Boys Like Girls - Boys Like Girls (2006) ☠

Country: U.S.A.

Genre: Punk Rock

Style: Pop Punk, Emo

Label Number: 88697 05572 2

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 2006 Red Ink/Columbia Records
AllMusic Review by Corey Apar
Oh, Boys Like Girls. With their eponymous debut for Red Ink, the Boston quartet marks its entry into the effervescent world of sugary, emo-blasted pop/rock. They've got the gleaming guitars, urgent vocals, and driving rhythms propelling three-minute ditties about their hearts, their girls, and those girls who just like to toy with their poor hearts. But unlike similarly styled bands, Boys Like Girls are largely lacking much of anything that could either separate them from the pack or, at the very least, give them more substance to appeal to more than just the teenaged girls who will be singing along enthusiastically at shows while secretly pining for the shaggy-haired, boyish clan. Boys Like Girls are simply without the overwhelming catchiness of the All-American Rejects or the unbridled enthusiasm of the City Drive. Instead, listeners are left with an offering that is almost catchy and enthusiastic. Even the few standouts -- like the summer drive of "The Great Escape" and "Heels Over Head" -- will be pretty hard to recall by the lukewarm album's end. Regardless, those looking for a quick fix will surely eat up the likes of Boys Like Girls.

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Giuffria - Giuffria (1984)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: DMCL 1844
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© 1984 MCA Records
AllMusic Review by Doug Stone
Keyboard maestro Gregg Giuffria originally planned to retain the Angel title for his second high-profile cinematic rock show, but the scalding ivories soaring throughout this record prove he's fully in charge, making the Giuffria moniker an apt band name. The long, blond angel always kicks off his projects with some cool keys, and the pulsing prelude to "Do Me Right" overpowers the rest of the song; like much of the album, this track devolves into a standard hair cut with symphonic trappings. Some abrupt occultism flies out of the flip's finale (spookiest cock rock craziness since the rise of Hagar's animal on Three Lock Box). Know now that both Giuffria platters are built around David Glen Eisley's voice, and enjoyment depends on how one takes to his heavy heaving. Plus, typical of this time period, some stuff sears, while some stuff sucks. But wistful weeper "Call to the Heart" rightfully remains Giuffria's crowning achievement and lone chart glory. Poor Giuffria remains a terrain-tethered star who never got off the ground.

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Giuffria - Silk + Steel (1986)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: MCAD-5742
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© 1986 MCA Records
AllMusic Review by Doug Stone
Released back when there was always two sides to every audio story (i.e., side one and side two), Giuffria's second offering houses an interesting concept: polarizing the huffy from the heavy. This is hardly a revolutionary idea, as such was the common format of most AOR at the time, and perhaps for the sake of balance some silk slips into the steel and vice versa, so the record ultimately ends up heavy on the light. The titular titan's bombastic keyboards float like angel feathers amongst David Glen Eisley's lung-busting vocals (Eisley even scats with axeman Lanny Cordola right out of the gate on "No Escape"). The saccharine sweetness of "Love You Forever" and "Girl" isn't sticky enough and makes your teeth hurt, but brief radio-ringer "I Must Be Dreaming" reveals a lovely, plaintive reverie, forerunner to White Lion's wimpy winner "Little Fighter" and arguably even better than the debut's "Call to the Heart" (Giuffria's shining moment on the charts). Silk closer "Change of Heart" mentions "Heart on the Line," a Rick Nielsen number the band covered as House of Lords on Sahara. Obviously these poodle poppers want the airwaves, as demonstrated on the radical "Radio" and through the production gloss of Pat Glasser, the secret of Night Ranger's success. The best steel moment, "Lethal Lover," naturally rules and quotes Journey's "Edge of the Blade" and "Hocus Pocus" by Focus. The slippery-when-wet "Dirty Little Secret" isn't as raunchy as Y&T should be, but boasts some fine playing. Giuffria's whooping keys retain their grandiose uniqueness, and the electric drums are antiquated but not annoying, ditto the blazing fretwork (a dependable hair staple) from Cordola. Honestly, though, except for one jewel on each side, these dudes can't touch Steve Perry and company. The European reissue includes a bonus, "Say It ain't True." Sinister genius Gene Simmons forced the band to change their name and vocalist to become House of Lords.

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La Oreja De Van Gogh - Más Guapa (2006)

*Contiene un segundo disco con 14 canciones en total. 

(Contains a second disc with 14 tracks.)

Country: Spain
Language: Spanish (Castellano)
Genre: Latin Pop, Pop Rock

Label Number: 88697043632

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© 2006 Sony BMG Music Entertainment
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
Like its predecessor, the multi-platinum Lo Que Te Conté Mientras Te Hacías la Dormida (2003), Guapa is a stunning showcase of La Oreja de Van Gogh's talent for crafting an array of nearly perfect pop/rock songs that are memorable and instantly appealing yet also intelligent and unique from one another. While many contemporary pop/rock albums feature a few highlights and a bunch of filler, La Oreja de Van Gogh albums are exceptionally high quality from beginning to end, with any particular song catchy and well-crafted enough to be a potential hit single. For instance, last go round Lo Que Te Conté Mientras Te Hacías la Dormida spawned eight chart hits -- over half the album -- and like its predecessor, Guapa offers a bounty of gems. The dynamic lead single, "Muñeca de Trapo," is the best of them, featuring a chorus powered by a surging guitar riff. The two highlights that follow, "Dulce Locura" and "Perdida," are also explosive. While the quiet-loud-quiet dynamics of these songs aren't as prevalent elsewhere on Guapa, every song boasts a memorable hook, and there's often a palpable tension between guitarist Pablo Benegas, whose riffs tend to overtake the songs during the choruses, and lead vocalist Amaia Montero, whose singing grows intenser whenever the guitar riffs kick in. All of this makes for dramatic and frequently powerful pop/rock -- that is, pop songs that at times truly rock. Toward the latter half of Guapa, after all of the aforementioned highlights have passed, there is a bunch of lighter songs ("Irreversible," "V.O.S.," "Apareces Tú," "Mi Vida sin Ti," "Cuantos Cuentos Cuento"), which helps relieve some of the earlier tension and closes the album on a fairly relaxed note. [Guapa was subsequently repackaged and re-released as Más Guapa, a two-disc edition that includes the original album on one disc and a compilation of previously unreleased material on the second disc. Some of the previously unreleased material is from the Guapa sessions, including a couple demos. Highlights include "En Mi Lado del Sofá" and "Nuestro Mundo," both of which are first-rate songs.]

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Aleks Syntek - Mundo Lite (2003)

Country: Mexico
Language: Spanish (Español)
Genre: Latin Pop, Pop Rock
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© 2003 EMI/Virgin Records
AllMusic Review by Jason Birchmeier
Mexican pop/rock genius Aleks Syntek has recorded a lot of great music in his day, and the songs comprising Mundo Lite are no exception. In fact, they just might be some of the best he's ever assembled on one album. From the album-opening electronic textures and guitar hooks of "Tiempos de Paz," it's hard to deny the music of Mundo Lite. And if you're not drawn in from the get-go, the second song, "Duele de Amor," an absolutely beautiful duet with Spanish star Ana Torroja, surely will get you. But don't be mistaken. Syntek may be the epitome of Latin pop, but he's an artist first and foremost. His credits for Mundo Lite read like a laundry list: everything from singing, songwriting, and various instrumentation to engineering, production, and arranging. This guy does it all, and he does it very well. Mundo Lite simply shines in terms of production. It's super-produced without sounding over-produced; shimmering with detail yet clearly defined; full and yet still light and spacious. His singing and instrumentation aren't exactly virtuosic, but they don't need to be. This is pop music -- keeping the proceedings basic and accessible is a key part of the appeal. The only real challenge here is to deny the pull of these songs, as they're lively, feel-good, and really catchy. Highlights are plentiful, to the point where you'll likely find yourself playing Mundo Lite from beginning to end without ever reaching for the track-forward button on your music player (not counting the bonus tracks, which admittedly are a bit too much). Again, it seems a little monotonous to harp on about the talents of Syntek, given his bountiful recording career and all the accolades showered upon him over the years, but it's worth stressing that as great as his past work has been more often than not, Mundo Lite showcases the man in peak form. So much so that the album begs the perennial question: where does he go from here? It's hard to imagine a better, nearer-to-perfect performance from Syntek. Does this man's talent have a limit?

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Propaganda - Wishful Thinking (1985)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Synth Pop

Label Number: ZCID Q20

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© 1985 ZZT
AllMusic Review by Evan Cater
In the '80s, remix records were usually either solipsistic synth noodling with very little appeal for the average listener or, worse still, crass commercial attempts to eek a few additional dollars from die hard fans. Propaganda was apparently prepared to answer accusations of that sort. The record jacket for Wishful Thinking, their 1985 collection of remixed "disturbdances" of songs from their debut, A Secret Wish, defends the remix concept with a quotation from Goethe: "and refashioning the fashioned/ lest it stiffen into iron/ is a work of endless vital activity." Somehow Wishful Thinking seems deserving of Goethe's defense. These remixes are vital and original creations in their own right. At times they even seem to surpass the quality of the original poppier versions. The driving dance beats, mesmerizing gothic chords, and swirling ambient guitars create a melancholic ethos of considerable artistic merit. Perhaps the key is the reduction in emphasis on the sometimes grating sing/shout vocals by Claudia Brucken and Susan Freytag. And though some mixes do begin to get dull when they are reduced to thumping bass and grinding drums, the vast majority of this project is more dynamic than that.

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Propaganda - A Secret Wish (1985)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Synth Pop

Label Number: 610 540-222 CID 126 (90 288-2)

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© 1985 ZZT
AllMusic Review by Keith Farley
With guests including David Sylvian, Heaven 17's Glenn Gregory, and Steve Howe, A Secret Wish is synth-rock with an eye toward orchestrated pop as well as a bit of sampler experimentation in the grand ZTT tradition of Art of Noise. There's a distinct lack of songwriting on the album, and though the synth-grooves are tight enough to keep it flowing for most of its length, A Secret Wish occasionally falls flat from its own weight.

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Propaganda - 1234 (1990)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Synth Pop

Label Number: CDV2625

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© 1990 Charisma Records
AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson
1234 was not only Propaganda's first album for Charisma -- it was also the first album the group had recorded since its legal battle with ZTT, and the first since its personnel changes of 1988. Keyboardist Michael Mertens (Propaganda's only remaining original member) and Simple Minds graduates Derek Forbes (bass) and Brian McGee (drums) were still on board, although singer Claudia Brucken had been replaced by Betsi Miller, an American vocalist who fit in nicely. While 1234 isn't Propaganda's best album and falls short of essential, it's generally decent. "Heaven Give Me Words," "Only One Word," and "Wound in My Heart" are examples of Propaganda doing what it did well: lush, atmospheric synth-pop. Attractive melodies were Propaganda's forté, and the group's post-Brucken lineup provided its share. 1234 is the work of a group that was past its prime, but still had some things to say musically.

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Vio-Lence - Eternal Nightmare (1988) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Thrash Metal

Label Number: DMCF 3423; 255 694-2

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☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1988 MCA/Mechanic Records
AllMusic Review by John Franck
Almost by definition, every musical genre (and the Bay Area thrash metal scene was no exception) is launched by a small number of outstanding artists who go on to inspire a slew of second and third 'tier' acts (read: followers). Inevitably, these followers manage to ape the originators with varying success, only to fall prey to historical inconsequence shortly thereafter -- Vio-lence is a classic case study. Although never as talented as peers Death Angel or Testament, Vio-Lence survived by being one of the scene's most pro-active underground acts and a much better live act than your run of the mill Forbidden or Heathen. But with the glaring vocal shortcomings of vocalist Sean Killian cramping their style, committing their Exodus-inspired mosh anthems to vinyl on 1988's Eternal Nightmare would prove to be a greater challenge. Still, guitarists Robb Flynn and Phil Demmel manage to spark some excitement into the propulsive title track, the vicious "Kill on Command" and the raging crowd favorite "Serial Killer."

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Vio-Lence - Oppressing The Masses (1990) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Thrash Metal

Label Number: 7 82105-2

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☠: Selected by Buccaneer

© 1990 Atlantic/Megaforce Records
AllMusic Review by John Franck
Massively influenced by Bay Area Thrash legends Exodus, by 1988 Vio-Lence had already released Eternal Nightmare; a promising debut which featured the pile driving "Serial Killer" and "Kill on Command." But when the band's label Mechanic went bust shortly thereafter, the act would join the ranks of Jon Zazula's Megaforce for the release of their sophomore follow-up, Oppressing the Masses in 1990. Ferocious, intricate, and yet, stubbornly a-tonal at times, the album (produced by Alex Perialas-- the man responsible for such thrash classics as Anthrax's Spreading the Disease and Testament's The Legacy) was a somewhat over-ambitious bid to join the big time thrash leagues, but would be let down once again by singer Sean Killian's irritating buzzing bee vocals. Their crunchy, chuga-chuga guitar attack notwithstanding, tracks like seven minute opener "I Profit" and the excellent, rhythmically charged "Officer Nice" are hindered by their sometimes less than-song-oriented approach and an overwhelming debt to scene leaders Exodus. The same can be said for "World in a World" (possibly the album's strongest track), but some of the remaining material, "Mentally Afflicted," "Liquid Courage" (which deals with domestic abuse as seen through the eyes of an alcoholic) and album closer, "Oppressing the Masses" are all solid if somewhat cookie-cutter in their arrangements.

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Vio-Lence - Nothing To Gain (1993)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Thrash Metal

Label Number: CDBLEED 4

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© 1993 Bleeding Hearts Records
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
Vio-Lence didn't so much progress as wait for their singer, the vocally challenged Sean Killian, to catch up to their musical onslaught. And this he finally did on the band's third and final album, Nothing to Gain. Released to deafening indifference at the height of the '90s alternative rock revolution, this no-frills slab of workman-like thrash metal really never had a hope in hell. So whilst mosh-pit friendly jigs like "Atrocity," "Killing Words," and the furious "Twelve Gauge Justice" rank with their most technically accomplished material to date, nothing here compares to their classic "Serial Killer," in terms of over the top thrashing. Guitarist Robb Flynn soon took the hint, and quit the group to launch the very successful Machine Head.

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Morgoth - Cursed (1991)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Death Metal
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© 1991 Century Media
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
Following a couple of quickly recorded but well-crafted (and well-received) EPs to start off their career, German death metal favorites Morgoth finally got the chance to record a full-length album in 1991's Cursed. Now expanded to a quintet, they entered Dortmund's famed Woodhouse Studios with longtime producer Dirk Draeger and cut nine new tracks, then shipped the master tapes to Los Angeles, California, for additional mixing by death metal authority Randy Burns. The resulting Cursed showed a steady stylistic progression from the band's early work, which, from its original impetus as Kreator-styled Teutonic post-thrash, had now become incontestably death metal. Both a blessing and a curse, this realization confirmed Morgoth's belonging within the new generation of metal talent, yet sacrificed some of the distinctive sonic traits that made them recognizably European in evolution (not just another Floridian death metal act). To wit, the dynamic diversity and melodic asides more prevalent in the European school only cropped up on occasion, lending an almost death/doom drag to winning tracks like "Isolated" and "Sold Baptism." Elsewhere, Morgoth seemed to be emulating Americans Obituary in an attempt to fit in, what with most new offerings (even standouts like "Body Count" and "Unreal Imagination") boasting greater complexity in their arrangements, lower guitar tunings for that bowl-rumbling death-effect, and deeper-pitched growls from vocalist Marc Grewe. But it's the act of book-ending Cursed with incomplete-feeling instrumentals (the intro/title track and repetitive closer "Darkness") that do the most damage to this otherwise very accomplished, if unspectacular, example of early-'90s death metal.

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Morgoth - Odium (1993)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Death Metal
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© 1993 Century Media
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
Alternately viewed, depending on who you ask, as Morgoth's finest hour or their undoing, 1993's Odium found the German quintet bent on expanding their sound following a perfectly acceptable, but perfunctory, death metal effort in 1991's Cursed. Effectively, they seemed to be consciously distancing themselves from the distinctly American death metal habits attained of late, and trying to assimilate -- even if only tentatively -- a number of different influences, ranging from the groovier type of riffs popularized by the likes of Entombed and the then-fast-rising Swedish death metal scene, to the industrial music tendencies making waves worldwide at the time. As a result, Odium songs like "Art of Sinking," "Drowning Sun" and "War Inside" had their lyrics shouted in an almost hardcore style (more so than gurgled in death metal form), were built on cleaner guitar riffs than the deathly sludge of old, and, most egregiously in longtime fans' eyes, wound up surrendering massive doses of pure ferocity in the bargain. However, open-minded listeners less attached to Morgoth's uniform brutality past, likewise encountered numerous reasons to embrace the far more varied combinations of moods and textures fueling the likes of "Under the Surface," "Submission" (complete with murmured vocals -- shock!), and especially all-purpose opener "Resistance." In sum, those willing to accept these aesthetic innovations will find almost nothing to bitch about here, while purists will probably have fled the battlefield by now. In either analysis, Odium probably constitutes Morgoth's most memorable album, and certainly their last, fully committed effort as a band before the seeds of discontent set in.

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Morgoth - Feel Sorry For The Fanatic (1996)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Industrial Metal, Thrash Metal
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© 1996 Century Media
AllMusic Review by Eduardo Rivadavia
By the release of this belated swan song of an album, Morgoth were effectively no more; torn asunder by ulterior projects, divergent career paths, and increasingly pronounced creative differences that conspired to make Feel Sorry for the Fanatic sound impossibly far removed from the single-minded death metal machine that had been. Not surprising, really, if you take into account that these grown men likewise bore little resemblance to the angry teenagers who had founded the band nearly a decade prior, but that was little consolation for any fans who were expecting to hear the sounds of their youth. Feel Sorry for the Fanatic provides nothing of the sort, replacing grunts with musical vocals, lyrics of death and destruction with subjects more, ahem, intelligent and realistic, infusing bountiful doses of melody where previously there'd been mostly unfettered power, and coming full circle in a way by avoiding death metal altogether to approximate earlier, bouncier thrash. Having said that, best tracks "This Fantastic Decade" "Last Laugh" and "Watch the Fortune Wheel" deliver perfectly decent commercial metal if taken at face value, free of any historical expectations. Not so more severe detours such as the aimlessly synth-generated "...And Its Amazing Consequences" or even the unbearably plodding "Curiosity," both of which simply serve to throw more kindling upon the fires of Morgoth's demise. But then, that was already a moot point at this juncture, leaving one only to mull over the philosophical notion that, like many mid-'90s metal bands (including their one-time idols Kreator), Morgoth fell victim to heavy metal's brief but widespread identity crisis of the mid-'90s.

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Morgoth - Ungod (2015)

Country: Germany
Language: English
Genre: Death Metal
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© 2015 Century Media
Review by Kevin Stewart-Panko for Metal Injection.net
Five years ago, when Germany’s Morgoth announced their return to active duty after a twelve year layoff, there was a pretty good chance I was one of a very small handful of people looking forward to their return. Let me clarify that: I was one of a very small handful of people looking forward to their return if, and only if, they picked up where they left off after 1996’s Feel Sorry for the Fanatic.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, all their pre-Feel Sorry… activities – before they discovered industrial, post-punk and Killing Joke – was perfectly serviceable and admirable death metal, some of which might even be considered small-c classics in some circles. With Feel Sorry…, Morgoth took a ginormous wrong turn down the one-way thoroughfare of expectation, but did a fucking awesome job of it in the process. And while I have gone on record on numerous occasions proclaiming my enjoyment of said record – justifying my shitty taste, as it were – it’s a shame that so few members of the rest of world see where I’m coming from, let alone agree with me. Oh well, there’s no accounting for taste. Good, bad, misguided, or otherwise.
Let’s be realistic: a band coming back from the grave isn’t going to pick up from where its most maligned work and unpopular phase left off, even if extreme music’s absorption and acceptance of post-punk is at an all-time high these days. So it is that Ungod kicks off with “House of Blood” and about a half-minute into the two-and-a-half-minute long track it smacks that Morgoth is indeed going back to their early days, before the mid-90s when they left death metal mewling in the sandbox. However, even at their peak, the Westphalia quintet was a band that even the most dedicated of death heads could take or leave. Yes, they had their moments, and some of them were even great, but Morgoth was always a band lacking that consistently killer sensibility. They offered up just as many moments of crotch-tingling brutality as they did pure ennui, and time away hasn’t changed that unfortunate fact.
Truth be told, it isn’t until the second or third track in (“Voice of Slumber” and “Snakestate,” for those of you keeping score) that Morgoth becomes entirely distinguishable from Obituary. Even then, it’s due to dark and wiry melodies added to the surprising amount of Teutonic-filtered redneck stomp this album is dripping with. When the pace gets picked up, as on “Descent Into Hell” and “God is Evil,” the increased velocity opens things up: the choppier riffs are more propulsive and therefore more scathing, the drumming and cymbal crashes become much more oppressive, and the dynamics more pronounced when they slow down for a sludgy, Celtic Frost mosh groove and add in well-phrased melodic leads. It’s when the mid-pace is made the central focus of a song that Ungod comes across as less exciting and energetic. Witness a track like “Nemesis” with its ungainly plod that’s only salvaged by an awesome chorus and excellent guitar harmonies.
So, in a roundabout way, Morgoth has really picked up where they left off. Except that instead of grabbing the ball around 1993 and Odium’s slightly more daring take on the genre or the complete switcheroo of Feel Sorry…, they basically jumped right back into 1991’s Cursed and that album’s purist death metal form and the same mixed results.

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Splendora - In The Grass (1995)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Post Grunge

Label Number: 3-7912-2

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© 1995 Koch Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

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Three Fish - Three Fish (1996)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
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© 1996 Epic Records
No professional reviews available for this release.

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Three Fish - The Quiet Table (1999)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Indie Rock, Acoustic Rock
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© 1999 Epic Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Usually, Three Fish is viewed as the side project of Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, but it's more accurate to view it as a collaboration between three musicians, spearheaded by South African singer/songwriter Robbie Robb. He has a distinctive style, typified by a yearning, searching mysticism in both his lyrics and music. It's apparent in the long, spacy jams or the surging blasts of anthemic rock. Everything on The Quiet Table -- an album allegedly inspired by a trip to Egypt -- has a bit of a mystical vibe, and while it can seem a little turgid at times, it's an ambitious project that often pays off in intriguing songs and evocative sonic textures.

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Damn Yankees - Damn Yankees (1990) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: 9 26159-2

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 1990 Warner Bros. Records
AllMusic Review by Mike DeGagne
Although the term "supergroup" doesn't quite apply to the Damn Yankees, they did manage to rekindle the spirit of 1970s (and '80s) rock with each of their talents, at least to some extent. Damn Yankees took the unblemished, radio rock ballad "High Enough" to its deserving number three spot on the singles chart, with its power stemming from the oily melody and the made-to-order guitar playing of Ted Nugent. Both Tommy Shaw and Night Ranger's Jack Blades give "High Enough" an even quantity of lushness and might, which helped the album itself climb to number 13 and gain platinum status. "Coming of Age" is the album's second-best track, which has the band rocking out without going over the edge and sounding too contrived. The rest of the album finds the group reliving their glory days, which is to be expected, and tracks like "Runaway" and "Come Again" come through as avid little rockers. Only "Piledriver" and "Rock City" sound silly and pushed, most likely influenced by Nugent himself. As the 1990s approached, the slick sound of guitar rock may have been dwindling, but Damn Yankees do a fine job at keeping it alive at least for a little while. By the time their next album was released, the decade had no room for their brand of arena rock, which sounded more passé than ever before, despite a decent sounding single which kicked it off

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Damn Yankees - Don't Tread (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: 9 45025-2
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© 1992 Warner Bros. Records
AllMusic Review by Gary Hill
Sometimes the whole is less than the sum of its parts. Such is the case with Damn Yankees, a group that should have been so much better than it was. When you have a band including such hard rock heroes as Ted Nugent, Tommy Shaw (Styx), and Jack Blades (Night Ranger), you really expect something special. This album, Damn Yankees' second, shows the band falling even shorter from those expectations than on its debut. The songwriting just never seems to gel: The majority of the material feels like each member wrote a part and then they just tried to stick the various pieces into one assembly. The result is not really bad, and there are some shining moments. It's just that one would think that this group would be capable of so much more. Interestingly enough, with all this talent, the brightest moments of the album are the ones that are trademark Nugent.

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Vinnie Vincent Invasion - All Systems Go (1988) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Glam Metal

Label Number: CCD 1626

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☠: Selected by Lass

© 1988 Chrysalis Records
AllMusic Review by Chris True
Does that high-pitched wail sound familiar? Well, odds are if you're reading this, you should know it. For Vinnie's second album, good ol' Mark Slaughter (who would soon -- with Invasion bassist Dana Strum -- form the even more successful and creatively named hair metal band Slaughter) takes over vocals from the departed Robert Fleischman, and while his high-pitched wails are a bit hard to take, his vocals give this record a bit more consistency than the debut. Outside of that it's kinda just more of the same. Unfortunate for Mr. Vincent given his obvious talents, this sort of "metal" that somehow thrived from 1985-1990 (or so) wasn't the type of rock that was open to too much experimentation. So what you get here is a pretty run-of-the-mill hair rock album: rockers, ballads, solos, etc.

tags: vinnie vincent invasion, all systems go, 1988, flac,

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Heavy Bones - Heavy Bones (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
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© 1992 Reprise Records
Review by mrgeorgecraven for Melodic-Hard Rock.com
Heavy Bones is a early 90’s semi-supergroup. Containing Joel Ellis on vocals (ex- Cats In Boots), Frankie Banali on drums (ex-just about everyone in the 80’s), and rounding it out with guitar hero Gary Hoey and bassist Rex Tenison. Frankie Banali, is of course the most recognizable from his days in Quiet Riot, while the other three all tasted different levels of success in the previous decade.
The most misleading thing about Heavy Bones is their name. First of all, they aren’t very heavy at all, they are a melodic rock band in every sense of the term. I’m not sure if other reviewer’s took their name too seriously or what, but these guys weren’t trying to be Pantera on this record. In fact, they sound more like a mixture of early Aerosmith and maybe some Journey sprinkled in for good measure, while relying quite heavily on a blues-rock basis. I do also agree with the other reviewer that stated, “Maybe if they had a better band name, and better cover artwork, they would have been a little more well recieved”. Well maybe, and then again maybe not. It was 1992 remember, and most melodic rock was being, or already was washed far away from the public eye. All things aside though, Heavy Bones released a pretty solid melodic rock record for the year it was released. I won’t lie, not every song is killer, but there are some gems here. Songs like “4 A.M. T.M.”, “Where The Livin’ Is Easy”, “Turn It On”, “Summers In The Rain” and “The Hand That Feeds” are all solid and keep the record kicking throughout.
If your looking for a sound that any of these guys previously made in other bands, look somewhere else. Heavy Bones are their own band. They didn’t rely on previous musical exploits to further their cause. I suggest you buy it and check it out for yourself, you may be surprised!

tags: heavy bones, heavy bones album, 1992, flac,

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Bad4Good - Refugee (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock

Label Number: 7 92185-2
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© 1992 Interscope/Atlantic Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: bad4good, bad 4 good, refugee, 1992, flac,

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