What do you do when you get bored with doing your day job? You go out and form a supergroup with your buddies who are also bored. Released in 1990, this album sold squillions, which with the musical climate changing to the love of all things Seattle – its no small achievement. All their day-job bands had peaked, and they were all on a slow downward trajectory. This was a chance at salvaging some glory.
Produced by Ron Nevison, this is a really good album, and 3 singles were released. Coming Of Age is a freakin’ awesome opening track, with a great riff and superb melody. Bad Reputation, in my opinion, is even better – with a killer hook and chorus and a great groove. Runaway is an AOR classic. The weird thing is, the band have their own sound and there are no hints of their day gigs. High Enough is the predictable ballad inclusion and was a huge smash. I’m sure Ted loved playing this track. The title track closes out Side 1 and has a huge funky riff and groove, and does remind me of Aerosmith around this period.
Come Again is the big production number of the record and opens up Side 2. Mystified is modern country/blues, and Nashville would have loved this song. Back to their rockin’ ways with Rock City, which has a Just What The Doctor Ordered style riff. Next up is Tell Me How You Want It, and I’m stunned this was not released as a single as the chorus and hook are huge. The album closes out with Piledriver, and its the heaviest song on the album – it’s the only track with Ted on vocals. So that ladies and haemorrhoids is how you write a great melodic rock record.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
