REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: August 11, 2021

RATT – Out Of The Cellar

After the success of their self-titled and self-financed first album, record companies were falling over themselves to sign the band. Atlantic won the race to release Out Of The Cellar, which is a masterpiece of glam/sleaze rock. The band had a knack for writing super catchy songs.

Round And Round was the huge smash from this record, as heavy MTV rotation made this song a global hit. Stephen Pearce is not the best singer in the world, but his raspy strained style suits the music perfectly. Guitarist Warren De Martini had the flash chops that was a requirement of every band that came from the whole LA scene, and the whole band had the look.

Opening track, Wanted Man, is a great opening track that lets you know what the band are all about. Side 2 opening track, Lack Of Communication, is my favourite from the record as I love the riff and hook. This album set the band up for the follow up Invasion Of Your Privacy, which would be the peak the band would achieve. It was a steady decline after that.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

FOREIGNER – Double Vision

This is the second album released in ’78 from this Anglo-American band. The credentials from the British contingent would suggest that they would lead in a progressive direction, seeing as Mick Jones was a member of Spooky Tooth, and Ian McDonald was a member of King Crimson. All the American members were basically unknowns, and they got lucky with the finding of vocalist Lou Gramm, as he had the million dollar voice.

The band set out using the Free/Bad Company blueprint of a hard edged blues rock group, and Hit Blooded and Double Vision off this album show that perfectly – both were released as singles. The intro being blatantly stolen by Autograph for their smash Turn Up The Radio. There are moments where the Beatles are obvious inspiration, like in Back Where You Belong with the Sgt. Pepper melodies. Then there are nods to the future with the ballads, You’re All I Am, and I Have Waited So Long. Here, Gramm’s million dollar voice came into its own, and the ballads would make Foreigner the housewives favourite.

To emphasize how big the band were in the US, the first five albums all went multi platinum and they couldn’t put a foot wrong.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.