Tag Archives: AOR

Album Of The Day, Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal

Album Of The Day: Gary Moore – Run For Cover

7 Comments
Gary Moore – Run For Cover (10/Virgin 1985)

Gary Moore had a good voice but never quite at the same level as his fiery guitar playing so on 1985’s Run For Cover he enlists two legendary, but troubled, vocalists to help out. “Voice Of Rock” Glenn Hughes lends his powerful, soulful singing to four songs, most notably the classy Reach For The Sky which could have fit right in on his superb 1982 album Hughes/Thrall. And then Moore’s old Lizzy pal Phil Lynott basically steals the show with his larger-than-life presence: duetting on bullet-strewn hit Out In The Fields and contributing his own thumpingly macho, but characteristically vulnerable, Military Man. I enjoy the whole album but it’s these guest appearances that make Run For Cover a favourite.

My copy is from this box set. Good music, crappy packaging!
Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Posts

Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas – Things’ve Changed

17 Comments

“Wondering, if you still got it in ya”

Here’s a feelgood classic rock song from a year that had very little of that going about. On Not 4 Sale Sammy Hagar And The Waboritas managed the rare feat (in 2002) of sounding like they were actually having a ton of fun bashing out songs like Things’ve Changed. It’s basic, familiar stuff but it’s also warm, catchy and delivered with infectiously easygoing charm. I love the mix of Who-like strummed acoustics and thick power chords and Hagar’s voice sounds great. Until this week I hadn’t listened to Things’ve Changed for over a decade so I can’t really say it’s essential but one listen was enough to have the song bouncing around happily in my head for days. It made me feel good. So no changes there.

Album Of The Day, Classic Rock, Hard Rock

Album Of The Day: Magnum – Vigilante

2 Comments
Magnum – Vigilante (1986 – Polydor)

The “My Little Unicorn” artwork isn’t the only thing about Magnum’s Vigilante that will have you exclaiming “ermagherd!” There’s a whole bunch of the band’s best tunes here: the hard-rocking title track; the passionate Midnight (You Won’t Be Sleeping); the sublime anti-war ballad Need A Lot Of Love; and When The World Comes Down, the winter warmer single that should have been a Xmas number one! Shame it was released in February. Queen’s Roger Taylor produced this 1986 album and his 80s pop sheen might not be for everyone, but the songs are pomp rock heaven.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Posts

Albert Bouchard – Mountain Of Madness

9 Comments

“Avast me hearties…”

Albert Bouchard’s Imaginos trilogy has mostly involved re-imagined versions of old Blue Öyster Cult songs but it’s a wonderful new song Mountain Of Madness that forms the centrepiece of the trilogies final album, Imaginos III: Mutant Reformation. A collaboration between ex-BÖC member Bouchard and current member Richie Castellano, this is a glorious manfeels adventure on the seven seas. Mountain Of Madness is a glorious AOR tune with a piratey sway, Kansas-style fiddle and a soulful, melodic vocal performance from Castellano. The Imaginos series has been one of the most delightful surprises of recent years and it’s hit a peak with Mountain Of Madness. I love it!

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Song Posts

Angel – Mariner

2 Comments

“Sailed the straights alone my ship and me”

I’m a complete sucker for songs that evoke the sea or the coast and that’s exactly what I love about today’s song pick: Mariner from US pomp rockers Angel. Taken from their S/T 1975 debut, it’s not the wateriest song in terms of guitar effects and there are no atmospheric waves and seagull sounds. But the music and performance takes you on a wistful, dreamy journey that reminds me a lot of another seafaring classic, Procul Harum’s Salty Dog. Vocalist Frank DiMino is in particularly fine form, delivering the soaring and gentle tune like he’s got a faraway look in his eyes. But the best bit is an incongruous burst of piano that sounds like it’s straight out of the Rocky soundtrack. I guess you can take Angel out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of Angel.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Posts

Journey – Wheel In The Sky

19 Comments

“The mornin’ sun is risin'”

You never know what the new day will bring. I’ve been listening pretty solidly to death metal this week (Akercocke, Bloodbath, Gorguts) then I woke up this morning and my brain was playing Wheel In The Sky by Journey. Bit of a change of pace, but a fine suggestion, brain! Taken from my favourite Journey album Infinity, Wheel In The Sky is a standout song from the album and from the band’s whole career. It’s in D-minor, the saddest of all keys, but its bouncy rhythm, suvvern twang and Steve Perry’s blissful singing give it a strident, hopeful quality. Throw in an iconic guitar intro and a rich, warm production and you’ve got an absolute rock classic that never fails to put a spring in my step. Now let’s see what my brain’s got lined up for tomorrow… back to the good old zombie infernos I’ll bet.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Song Posts

Def Leppard – Let’s Get Rocked

35 Comments

“Turn it off, that ain’t my scene”

Turn it off: that was basically my opinion when I first heard it on the radio in 1992, but who knew Def Leppard’s cheesemongous Let’s Get Rocked would prove to be such a grower? It’s three chords’ worth of dumb with cringey lyrics, but after countless listens, live performances, steamin’ singalongs and noticing just how incredibly euphoric that guitar solo is, it would be churlish not to appreciate that this song makes me happy. And surely that was the goal. OK, it’s not Lep’s best song by a mile, it’s not even the best song on its parent album Adrenalize, but I’ve got a real soft spot for it. A rock is definitely not out of the question.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Song Posts

Magnum – Les Morts Dansant

9 Comments

“Gather round reluctant marksmen”

Magnum. The minute the weather starts getting cooler I reach for this veritable comfort-blanket of a band. Here’s Les Morts Dansant, the centrepiece from their excellent 1985 album On A Storyteller’s Night. Set in WWI, the song describes the execution of a British soldier who has refused to leave the trenches and go over the top. The song title translates as “the dancing dead” as it illustrates the pirouette of the dying soldier as he’s riddled with bullets from the firing squad. It’s a horrific topic but Magnum’s keen moral sense ensures the song is written and performed eloquently and compassionately. Bob Catley sings movingly with his heart on his sleeve as warm keyboards and celestial guitars gradually build to a climax of Baba O’Riley-style power chords. The album cover depicts a wizard relating a fireside tale to a bunch of captivated dwarfs and Les Morts Dansant is basically the musical equivalent. Spellbinding storytelling from a magical band.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock

Glenn Hughes – Burning Japan Live (Review)

23 Comments
Glenn Hughes – Burning Japan Live (2018 Reissue)

Having made a promising studio comeback with 1994’s From Now On… the newly-sober Glenn Hughes then set out to prove his reliability and viability as a live performer. Burning Japan Live, recorded in 1994 over two nights in Kawasaki, captures Hughes and his band (now including three members of Europe) in spectacular form. The album kicks off with a red-hot version of the Deep Purple classic Burn and continues with a revelatory run of non-Purple tracks. There’s a swaggering take on the Hughes/Thrall classic Muscle And Blood and the new solo tracks like From Now On… and The Liar sound magnificent. A cluster of mellow tunes causes a mid-set lull but the versions of Coast To Coast and This Time Around are classy examples of Hughes’ versatility. The chilled interlude also provides a nice breather before the show switches gears for a hard rocking climax that’s loaded with Purple anthems from Glenn’s MkIII and IV days. Burning Japan Live proved Hughes was back at the peak of his powers and also celebrated his long and storied career. It’s a vibrant, dynamic and sophisticated live album that cemented his reputation as the “Voice Of Rock”.

Classic Rock, Genre, Hard Rock

Nazareth – Malice In Wonderland (Review)

22 Comments
Nazareth – Malice In Wonderland (1980)

Nazareth made their name with thumping hard rock but were too creative and versatile to stick to a heavy formula for any length of time. The ballsy attack and monster-mascot covers of 1977’s Expect No Mercy and 1979’s No Mean City primed them for the early 80s heavy metal boom. But while Motorhead, Saxon and the like were hammering out their leathery biker anthems, Dunfermline’s finest went soft. They teamed up with producer (and famed Steely Dan/session muso) Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter for the sun-kissed adult rock of 1980’s Malice In Wonderland. Flirting with reggae on Big Boy? Getting disco fever on Talkin’ Bout Love? You might question the band’s decision-making, but the end result was one of Nazareth’s most enjoyable albums.

Holiday and Showdown At The Border are tasty Lizzy/UFO-ish rockers with sublime hooks. Heart’s Grown Cold is a beautiful, affecting gospel-tinged ballad and Ship Of Dreams has a West Coast hippy vibe right out of Love’s Forever Changes. Baxter’s production tones down the band’s guitar heft and reduces Fast Cars to a boring plinky-plonk but the album sounds lush and the focus on song allows vocalist Dan McCafferty to shine. And guitar-lovers will enjoy the strong contribution from Zal Cleminson whose playing and writing give the album a witty, eclectic edge that is reminiscent of his work with Alex Harvey. So… no monster mascots here, but this is still killer stuff. An overlooked gem for rock fans that like it classic and classy.