs here, with Secret delivering an amazing performance, while “Sliding” has the band moving in a slight dream-pop direction, with an outstanding vocal performance, and a key track for the new guitarist. “Lifeboat” conveys a mysterious and dreamy feel with some superb lyrics, one of those songs that will get stuck in your head for days, and taking the dreamy feel a step further we have “Inside of Rain,” driven along by piano, with guitar flourishes working in the background, all supporting the mysterious lyrics and Secret’s vocal performance. “No Come Down” brushes along at a faster pace, with guitar providing an alternate voice during Secret’s breaks, and this is one where there are some interesting effects applied to the vocals. The high production standards that all who know this band have come to expect are met on every level  throughout Secret.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Passionfix

More info
http://petesklaroff.com/new-passionfix-album

 

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