Fireworks Editor Bruce Mee writes:

"This is one of the best albums I have heard in long, long time.This album simply oozes class, and is definitely a contender for my Top 5 albums of the year - if not the decade!"

"I haven't been so excited listening to an album first time since Jimmy Harnen's debut way back in the mists of time. The album opens with the title track . . . a full blown melodic classic very much in the style of Autograph's 'Turn Up The Radio'. The best way I can describe this CD is to imagine an album full of tracks similar in quality and sound to Leppard's 'Promises' with a couple of emotion drenched ballads thrown in for good measure. Track 7 'The Rhythm of Money' so impressed me I replayed it three times consecutively on first listen - and I have not done that for many years. The following song. Somewhere On The Highway' even makes 'Doo doo doo's' cool when they have no right to be! I must also mention the production by McDonald himself, which is crystal clear and  has a separation which lifts the songs up to another level. This album simply oozes class, and is definitely a contender for my Top 5 albums of the year - if not the decade!"

Loud And Clear Magazine
Album of The Month

Kimmo Lauttalammi writes:

"Brian McDonald: "Wind It Up" ***** 
Five Stars -> "Classic"
With this album Brian should establish himself as one of the finest AOR artists of today!"

"Wind It Up" is as good as any AOR album you're likely to hear this year. There's not a single weak track , it seems like the scale starts from "good" and goes up to "awesome"! The title track is just that, an awesome anthem that will be The Song Of The Summer 2000 for me! If ever there was a song tailormade for the highway, this is it. "Head Back Home" is another "highway song", although a little more pop-oriented. Almost as good anyway, with nice twists of melody. "Words Come Easy" is also a good pop rocker in the vein of Rick Springfield.

"I Don't Wanna Want Your Touch" brings Brian's influences upfront. It's a big power ballad and it sounds amazingly like a cross between Def Leppard's "Love Bites" and a typical Chicago ballad ("What Kind Of Man Would I Be" maybe?). "When The Lightning Strikes" is very much in the Winger-vein, a heavy midtempo track with a brilliant anthemic chorus. "The Night Heaven Comes Down" is the second of the ballads, and a bit less "powerballadic" than "I Don't...".

"The Rhythm Of Money" is an uptempo rock track that reminds me a bit of Jeff Paris, while "Somewhere On The Highway" is - you guessed it - yet another track for the road, although a lot more laid-back and acoustic than the others. Gotta love the background vocals, and the catchy "wop-do-dop" section! "If I Could Only See You Now" is a good AOR track, while "Just A Heartbeat Away" goes into a bluesier direction, sounding like a mixture of Great White and Winger.

"Amnesty" is one of my biggest favourites here, an uptempo rocker with one of the most clever hooks I've heard in ages! I think Brian has taken hints from some classical pieces for this one, and mixed them with a Leppard-like sound. And yes, this will work while you're revving it up on the highway too...

The beautiful "The Hope One Child Can Bring" closes the album, and if you're like me, you will want to play it again! I'll be damned if this album isn't in my Top 5 this year! "

"Brilliant songwriting, excellent
production, killer voice.
Five stars and two thumbs up for
Brian McDonald's "Wind It Up" !

"I'll stake some of my hard earned money that this CD will turn a few ears. I firmly believe that Brian is back and will be a force to contend with in the rock/pop music world as this type of rock regains it's foothold in the next few years or so."

... from the anthemic title track and "Rhythm of Money" to the ballads no one can forget after they have heard them like "The Night Heaven Falls Down" and "I Don't Wanna Want Your Touch" - this guy is one hell of a songwriter...

The vocals are top-notch, the production is excellent, every song is a ringer! I highly recommend this CD to any lover of rock music with melody . . .

Dane Shockley

AOR Heaven writes:

"A killer CD - with Reb Beach on guitar you can be sure to get a sensational album - one of this years highlights !

On the Rocks Magazine

Marco Spaeth writes:

"Wind It Up” is one of the most eagerly awaited new albums on MTM. 13 years after his first solo album, Brian McDonald returns with a hot AOR/Melodic Rock album, well worth the wait."

The first song ”Wind It Up” is a straight and dynamic piece of Rock . . .  Reb Beach (ex-WINGER/ now-DOKKEN) plays some sharp lead-guitars and brings the right fire into the song. ”Head Back Home” is a mid-tempo song with complex background vocals and playful keyboards . . . a great song!

The following ”Words Come So Easy” is a pure good-time-rocker. ”I Don’t Wanna Want Your Touch” is a classic AOR ballad in the vein of REO Speedwagon.

”When The Lightning Strikes” arouses enthusiasm by the wild and screaming guitars of Reb Beach (seems like he is playing all the hot solos Dokken didn’t want on their last record). . .

”The Night Heaven Falls Down” is another beautiful arranged power-ballad . . .  while the sharp ”The Rhythm Of Money” is moving in the same direction as ”Wind It Up”.

”Somewhere On The Highway” and ”If I Could Only See You Now” combine mighty background vocals and hooklines! ”

Just A Heartbeat Away” and ”Amnesty” - I count them both to the strongest songs of the album. The ballad ”The Hope One Child Can Bring” could have been written by John Elefante but is wrapped up in a sharp Melodic Rock production.

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