If you look at the cover for this you could mistake this for being a Rods album. In ’86 they added a keyboard player in Emma Zale, and a killer vocalist in Rick Caudle, and they called the project Hollywood. That meant Dave “The Rock” Feinstein could concentrate on ripping on the guitar. What the additions did do however was change the whole vibe and sound of the band. The Rods were supposed to be this raw ball of energy rock n roll band, and now they were trying to be this slick melodic rock band. I bet we can all name bands that we thought were good, but they never quite had the songs to make it – well this is one of those albums.
The intros are all really good, and the riffs are there, but the songs just aren’t striking enough. Rick Caudle is a killer vocalist, but the melodies and hooks aren’t quite there. Rock Feinstein is a killer player and he rips in small doses here, but you can’t polish a turd as they say. I guess that’s a bit unfair as it’s not that bad. Ironically, the best track on the album is a cover of Mississippi Queen.
6.5/10 from The Grooveman.
