| Track by Track Review
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CD1: On the Rocks (1981)
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Rebecca
Weird trippy sounds start this. Then a pretty rocking guitar sound takes over. As it builds keyboards and more create an arrangement that has a very classic rocking sound to it. This definitely has some hints of Uriah Heep in the mix. It also feels pretty metallic. This has some killer bluesy slide guitar. The keyboard and saxophone breaks also bring something special to the table. |
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Bad Girl
This rocker has so much style and charm. It has a blues rock vibe to it. The balance between dropped back and rocking is great, too. While this might not be the most unique thing you've heard, it is done with conviction. |
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How Do You Sleep?
A hard rocking number, this is more competent, if not Earth shattering music. |
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Little By Little
I dig the horns and keyboards on this. This tune has more of a soulful, mellower groove to it. |
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Start Believing
Now this is all class. It's an AOR rocker that really works well. |
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Never Say Die
Bouncy and more pop rock oriented, this is a fun tune. The saxophone brings something cool to it, but the whole track works pretty well. It's a little too generic for my tastes, though. The guitar solo is classy, though. |
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King
Bouncy and fun, this a cool, if a bit silly, tune. It's not as strong as much of the rest here, but it's also entertaining. |
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Piece of My Love
Now this rocker is solid. It has more driving hard rock in the mix. It's another that feels related to Uriah Heep to some degree. |
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Bonus Tracks
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Fool for a Pretty Face
This feels a lot like Foghat to me. It has some killer bass work. This rocks pretty well. |
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Safety in Numbers
Some of the riffing on this makes me think of Rush. There is almost a Max Webster feel to this. It's fast paced, inventive and so cool. I like this track better than anything that made the album proper. |
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One Minute More
I dig the intricate balladic approach of this song. This is another that really calls to mind Uriah Heep. This is basically a power ballad. I also prefer this to anything on the main album. |
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Every Inch of the Way (Short Version)
This rock and roller is a lot of fun. It has plenty of old school rock in the mix, but also some Uriah Heep sound. Again, I think I prefer this one to anything on the first part of this CD. |
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Routine
A high energy rocker, this thing works really well. The guitar soloing is on fire on it. |
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Tired Eyes
A guitar and vocal arrangement is the concept for this ballad. It really do like the intricate guitar work, but the song is a little less than stellar beyond that. |
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Every Inch of the Way (Long Version)
As you can probably guess, this is a longer version of the earlier track. I'm not sure which version I prefer, but they are both great. |
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CD 2: Writing Demos (1982)
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Writing Demos - London 1982
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Learn the Dance
This funky groove is so cool. I am a sucker for funk, though, and they really pile it on here. |
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I Need Love
A fairly standard rocking tune, this works pretty well. It makes me think of Bad Company for some reason. |
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Fool for a Pretty Face
While this works alright, and I do like the bass work a lot, this track isn't that special. |
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Safety in Numbers
This rocker isn't as strong as the album version here, but it still stands tall. The riffing is great, and it definitely calls to mind Uriah Heep. |
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Bad Girl
The funk works well here. This cut has some cool almost jazzy guitar soloing built into it. |
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One Minute More
This slow moving number that has definite power ballad elements feels a lot like Uriah Heep. |
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Writing at David's House 1982
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She Was Good
Acoustic guitar and vocals make up this rocking arrangement. |
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Fool for a Pretty Face
This acoustic run through of the earlier song is less than a minute long. |
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My Kind of Lady
At almost two-and-a-half minutes long, this is the longest of these acoustic renditions. It's basically a blues tune, and it works well. |
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One Minute More
Just about a minute long, this picked arrangement is effective. |
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She Got Pride
This is a little funky and jazzy. |
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Untitled
Sort of a short work through, this doesn't have any lyrics, but there are vocals. |
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Learn the Dance
I dig the acoustic rocking groove on this tune. |
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CD3: Rehearsals & Live (1980-81)
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Rehearsal 1981
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How Do You Sleep?
I dig this rocking number a lot. It has a lot of style and charm. |
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Safety in Numbers
This performance of the song is purely on fire, and I have made it very clear that I love this tune. |
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I Need Love
Here we get another hard rocker with a lot of style and charm. |
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Piece of My Love
The saxophone and keyboard jam at the start of this really establishes a jazz vibe. After the introduction they bring the guitar and some more mainstream guitar to the proceedings. There is an excursion back toward jazz territory on an instrumental movement later. This number is a lot of fun. |
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Goodnight Blues
This has plenty of traditional blues in the mix. It sort of dissolves into chaos late. |
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Last Chance Jam
Here we get a killer funky jam. |
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Live in Liverpool 1980
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Bad Girl
This live rendition of the tune is effective. The arrangements swings and has some hints of jazz. |
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Start Believing
Another rocking groove delivered in live performance, this is strong. |
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July Morning
Here we get a rendition of a classic from the mighty Heep. They put in a very faithful rendition that rivals the original live takes of it. |
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How Do You Sleep?
This is more of a melodic mainstream rocker. It definitely has some of those Uriah Heep elements at play at times. |
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Sweet Lorraine
They rearrange this Uriah Heep tune, giving it some jazzy elements. I definitely prefer the original, but this has its charms. |
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Piece of My Love
There is a mellower, decidedly jazzy groove that is used for an extended introduction here. That works through, and then they power out into more of a driving jam that has both rock and jazz elements at play. |
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Liverpool Blues
This jam is based on a simple blues, but they use it as a spring-board get a lot of jamming in. It's a powerhouse tune that really rocks. In fact, I think this is one of my favorite things on the whole set. It's just packed full of heart, soul and class. |
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Roll Over Beethoven
Here we get a driving rendition of this old ditty. It works so well. |
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Bonus Studio Track
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Angelsong
This tune isn't Earth-shattering. It also doesn't feel like it fits with the rest of the stuff here. It comes in as an acoustic rocker, and that holds it for quite a while. When it finally drives out to rocking zones I'm reminded of Max Webster to some degree. There is some trippy stuff further down the road that makes me think of David Bowie's Hunky Dory era to some degree. This song was written and recorded by Robin George as a tribute to Byron following his death. |
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