Top 5 of 1981!

Like I mentioned in the Anniversary Article for this year, there was a lot of stellar music in 1981, so putting together a Top 5 was difficult.  There were no obvious winners, but more than a handful solid albums, and it took quite a bit of nit-picking to get the list down to five.  Naturally, there are a lot of honorable mentions, including Mötley Crüe's debut Too Fast for Love, Rush's Moving Pictures, and Foreigner's 4.  Even Saxon and Survivor had a chance to get in, but they couldn't quite make it.  As always, this is just my opinion, and I can't listen to everything, but this my Top 5 for one of the best years for melodic rock and metal.

5. AC/DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

While following up the iconic Back in Black would have been a challenge no matter what, but they certainly gave it a shot anyway.  It's not a perfect album, but it has a lot of energy, and the title track is purely anthemic.  A solid sophomore effort from Brian Johnson as the band keeps doing what they do best.

4. Journey - Escape

I mentioned that this was a shoe-in for the Top 5 in the review, but it was a matter of where.  After reviewing all these albums, this isn't as complete as the ones above it, though the hits are iconic and classic.  Despite all the praise I gave it, #4 is the highest I can put it against such tough competition.

3. Black Sabbath - Mob Rules

The second of the Dio Sabbath albums, when I reviewed this, I mentioned it wasn't as good as Heaven and Hell.  While I do still feel that way, it doesn't change the fact that it's still a very solid album.  The title track and "Sign of the Southern Cross" let Dio soar majestically, and I'm thinking I'm liking his Sabbath albums more than Ozzy's (sacrilege, I know), but this is a great album to represent how metal was evolving at the time.

2. Styx - Paradise Theater

When I posted my retrospective of this band earlier in the year, I stated that this album kinda falls off in the second half.  However, when you listen to it as an album, the ending does work as a good match to the start, and solid book ends do help an album seem strong.  There's also a lot of nostalgia for this band, so they were gonna end up pretty high, no matter what!

1. Def Leppard - High 'n' Dry

I internally debated hard about what to put at #1 for this year.  Styx seemed like the obvious winner, but as I continued to listen to Def Leppard's second album, I found it to be very consistent and enjoyable.  Just a lot of solid hard rock.  While it does lean into some AC/DC territory (largely because Mutt Lange was producing), with so many catchy hooks and choruses, I finally decided to put them at the top of what is a very excellent list.  They would go on to bigger things from here, but let it be said with this and their debut, they started from a great foundation.

Retro Reviews - April 2026 Part Two!

After enjoy the more melodic side of 1981, it's now time to get into the heavier stuff.  I've got a pair of pairs in here this time, as I'm still catching up with some of these bands.  Still, there is some solid stuff here, even it isn't the greatest overall.  However, let's get started with an NWOBHM highlight!

Saxon - Denim and Leather

After enjoying their pair from the previous year, it's time to take on this classic.  Retaining their lineup for one more album, they end up blending their hard rock and heavy metal ideas better on this one, making for a staple of the NWOBHM scene.

Honestly, this is just more of the high energy metal that they had established, now being refined with more experience.  Once again, elements of Motorhead and AC/DC can be heard, but the band has really identified their sound now, one they would carry into the future.  Things kick off well with "Princess of the Night" and "Never Surrender," as they have a lot of uptempo energy, which comes back with "Fire in the Sky."  Otherwise, they stay in a solid mid-tempo groove for most of these songs.  "Rough and Ready" pushes some tough guy attitude while "And the Bands Played On" reminisces about the Monsters of Rock Festival from 1980.  The title track closes the album, celebrating the scene that turned up around the band.  Naturally, it's become NWOBHM's anthem.

While it maybe easy to say that it's more of the same, I do think this is their best album of the first four, just slightly.  The playing and songwriting feel tighter, and things sound just a touch bigger.  The inclusion of more vocal harmonies certain helps, but honestly, I think the band just finally worked out what they wanted, and brought it to the people.  While I don't know if it will make it into my Top 5, it certainly has a fighting chance.

Y&T - Struck Down

While their first album was a decent chunk of hard rock, it didn't get much traction for them right away, so they dug in their heels and cracked out another two years later.  While this one wasn't a big winner either (largely because their label dropped them), they do show some maturity in their songwriting and musicality.

The album is also quite short, clocking under 30 minutes with only 8 songs, so there really is no filler here.  They also mix things up decently as well, with the opening title track going for this slow, sludgy track that's rather heavy, while "Pleasure in My Heart" has more of a funky groove, and "Road" is more uptempo with some metal chugging.  "Dreams of Egypt" in particular sounds like their attempt at a Rush-style track, with all the noodly riffs and atmosphere.  "I'm Lost" is faster rocker, feeling like Dio-era Rainbow ("Kill the King", for example.)  The closing track "Stargazer (Round and Round)" is also peculiar, switching between a reflective ballad before switching to some very active hard rock.

However, there are a few problems.  The production, while going for a big arena sound, does get a little muddy, especially with the drummer's bass drum.  The lyrics continue to be simplistic, but Dave Meniketti sings them well.  This album is an improvement over their self-titled debut, played with plenty of energy and featuring some good guitar work, but I don't think they've quite nailed their sound yet. Fortunately, I'm going to dive right into their transition into the 80s next!

Y&T - Earthshaker

With a new record label and a shortened name, the band entered a new decade ready to party!  Sonically, they've streamlined their sound and really honed in on being a hard rocking band with no frills.  Unfortunately, this made them feel like many other bands of the time.

While it may not seem like there's much of a change at first, as this is some well-played hard rock, but the harmonies are gone in favor of more driven, chugging energy.  However, I wonder if they didn't take more than few cues from their contemporaries like Motley Crue, Van Halen, and AC/DC, even featuring a seven minute power ballad to close the album.  I know 1981 was still pretty early for the glam metal scene, but it would be hard to see this one stand out from other bands at the time.  It's not that these are bad songs necessarily, but they do feel kind of "by the numbers" for an 80s hard rock album.  I can at least give them credit for anticipating what would work in the near future.

As for what I did like, "Rescue Me" had some good dynamics, blending in that acoustic guitar along with the electrics that made me think of Styx, actually.  "Hurricane" has some good guitar work along with its metal chugging, and "Knock You Out" has some good swagger.  The rest isn't bad, just kind of basic, and fun, forgettable way.  I know they get more successful as the decade goes on, so I'll have to carry on through their discography to find out how that goes.

The Rods - Rock Hard/The Rods

After enjoying their more recent releases, I figured I'd dig into the history of this classic band, going back to their debut album.  Well, sorta.  They recorded Rock Hard in 1980 with a small label named Primal before they got picked up by Arista.  However, instead of recording a new album or just re-releasing Rock Hard, they took a bunch of tracks from the first album, added two new ones, and released it as a self-titled album.  It's a bit confusing, but I figured it made sense to review them together, due to their small differences.

While I had to get used to their style of cruise control metal on their new albums, it seems they liked to stick to mid-tempo grooves right from the beginning, feeling like a fusion of ZZ Top and Judas Priest, with just a dash of Deep Purple.  David "Rock" Feinstein's vocals has a nice, gritty charm, thanks to his younger voice, and there is a decent amount of energy in the playing, even if they don't really go for speed.  I liked "Power Love" and "Crank It Up," but most of this is pretty straight-ahead chugging rock 'n' roll, featuring David's solid guitar work and some nice, if infrequent, vocal harmonies.

It turns out the self-titled album largely replaced the two covers with two different cover songs, but "Nothing Going On in the City" is the only one worth listening to of the four.  In the end, the album doesn't blow my mind, but it does set the tone that (I imagine) The Rods intended to have going forward, so it succeeds in its goals, I think.  They may not have been stars, but for those who like some old school rock fused with the coming 80s metal, this debut is not bad.

Retro Reviews - April 2026 Part One!!

After 1976 comes 1981!  At this point, melodic rock was really refining into the arena-filling sentimental sound that we now know as AOR.  So for my reviews, I've focused on a few bands that have some pretty solid songs, while setting the tone for the rest of the decade.  Here's what I've been checking out lately!

Survivor - Survivor

While I know I've referenced this band here and there when reviewing various modern AOR albums, I admit I don't know much from Survivor other than "Eye of the Tiger."  So let's fix that!  Largely built around singer Dave Bickler, and guitarists Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan, this band formed in the late 70s, rockin' the Chicago area with some very radio ready songs.

Maybe it's because I've been listening to older stuff lately, but the production here is very clean and polished.  Sonically, they fit right in with the hard rock of the time; Styx, Toto, Foreigner, Journey, even a bit of Queen here and there.  Bickler even plays some keyboards, and his synth choice makes me think of the Cars at times, especially on "Can't Getcha Offa My Mind."  Basically, if 1979 had a sound, it was on this album.  Fortunately, these are some pretty catchy songs.  There's nothing fancy, but the melodic hooks are effective, and most of the choruses work well.  I don't know if I've heard a band that was more ready for the 80s than this one!

This is one solid album.  I don't know why this didn't blow up more when it came out because this doesn't really have any filler.  Maybe it seemed too derivative, but they play with plenty of energy, making these songs their own.  I don't know there are any real standout songs, as they all generally sound pretty good, but it's certainly an impressive debut.  However, I will admit, I listened to this just to prepare myself for their follow-up.

Survivor - Premonition

And here it is!  While they have a new rhythm section, Bickler, Peterik, and Sullivan are back for another set of radio-friendly rock, albeit much shorter this time.  This album is barely over 30 minutes long!

Naturally, not much has changed, as they're still aiming for that melodic rock demographic, along side Styx and Toto.  The main difference is more a matter of tone, as these songs have a more cinematic quality, as if anticipating their future film song opportunities.  This is most noticeable on "Runway Lights," "Light of a Thousand Smiles," and especially "Poor Man's Son" (no wonder Stallone was impressed).  As for the other songs, "Chevy Nights" is a decent opener, and "Take You on a Saturday" had some strong Bad Company vibes that I liked.

As much as I liked the first album, I do think this one is just slightly better.  While I didn't really notice much of a difference with the new drummer and bass player, I do think their songwriting has taken a step toward arena rock in a good way.  Again, I'm surprised they weren't a bigger deal right from the start.  While this album did get a few singles on the charts, I'm still wondering why they aren't higher.  This is solid melodic rock from a band who helped mold the AOR model going forward.

Praying Mantis - Time Tells No Lies

Started by the Troy brothers in the 70s, Praying Mantis was a hard rock band that got attention by being a part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, despite not really being a metal band.  Nevertheless, it got them a record deal with a label, and their debut album is considered quite the hidden gem.

Musically, they are a blend of 70s rock (like Blue Öyster Cult and Queen) with 80s ideas, such as some very Iron Maiden like guitar harmonies and noodly solos.  Steve Carroll and Tino Troy make for quite a talented duet with their fretwork!  Overall, it's some pretty decent melodic rock with a few shake ups here and there.  "Beads of Ebony" has a peculiar shift towards the end, and "Lovers of the Grave" goes from a dark ballad to a rather uptempo ending with some more great guitar work!  Another thing they share with the Cult is shifting vocalists between songs, but they all sound similar enough, it's hard to notice.  However, they all harmonize very well.

I liked the opener "Cheated," and while their Kinks cover was a little lackluster, things picked up with "Rich City Kids" and "Flirting with Suicide."  "Children of the Earth" is a solid closer with a lot of energy.  However, I think it's that aforementioned excellent guitar work that really stood out the most to me.  It's a shame that circumstances prevent the band from building off of this record right away.  However, they were able to reunite later on, and I'll get to that album later this year!

Rainbow - Difficult to Cure

Has it really been six years since I reviewed Down to Earth?  Kinda wild how time flies.  In any case, it was quite the turning point for the band as guitarist Ritchie Blackmore sought to shift to a more commercial, streamlined sound.  Ronnie James Dio wasn't interested, so he left and the vocalist role was filled by Graham Bonnet, and they made a pretty solid collection of melodic rock.  Blackmore wanted to carry on, but Bonnet decided to leave, so the band brought in Joe Lynn Turner to sing on the album, who would stick around for the next two albums.

Right off, these songs are absolutely aiming for radio play, with very few shake-ups.  Turner ends up being more of a crooner compared to Bonnet's more aggressive style, and he fits these songs well, getting plenty of time to show his range.  Blackmore mentioned being influenced by Foreigner at the time, and do I hear that, but I also think he brought back some pretty classic Deep Purple vibes, especially on "Spotlight Kid" and "Can't Happen Here."  Other notable tracks include "No Release," which features an unusual gospel-style breakdown before really turning up the rock towards the end, and the closing title track, which is a curious rock interpretation of the fourth movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.

However, I can't shake the feeling that something is lost here.  Despite their commercial success, it's hard to feel like these songs are as substantial as even the last album's.  They have decent energy, and they aren't really trying to be like they were in the 70s, but most of these go in one ear and out the ear.  "I Surrender" is a decent single, and I did like the two aforementioned Purple-style songs, but everything else just doesn't stick very well.  

Journey - Escape

Let's wrap things up with a classic.  Despite being titans of the classic rock scene, I've only reviewed two of their albums, but I have the intention of getting to the rest of their 80s material this year, thanks to the Top 5 articles I'm making.  While they had some decent success up to 1981, their keyboardist Gregg Rolie would end up leaving, recommending Jonathan Cain as his replacement.  With him on board, his songwriting skills contributed quite a bit, making this album the one that would really break them out into superstardom.  With massive hits like "Don't Stop Believing," "Who's Crying Now," and "Open Arms," Journey set the standard for melodic rock that is still being felt to this day.

So the hits are pretty well known, but how is the rest of the album?  Pretty good, as it turns out.  There are a few weaker tracks, but they don't hold the album down much at all.  "Keep On Runnin'" has some awkward mixed meter riffing, and "Still They Ride" is not a bad ballad, but compared to "Open Arms," it doesn't stand out well.  I also think "Lay It Down" and "Dead or Alive" are a little generic, largely held up by Neal Schon's excellent guitar work.  He really shows a lot of range, going from shred on one song to something more melodic and iconic on others.

Still there are some good tracks.  "Stone In Love" is a solid track that kicks off with an interesting stop-and-start riff, then halfway through, the song shifts into a more dramatic piece with Schon doing some great work over the top.  The title track is also quite dramatic, making me think of Styx's theatrical style, with a bass noodle that could have been on a Rush album.  "Mother, Father" is probably the most dramatic track, telling a somber but hopeful story, and Perry's voice carries the song's drama well.  And I don't need to say much about the iconic ballad "Open Arms," and the power of the anthemic "Don't Stop Believing."  I don't know if I could identify an album that could have better predicted with the rest of the 80s would be like.  Even as glam metal would take over the decade, it still feels like they were borrowing from the playbook Journey built with this album.  While it does have a few rough spots, this will easily make it into Top 5.  The problem will be deciding where it goes!