Random album reviews

TheDarkSaga.jpg

Iced Earth - The Dark Saga
Format: CD/Digital

Iced Earth's fourth album opens up with the title track of the album, Dark Saga begins by slowly building up creating an atmosphere of darkness right from the start. The song does eventually shift away from the atmospheric introduction into a crunchy rocker which here and there goes back into a more atmospheric feeling. From my understanding this is a concept record following a comic book, which explains the awesome cover art. Barlow is a strong vocalist, not entirely my cup of tea on some of the songs I've heard but there are some Iced Earth songs I've heard that have been on rotation lately. I Died For You comes in from the ending of the previous track, another slower introduction with Barlow singing calmly over equally calm instrumental work. This track is quite similar to the previous in terms of the pick up then slowing of tempo, it has a catchier chorus and Barlow's vocals are stronger as well, it feels like a more ballad like track without going fully into the tropes. The outro gives more hints towards a more powerful chorus to come. Violate is the first track to come with a more upbeat approach to it and doesn't waste much time making that introduction come accross as slow. Some of the vocals aren't my cup of tea but the energy and thunderous guitar work reallys alligns this song with the bands thrash metal genre listing. The solo section is rather melodic comparred to the work throughout the rest of the song. The Hunter opens with a bass introduction and there is more power in the vocals of the verse from the start than there was in Violate, The Hunter is another more upbeat and aggressive track and where in parts the previous track didn't quite click this track fits quite well, the choir behind Barlow is great and the verses have a punch to them. The Last Laugh fades in with a speedy drum intro and the thrash style is more prominent here, it works but I don't find it amazing. Depths Of Hell is the shortest track of the album, the instrumental is hard hitting while Barlow sings slowly on the introduction, not much to say about this one. Vengeance Is Mine comes up next like many others it begins melodic before kicking off into a hard rocking aggressive track, Barlow delivers some killer vocals throughout this track, the energy is infectious and punchy another solid track. Scarred I believe is the beginning of a 3 part track called The Suffering but I'm not 100% sure. Deep vocals paint a dark picture and the song takes a more melodic approach at for the first half before picking up in tempo about halfway through, there is two distinct vocal styles on the second component. Slave To The Dark continues seemlessly and begins to take the story on a darker turn, some nice wails early on and great punchy vocals throughout. Melodic soloing and all around just a strong track. A Question Of Heaven comes in with some slow and melodic singing and acoustic guitar, tying not just the past 3 songs together but the whole album this epic closer features all the best aspects of the album in one powerful package, the backing choir is back and used incredibly well throughout the track, vocals are dramatic and powerful from start to finish. Amazing closer.

Dark Saga - 7.5/10
I Died For You - 8.5/10
Violate - 7.5/10
The Hunter - 9/10
The Last Laugh - 7.5/10
Depths Of Hell - 7/10
Vengeance Is Mine - 8/10
Scarred - 8/10
Slave To The Dark - 9/10
A Question Of Heaven - 10/10

Adjusted -84%
Overall - 82%
3.5 Stars
 
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Helldorado - W.A.S.P.
Format: CD/Digital

Helldorado, the eigth studio album from W.A.S.P. kicks off with a circuisy introduction labeled as drive by which adds some theatrics to the albums opening and serves as an introduction to the title track which comes up next. Helldorado comes in more raw sounding than the bands other 90s and early 2000s releases, having a more early 1980s W.A.S.P. approach to the production and lyrical style. The music is pretty simplistic and Blackie wails away as one would expect from W.A.S.P. It doesn't have the catchy factor of some of the bands other hard rockers, but this is definitely a really strong track with an easy chorus and great vocals from Blackie. Don't Cry (Just Suck) comes in next with a short spoken piece, Blackie's vocals here sound off, yes he is wailing but they aren't nearly as good as his normal, the solo is probably the best part of the song, but with a poor vocal performance and some frankly stupid lyrics that isn't hard, who knows it could warm up to me but I don't think it will. Damnation Angels starts slow and the guitar tone feels AC/DC like, the longest track on the album and Blackie sounds correct again on this track. The AC/DC vibes don't go away and they actually help the song out a little bit, the mid paced tempo and the raw raspy vocals work really well inconjunction with each other. I think this track might grow on me over some time. Dirty Balls comes in with another spoken word piece before kicking into high gear, high energy and a decent rocker, frankly the introduction and the massive lyrical regression makes this track not one which I think I'll ever revisit unless I decide to listen to the album in full again. It has a strong energy to it and the track would be strong live but could Blackie not have written about anything else? He showed he can write some amazing lyrics with The Headless Children and The Crimson Idol so why couldn't he do some of that here... High On The Flames comes up next, slowing down and sung cleanly, the song feels like it could have been a ballad if it had been slower, instead it is a decent midtempo track which has its moments. Cocaine Cowboys comes in fast and rocking, it references the previous track, it picks the energy right up and while still not the most impressive lyrically the track is better than the two previous hard rocking tracks on the album. Can't Die Tonight comes in with a riff which I feel like is recycled from a previous song on the album, the song comes accross as a wall of sound. Decent in places with a chorus which just blends together, nice enegry throughout the song, and a solid solo section. Saturday Night Cockfight comes up next, continuing with the high energy from the previous track but as a whole the track also isn't the strongest. Seems like Blackie had a bit of a writers block on this album. Hot Rods To Hell (Helldorado Reprise) closes off the album, a decent album closer for a average album.

Drive By/Helldorado - 9/10
Don't Cry (Just Suck) -6.5/10
Damnation Angels - 8/10
Dirty Balls - 6.5/10
High On The Flames - 7.5/10
Cocaine Cowboys - 8/10
Can't Die Tonight - 7/10
Saturday Night Cockfight - 7/10
Hot Rods To Hell (Helldorado Reprise) - 8/10

Adjusted - 75%
Overall - 75%
Stars - 2.5
 
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Accident Of Birth - Bruce Dickinson
Format: CD/Digital

Bruce Dickinson's fourth solo album opens up with Freak an aggressive opening track in which Bruce sounds phenomenal on the verses, while on the chorus he seems a little strained, the track is a prime example of a strong opener, fast, punchy and heavy as all hell. Comparatively to Maiden the sound is more raw and heavy in some places Adrian and Roy deliver stellar guitar work throughout the track. High energy, and effective. After a brief interlude Starchildren comes in menacing from the start in terms of vocal delivery, the Star component of the title is drawn out, it isn't quite as powerful as a whole as the albums opening track, but it has good energy and the guitar duo deliver some real rough and crunchy riff interludes. Acoustic guitars introduce Taking The Queen, the singer painting a story with his words fromt he beginning singing softly, following the first verse the track shifts away from the calm acoustic work into a more upbeat component for the chorus. Afterwards it shifts back into more acoustic work, similar to Children Of The Damned structuarally thus far, vocally Bruce is on fire throughout this track while the track bears a similar structure to the Maiden classic this track is still unique and powerful throughout. Darkside Of Aquarius segues in from the previous track, the first of two tracks which exceed the 6 minute mark and of those this is the longest. The track has a reputation and early on it is clear why, it is amazing, the guitar work is infectious and Bruce absolutely slays it on vocals... as one would expect. The track shifts into an acoustic stripped back component at the 4 minute mark, Bruce continuing to be a true story teller with his vocal delivery, the outro is a little weaker than I expected from the stellar first half but the track is easily the best so far. Road To Hell is the first track where Adrian recieves writing credits, and the song from the onset sounds like your typical Dickinson Smith collaboration, more commercial than the other tracks which still remaining in line with the rest of the album sonically. A circuis riff appears in the middle prior to the solo, which serves as an effective segue into Bruce wailing slightly distorted on the bridge. Man Of Sorrows comes in with the sounds of a dark rainy night and some piano, the song doesn't shift into a hard rocker remaining a ballad focusing on the piano and Bruce's vocals. The song is dramatic and is an example of Bruce's stellar delivery. Beautiful. The Title track comes up next, wasting no time the track shifts right back to a dark and heavy feeling a blazing rocker with a vicious vocal delivery from Bruce; stellar guitar work as always from Roy and Adrian. The Magician follows up the title track, it comes accross as a more direct rock oriented track, this track is a couple steps back from the last few but it isn't quite on the level of Starchildren sitting a little above it. Although the compact and direct rocking approach of the track is welcome following the epic nature of the title track and the ballad format of the Man Of Sorrows. Welcome To The Pit slows down a little another Dickinson Smith collaboration, this one sounds less like the commerical approaches they have used in the past, the tracks name makes one expect it to be a blistering rocker which could have been used as an opener, however while it does rock hard featuring a phenomenal solo, it is a more midtempo track and is appropriately placed on the album. Omega is the penultimate track and the second track which exceeds 6 minutes in length. It begins acoustically with some soft vocals which soon make way for Bruce to come in, the first chorus increases the level of oomph within the track slightly however it remains acoustic and relatively calm with the second chorus being slightly more upbeat and plugged in than the previous. The solo section is equisite and it is a natural way to increase the overall band involvement throughout the track as it progresses. Arc of Space closes out the album, beginning acoustic, the track is a nice and calm closer for a pretty stellar album.

Freak - 9/10
Toltec 7 Arrival/Starchildren - 8/10
Taking The Queen - 8.5/10
Darkside Of Aquarius - 9.5/10
Road To Hell - 8.5/10
Man Of Sorrows -9/10
Accident Of Birth -9.5/10
The Magician - 8/10
Welcome To The Pit - 8.5/10
Omega -9/10
Arc Of Space -8/10

Adjusted - 87%
Overall - 87%
4 Stars
 
RattOutoftheCellar.jpg

Out Of The Cellar - Ratt
Format: CD/Digital

Ratt's debut album opens up with Wanted Man it begins mid tempo and the track feels like the era it came from musically. The band comes from the glam rock era of the 1980s, this track presents the band as a group whom definetely sound like a hair band but not to the extreme of say Poison instead sporting a less polished sound but not to the extent of W.A.S.P. in terms of rawness, the track is a decent opener, it doesn't really shine as a whole. You're In Trouble comes up second and it continues with the mid tempo approach, a little more catchy than the previous track, the band sounds solid throughout the track and I can hear the making of a band that I could really dig, but it is missing something, that wow factor isn't there. Round And Round is up next the lead single from the album, quite catchy and the elements of the band are starting to come together. Vocally the band has a rather commercial sound with some bits of roughness mixed into it. Chorus is decent and easy enough for people to chant. The song feels like it could have been sped up slightly and it would have been far stronger and higher energy. In Your Direction has the fastest opening yet! Which isn't saying that much but it does kick off with a fair bit of energy however the track doesn't utilize this energy to carry through the chorus is catchy but not super strong. The band doesn't sound as energetic as the previous track and the track remains on the same slower tempo as the previous one, another track which should be sped up. The solo is rather nice but the rest of the song doesn't deserve it. She Wants Money like the previous track starts off promising! And actually sticks to the tempo from the start for a while, chorus isn't great and the track doesn't have much substance to it, but the verses sound quite good as a whole package. This track does show some promise as mentioned in the verses coming together quite well. On a record Lack Of Communication would kick off side 2, the song features some studio noise to pad the runtime of this quite short album. The chorus sounds like what Scorpions did on Sting In The Tail's chorus many years later. The track has a decent punch to it and it is slightly higher tempo than the majority of the first half, which begs the question why didn't they start the album with one of the more upbeat tracks? Oh well they started side 2 with one at least. Back For More opens with some acoustic guitar before shifting rather quickly back to electric. It appears to be about a relationship which is turning a little sour and the track is decent enough, it is clear that the album is full of average songs with a couple highlight moments throughout. The Morning After seems to be a natural follow up to the previous track, the instrumental component of the track is a nice high energy rocker, however the vocals are delivered in a slower fashion which creates a bit of a disconnect because this track is the best from a musical standpoint thus far but the disconnect in tempo seems off and a waste of oppertunity. I'm Insane makes it pretty clear that Ratt put basically all their higher tempo tracks on side 2 of the album, which doesn't make sense to me. Closing out the album is Scene Of The Crime the longest track on the album clocking in at just under 5 minutes, the track feautres a fade in introduction, the track doesn't really differ from the style presented throughout the album. It is a decent track just nothing amazing as a whole.

Wanted Man - 7/10
You're In Trouble - 7.5/10
Round And Round - 8.5/10
In Your Direction - 7/10
She Wants Money - 7.5/10
Lack Of Communication -8/10
Back For More -7.5/10
The Morning After - 8.5/10
I'm Insane -7.5/10
Scene Of The Crime 7.5/10

Ajdusted - 77%
Overall - 77%
3 Stars
 
@The Dissident , you should listen to “Last Call” from Infestation and tell us what you think. If you don’t like that song, then you probably just shouldn’t listen to any more Ratt.
 
Jer said:
@The Dissident , you should listen to “Last Call” from Infestation and tell us what you think. If you don’t like that song, then you probably just shouldn’t listen to any more Ratt.
Click to expand...

Will do so in the near future (And before I go through the other albums)!

I have their first 5 albums and do enjoy some of their stuff but on first listen they aren't grabbing me for the debut. I like the vocals and their style works. I suspect my "disapointment" is because I've been on a real Black Sabbath kick the past few days which Ratt isn't the most natural fit for that kick.
 
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The main appeals of Ratt are Warren DeMartini’s awesome riffs and the sleazy charisma of Stephen Pearcy’s vocals. When those two things hit together, they’re great. When they don’t, it’s not good.

I love Out Of The Cellar and most of Infestation. Invasion Of Your Privacy and Dancing Undercover taper off in quality, and the stuff in between that and Infestation probably isn’t worth your time. But when they’re on, they’re on. “Last Call“ epitomizes everything there is to like about Ratt, IMO.
 
Jer said:
The main appeals of Ratt are Warren DeMartini’s awesome riffs and the sleazy charisma of Stephen Pearcy’s vocals. When those two things hit together, they’re great. When they don’t, it’s not good.

I love Out Of The Cellar and most of Infestation. Invasion Of Your Privacy and Dancing Undercover taper off in quality, and the stuff in between that and Infestation probably isn’t worth your time. But when they’re on, they’re on. “Last Call“ epitomizes everything there is to like about Ratt, IMO.
Click to expand...

Makes sense, I can see the charisma in most of the tracks and will be giving the album a second chance, I know a few of the songs will be in my driving playlist so hopefully the style sticks a bit more before I try out another album. Noted regarding Last Call.
 
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Time to finish off a discography run... (I have a list of albums to get through at some point in the near future...)

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Angel Of Babylon - Avantasia
Format: CD/Digital

The final component of The Wicked Trilogy opens with its longest track, Stargazers builds up slowly featuring 4 guest vocalists this track looks to start off the album with a slow build before erupting into a massive guitar assault. All 5 singers sing on the chorus which creates a collective cry out for the stars. Verses are theatrical and tell the continuation of the story of The Scarecrow as begun two albums prior. The track is constantly transitioning and doesn't stick to one mode for too long throughout its nine and a half minute runtime. Looking at the album as a whole this track and the closing track are the only longer tracks to be found here which is interesting since usually there is more than two tracks exceeding 6 minutes on an Avantasia album or at least it feels that way. Musicianship is top notch throughout the track and it is a strong opening track although it does feel like it should be the centerpiece of the album instead of track number one, but that also makes sense because the 3 albums are supposed to tell one story which puts this in the middle of the story. Second up is the title track featuring only one guest vocalist the always present Jorn Lande and like previous albums the tracks soon become a vocal battle between the two singers, singing their way through the story with a driving force of a band behind them. The keyboard work is top notch and tastefully done throughout the track, it is catchy and accessible and a perfect follow up to the mighty opening epic of the album. Stellar track. Your Love Is Evil is the first track with only Tobias singing lead on it, one of two tracks on the album in which this is the case. Based on the name one would expect this track to slow down to a ballad, however the track doesn't do this instead remaining a solid midtempo track, I quite like the reference to the cultural saying of raining on your parade built into the chorus, the band is on fire and have delivered 3 stellar tracks in a row. This is easily the catchiest track yet and I could see it being used for the albums first single and would have been a good choice. Death Is Just A Feeling opens with some spoken words with a lullaby tone from the start Jon Olivia does a great Alice Cooper impression. And while the track 100% fits the Alice Cooper delivery it really would have been better suited for him. The track is a definite step down for me personally, mostly due to the vocal delivery but as a whole the track is decent. Rat Race is the follow up track and the band as a whole sounds like they normally do once again, some nice distortion on some vocals, a direct rocking track and the instrumental break has a bit of a funk feeling to it, a step back towards the strong start. Down In The Dark continues on the better path, slowing slightly from the quicker Rat Race, the solo on this track is nice with some bluesy elements within it. Another potential single track, although this would be far less likely than the previous single worthy track. Blowing Out The Flame opens with a piano based introduction, definetely slower and the second track which only features Tobias, although there appears to be a choir on the chorus of the track, the track is a decent ballad. The guitar solo is explosive in comparrision to the rest of the tracks composition, a well executed solo which fits with the track and allows for a natural build. Symphony Of Life comes up next, it is the only track not written by the band leader instead being written by the guitar player for the band Sascha Paeth. The only track to feature female lead vocals, the track has a different feeling from the start than the rest of the tracks thus far. The references to symphonies throughtout the track appear to be tying back to the previous album, well delivered vocals with some rather different musical choices but it works incredibly well. Alone I Remember as a bit of a guitar solo introduction before the band comes in hard there is a very distinct feel to this track, but I can't name the band which it reminds me of. Jorn like many of the tracks on this album is on lead vocals but for a moment his voice sounded quite a bit like David Coverdale's and the track would have been a good fit for him, although probably better in his younger years than his late 2000s voice. Aside from the misstep of sorts the album has been quite consistent. Promised Land is up next, a track which based on some digging has been around since the first album of this trilogy was created. The tempo is a notable increase and the track benefits from it, fast with some really soaring vocals throughout it does a good job. Journey To Acadia closes out the album and the trilogy, opening with an acoustic guitar, the band pulls in all the members into a metal choir once again and the track holds a very unique feeling from the rest of the album thus far. The track is solid but not amazing it closes off the album nicely but could have been a truely epic ending.

Stargazers - 9/10
Angel Of Babylon - 9/10
Your Love Is Evil - 9/10
Death Is Just A Feeling - 7/10
Rat Race - 8/10
Down In The Dark - 8.5/10
Blowing Out The Flame - 8.5/10
Symphony Of Life -9/10
Alone I Remember - 8.5/10
Promised Land -9/10
Journey To Arcadia - 8/10

Adjusted 85%
Overall 85%
4 Stars
 
MindRuler said:
Planning to post some reviews too in the not so distant future. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...


I'll just copy my initial suggestions post from the 365 albums thread. ;)

Lampwick 43 said:
More suggestions, since you clearly haven't gotten enough yet! :p

Dream Theater
Images and Words
Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory
Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence
Train of Thought

Symphony X
The Divine Wings of Tragedy
V: The New Mythology Suite
The Odyssey

Porcupine Tree
In Absentia
Deadwing

Steven Wilson
Hand. Cannot. Erase.

Haken
The Mountain
Affinity

Riverside
Shrine of New Generation Slaves
Wasteland

Threshold
March of Progress
Legends of the Shires

Ghost
Meliora
Prequelle
Click to expand...
 
The Dissident said:
I'd add "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" and "Black Clouds And Silver Linings" to the Dream Theater list from Lampwick. (Basically just do all their albums it is worth it)
Click to expand...
I was thinking about doing an artist marathon review too and Dream Theater might be the one I'm picking. (could be Evergrey or Enchant too)
 
MindRuler said:
I was thinking about doing an artist marathon review too and Dream Theater might be the one I'm picking. (could be Evergrey or Enchant too)
Click to expand...

Do it. I still have 2 of their albums to do but the two left are their debut and the astonishing. Although I have a few other bands which I need to finish off listening to. Might do one or two albums today.
 
Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell II (Back Into Hell)
Virgin Records (1993) // total playing time = 75:44

meat loaf.jpg

Listening to this album brings back some really nice memories. I was in my final year at highschool when Bat Out Of Hell II was released.
A time without internet and smartphones! New music could be discovered by listening to the radio or lending a CD from a classmate or
the local library. At this point in life my record collection was almost non existing, this album was “just a copy on a tape”. I’m glad I bought
Bat Out Of Hell II a few years ago. Although most of the songs weren’t new at the time the album was released (Jim Steinman allready used
some of them for his 80’s album Bad For Good) this Meat Loaf album was a commercial success in a world ruled by grunge.
The album starts great with I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That), a strong power ballad which was a huge hit. The second
song Life Is A Lemon is a little bit darker: great riffs and a fantastic long guitar solo near the ending of the song. I like the album version
more than the remixed version appearing on the best of Meat Loaf album. Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through was another hit single
and has a nice bass line in the intro. Very melodic chorus (Jim Steinman knows how it must be done) and strong vocals. The ballad It Just Won’t Quit is one of the weaker songs on the album. Weak is a thing we definitely can’t say about Out Of The Frying Pan! Amazingly catchy intro,
a typically Steinman speed up into more power. I guess this must be one of Tobias Sammet’s favorite songs because it sounds so much like Avantasia. Great interaction between guitars and piano. Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are is another ballad
but much better than It Just Won’t Quit. If you’re still looking for tattoo ideas: And if life is just a highway, then the soul is just a car might be something for you? Maybe too repetitive towards the ending of the song but a beautiful ballad neverthless. Wasted Youth is a spoken track with a nice nod to some vocal lines of the classic Paradise By The Dashboard Light and a funny twist at the end. Everything Louder Than Everything Else has a huge singalong-to chorus with some ulean pipes at the end of the song playing the melody of the chorus. Good Girls Go To Heaven starts with a sax and a few moments later there’s some Alice Cooperish riffing. The chorus is catchy as hell and there is a nice interaction between the backings and Meat. Back Into Hell is just a musical intermezzo with some of the melodies of the previous song. The album closes with Lost Boys And Golden Girls, another ballad but boys...truly beautiful song! Anyone else noticed the Twin Peakish part played at the background? (Starts around 1:50) This song wasn’t one of my favorites at first, it took many listens to grow. But now I think it’s a perfect closer for an almost perfect album.

I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) – 9,5/10
Life Is A Lemon And I Want My Money Back – 9/10
Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through – 8,5/10
It Just Won’t Quit – 6,5/10
Out Of The Frying Pan (And Into The Fire) – 9,5/10
Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are – 8,5/10
Wasted Youth – Not Rated
Everything Louder Than Everything Else – 7,5/10
Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere) – 8,5/10
Back Into Hell – Not Rated
Lost Boys And Golden Girls – 9/10

Total = 85%
 
Heart_-_Bebe_le_Strange.png

Bebe Le Strange - Heart
Format: CD/Digital

Heart kicks off their 5th studio album and their first 80s output with the albums title track. Ann Wilson remains a powerhouse vocalist to this day and in her youth she was incredible. A band more well known for their lighter tracks like Alone and What About Love but still known for delivering some stellar 70s rock masterpiece tracks like Barracuda, Magic Man and Crazy On You. Bebe Le Strange holds the crunch of some of their earlier rockers while being slightly lighter overall and more intuned with their 80s output soundwise. The verses are fast and driving while the chorus is slower as a whole. It kicks off the album nicely and shows off the sisters great harmonies. Down On Me follows up, opening with a bluesy guitar introduction, the track slows right down and it feels like their Zeppelin influence is present in full, there is full blown shades of Since I've Been Loving You throughout this track and it only makes me want to hear Ann belt out the aforementioned track. Her voice is incredible on this track, it naturally builds instrumentally behind her and I honestly think it would be a far better live track than studio version as Ann is fully capable of delivering stellar performances and the live setting is a better vehicle for her voice to convey emotion than in the studio. Silver Wheels follows up, a brief instrumental passage peformed by Nancy this shares the name with the opening component of Crazy On You it is a nice little piece of music but it doesn't really need to be a separate song. Break continues brings back the rock fueled side of Heart kicking off fast and punchy, the track is probably the fastest Heart track I've heard and Ann screams a couple times. This would have been a good opening track for the album, and a good crowd energy track. Rockin Heaven Down comes up next, the longest track of the album clocking in at 6 minutes in length, a mid tempo rocker which opens slowly and builds up, sung with conviction throughout it is another track which walks the line of the earlier crunchy rockers and the 80s sheen. The backing of this track is a choir and some nice synth work throughout and the midsection of the track is absolutely stellar. Even It Up the lead single from the album comes in, another midpaced track, which seems to be the bands forte with plugged in tracks, which come to think of it the band hasn't done a true ballad yet on the album and we are over halfway through. A decent studio track but far better live. Strange Night features a drum based introdution, A shorter and crunchy rocker, it shows off Ann's vocal chords quite well. It is a decent song but it isn't amazing. Raised On You features Nancy on all instruments barring drums and on vocals as well. It is an interesting track, and Nancy is a good singer and the track as a whole is solid. Pilot is the first ballad like track on the album, a nice and mystical track with Ann singing in an ethereal tone throughout not really shifting it is a nice calm song. Sweet Darlin features the same vocal delivery this time backed solely by a piano for the first chunk of the track, and as the track progresses the sheer power of Ann's voice comes through in spots elevating this track higher in that department than the previous while the previous was a stronger track from the instrumental standpoint.

Bebe Le Strange - 8/10
Down To Me - 9/10
Silver Wheels - 7/10
Break - 8/10
Rockin' Heaven Down - 9/10
Even It Up -7.5/10
Strange Night - 7.5/10
Raised On You - 7.5/10
Pilot -8/10
Sweet Darlin' - 8/10

Adjusted 81%
Overall 80%
3.5 Stars
 
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