Four on the Floor – New Releases (I know its Late).

Ok so this was due 6 weeks ago and I simply lost the will to live, it felt rushed and to be honest I thought it was factually incorrect, I was in a strop so I didn’t think it was fair to release it in its original format.

So here we are down the line and I have given the albums a bloody good listen, my findings are pretty much the same but I have listened to the albums over twenty times each so I think I can pass judgement instead of the original three times each, are we sitting comfortably, well let’s go!

Cheap Trick – All Washed Up.     9.0.

I have to admit to being a longtime Cheap Trick fan, I’ve even seen them a few times, their worst album is still a good album, lets see what gives with this one (I know the score gives it away). Another album by the American Beatles, and this time I liked it from the go some of the latter ones have taken a few spins to get there ,forty minutes and eleven songs of bouncy happiness, and I only have a couple of minor complaints, well one actually that’s split, The sound is as “bright” as the last few albums have been, bear in mind I’m listening to these albums on air pods, not the best but I make good with the tools that I have, I know production methods have moved on but these days, a lot of albums sound muddy these days, trust me I do clean my ears regularly, and because of the sound Robin Zander isn’t as clean in the mix, for my taste, anyway Song wise the best is saved right until the last, to be honest there is not a bad track on here, they all put a bloody big smile on my face, I know it’s not as good as Dream Police but there are tracks on here I would swap so they could be. The last track on the album is the closet that they will get to being a pure Beatles tribute, Wham Bam Boom, the title made me smile, but the song is four people having fun, I won’t spoil it, go get the album however you do and just listen, if you don’t smile you must be an oasis fan! Well boys let’s have more fun like this in the world we need it as I mentioned at the start these boys don’t do bad albums, they do Awesome, Excellent, and Good, this is Excellent if the sound had been a bit brighter it would have been Awesome. Long live the kings of Bubble Gum Rock………. Cheap Trick!

MSG – Don’t Sell Your Soul.     9.0.

Another year, another cracking album, something that is simply chock full of riff after melodic riff, his classic sound which is good as it was now as it was back in the seventies! The Teutonic riff master delivers again, to me he is the most prolific and consistent rock player out there, eleven songs from start to finish starting with the title track “Don’t sell your soul to the last stompy “Surrender” it doesn’t outstay its welcome, it gets in the ring and knocks you clean out and then buggers off to the pub! My only complaint is I wish he would stick with one vocalist, I hope he sticks with Erik Gronwall, I know why he doesn’t stick with the same vocalist he has been quite vocal over the years about it, I like to see stability in the MSG camp, it just gets a bit distracting as you never know who you are going to get, as he hits 70 years old he just keeps getting better, and if he keeps producing material of this kind of quality, I reckon myself and lot of others will be as happy as the proverbial pig!

Bad Company – Can’t Get Enough (a Tribute) 4/10.

I was so looking forward to this album, however no matter how much I play it the more I dislike it, I like most of the artists, there’s a lot of money been put into producing it but it’s a lifeless parody and I don’t know what makes it so, maybe it’s just me Even Shooting Star with Lizzy Hale and Mr Rodgers can’t save it. And the biggest thing that pisses me off is the last track that I refuse to name as it’s simply it’s not Bad Company it’s Free, and if I’m honest even if I got this album for free it wouldn’t stay in my collection.

Ronnie Romero – Back Bone.    6/10.

In 14 years this gentleman has appeared on over forty (yes that’s what I said) albums some are stinkers, and some are quite pleasant, he has played with some awesome people, this album is quite pleasant, hence the score, however there is nothing truly memorable on this its well-played well produced but nothing sticks, when I put it on, I go oh yes I remember this one or that one , but five minutes after turning it off I don’t remember a single bit of it, maybe take a breath and breathe, I’m hoping Elegant Weapons with Ritchie Faulkner of Judas Priest does a couple of albums and that it grows with each album!, I do like the man he is talented, sometimes you need a bit of pixie dust make it big on your own, I wish him well but this album as well produced as it is isn’t it!

Better late than never, and I’m glad I did what I did, I like to be honest I’m not being mean when I don’t care for something, I am simply trying to be as honest as the artists themselves, give them all a spin you might like something, you might also might hate something, the fact that we are all different makes the world a better place.