You have to wonder sometimes how bands get signed. Now, I’m not knocking Vixen here but did they have any songs written by themselves before they were signed? Or was it just that they could play covers and looked good? There are a few versions of how the band came into being so I’m not sure on that one, all I can say is this album sounds good but it does sound like how sessions guys would sound if they did a rock by numbers album.
Now every song bar two have been written by outside writers and they are some of the best, namely Richard Marx, Jeff Paris, and Fee Waybill. I don’t care too much for the ballads, even though Cryin’ was huge and I do like the chorus. It’s the rockier tunes that float my boat though like Edge Of A Broken Heart, I Want You To Rock Me, and Cruisn’. The best track though is Hell Raisers as it’s the least corporate sounding and it has the most balls with a great vocal from Janet Gardner. All in all there is some great playing on this album and it’s a solid…
8/10 from The Grooveman.
