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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
