I haven’t heard much in the way of rock opera lately, so when I first listened to this album I had a hard time initially discerning whether this was a serious effort or something more in the way of a musical parody. You see, Gene Dante is the love child of Meat Loaf and Barry Manilow. This epiphany (and awkward imagery) struck while I was listening to “The Dreamers,” a sappy love ballad that seriously channels Barry’s distinct knack for pop vocal phrasing. Couple this with ML’s campy metal raging, and you’ve got “The Starlet Hits the Wall” and “OK Sunshine.” It’s truly weird and heartfelt. It is rock music made for the stage. I can’t help but like it in ways I’m not wholly comfortable with. I’m a firm believer in the fact that there are no guilty pleasures. This might be one.

(Omnirox Entertainment, 580 Harrison Ave., 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02118)