Having reviewed (and quite liked) the re-release of their long out-of-print debut, ‘Sudden Impact’ in January, Monk thought I might like to take another listen to this compilation of previously unreleased songs from the band. My original comments about the music being of a time still stand. However, having listened to this selection makes me wonder if the band really knew what they wanted to be at the time. The press release calls it “an eclectic mix of genres”. That it most definitely is and some of it should have remained unreleased. I don’t like to be wholly negative, but I am sure the band must have realised before this release that it was as disparate as Madonna and Meat Loaf.
The “pop rock” stuff just is of the time it was recorded in the late ‘80s and really should have stayed there. However, the heavier stuff has something about it that could achieve some streaming listens, the single ‘Overnight Sensation’ being one. However, there are other better tracks that could do more. The one that makes me think this is ‘Simply Because’; it has something of a Saxon sound to it that is completely different to ‘Sudden Impact’. I wonder if it’s a different vocalist as it is much deeper than the first album.
‘Baby You’ is a real ear worm of a pop song that reminds me of the boy band stuff to the ‘80s and this is why I think that the band really didn’t know what they wanted to be. ‘Win Or Lose’ has a bit of a European hair rock feel with the synthesiser dominating the track and the higher register of a different vocalist, more akin to the first release. ‘Rockin’ Again’ is a heavier (and IMHO) the best track on the album despite the bar being set rather low by the rest of it. Once again, the Saxon sound is definitely more dominant in this track: I can seriously hear Biff singing this.
‘Long And Lonely Time’ has a bit of Green Day ‘When September Ends’ style acoustic guitar opening before it sounds like a Queen Christmas hit with some definitely Brian May-esque guitar sounds. The final track ‘Cry For The Children’ really should have been left in the past. It is like a poor man’s Boyzone track, even down to the key change: unfortunately, it was a minor key change that really grates against your teeth like fingernails down a blackboard.
Sorry guys, some good, some bad and some ugly on an album that lives up to its title.
- ‘Lost In Translation’ is released on 17 June. You can get your copy HERE.
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