Tag: black n blue

This is album number two from Portland’s hard rockin’ groovers. The first thing you notice when placing the needle on the record is how loud and in your face the production is. Bruce Fairbairn did a killer job that’s for sure.

The album blasts into gear with Rockin’ On Heaven’s Door, a track of two halves. The main groove is a hands in the hair stomper, then the tempo shifts gears into a hard rockin’ stomper. Killer tune! The title track follows and is co-written with Bryan Adams’ conspirator Jim Vallance and this has hit single written all over. A huge big sing-a-long party tune. Next up is Stop The Lightning. There is all sorts of studio wizardry at the intro before we settle into an AC/DC style riff, with the vocals and harmony sounding like prime time Kiss. Love the intro to Nature Of The Beach, such a great swing to the groove and the hook and chorus are huge. Miss Mystery is next up and it’s a decent enough tune but it’s not a single, not like the title track should have been.

Side 2 opens up with Swing Time, this was also released as single and so it should have been. A superb kick ass rocker and my favourite track on the album. This song is all that was great about American hard rock at this time. Bombastic Plastic is just a simple riff played over a loud stomping groove and is what I call a rock night special. Loud guitars burst into life on We Got The Fire with a kick ass up tempo groove. These guys know how to write a catchy rock song! The groove slows right down for Strange Things at the intro and the verse, but explodes into life at the chorus. The album closes out with Two Wrongs Don’t Make It Love, an old school dirty blues but with lots of sleaze and huge guitars.

Another band that should have been huge but Lady Luck was not on their side.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

Black ‘n Blue were formed in Portland Oregon back in ’81, and this was their debut album, released in ’84. They had some success in the US where singles like Hold On To 18 and I’ll Be There For You were MTV staples, however by ’89, and after only four albums, they were done. Tommy Thayer is the only member who still has a high profile gig with Kiss.

I really like this album as it has that youthful energy and don’t give a shit attitude. The Strong Will Rock is a kick ass opener and School Of Hard Knocks is even better with a hybrid AC/DC/Def Leppard groove, and a great chorus. Autoblast is my favourite track on the album. Double kicks pounding from the get go with a killer riff and some great guitar from Tommy. Possibly the band’s best known song is next: Hold On To 18. That Def Leppard comparison is very evident on this tune, especially with that gang sang hook and chorus. Side 1 closes out with Wicked Bitch, a Friday rock night special. Big sing along tune with the call and repeat of the title.

Side 2 opens up with Action, a cover of the Sweet classic. Not a bad representation by any stretch, but the original is so good that it’s hard to top it. Show Me The Night follows and it has a very strong late 70’s hard rock vibe to it. Great song with a killer riff and groove. One For The Money is a classic 80’s hair metal rocker with that pounding four four groove and the sing along hook and chorus; it’s textbook. I’m The King could have been a NWOBHM contender, especially with that opening riff and beat. Great tune! The album closes out with Chains Around Heaven and nope it’s not a ballad, it’s anthem time! A huge fat riff and the big hook and chorus, we go out with a bang.

This is my favourite album of their’s, as it’s obvious the record company interfered after this. To me, this is what the band were all about.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

These guys were hot for about four years – from ’84 to ’88 – and then they were gone. This was also Kiss guitarist, Tommy Thayer’s, original place of work, and Simmons did produce this album. This is the third studio album, and in my opinion, their best. The production is huge and the album sounds massive.

Opening track, Nasty Nasty, is a superb opening track, it rocks hard and everything is in your face. I Want It All (I Want It Now) should have been a single as it’s a super commercial track with a rather catchy sing-a-long chorus. Does She Or Doesn’t She follows and this is full on American party rock with a killer riff and groove. Side 1 closes out with Kiss Of Death with a great opening riff and is as metal as this album gets – a superb track.

Side 2 starts with 12 o’clock High with the huge voice of Jaime St James – it’s another anthem rocker and the guitars sound HUGE! Do What You Wanna Do is next up, and the pedal goes to the metal with this one with its big sing-a-long chorus, and a killer breakdown. These guys should have been huge! I’ll Be There For You is the only track not produced by Simmons as it’s done by Journey’s Jonathan Cain…you know what’s coming right? Ballad city! YAWN! This album is so good it didn’t need a cash in tune like this. Rules is next and thankfully we’re back to the big rock tunes. Last track is Best In The West, and its a huge stomper of a tune and reminds me of AC/DC.

It’s easy to see why Simmons wanted Tommy Thayer in Kiss as he’s tailor made for them. It’s just a shame they don’t write much with him. They lose half a mark for the ballad.

9/10 from The Grooveman.