This is the one and only album Black Sheep released and it came out through Enigma records in ’85. The band revolved around frontman Willie Basse, who was one of the only black frontman in a rock band at the time. It’s the players that left the band that are of interest however, inlcuding a very young Slash, Randy Castillo, James Kottak, and Paul Gilbert (who does play on the album although he is not pictured on the cover).
The album has a very sparse, in your face, crystal clear production – which I do love. We go from cheesy anthem hair band material on tracks I Will Survive and What Can I Do 4 U, to out and out metal rippers like Love Is Not Enough, where PG gives it all the beans. It’s very reminiscent of early Racer X.
All songs are written by Basse only, except Trouble In The Streets which was co-written with George Lynch. The riff on that track sounds a bit like Turn On The Action by Dokken. It’s definitely my favourite song with lots of shredage by Mr. Gilbert.
I like this record a lot and yes, we’ve heard it all before but it’s fun and that’s what the 80’s were all about.
8/10 from The Grooveman.
