This is the 2nd album from British popband Spandau Ballet that was to be one of the biggest selling ones of the 1980's but there's no sign of those times to come on this album whatsoever. The music can be described as funky, jazzy and soulful experimental new wave synthpop with not much ofthe good quality songs that they were going to produce later in the same century. This is actually a crap album.

Incredibly two of the singles from this album reached nr.3 and nr.10 on the UK charts.

1)Chant no. 1 (5,0)

2)Instinction (3,0)

3)Paint me down (5,0)

4)Coffee club (4,0)

5)She loved like diamond (5,0)

6)Pharao (3,0)

7)Innocence and science (1,5)

8)Missionary (1,5)

Score: 3,50

Tony Hadley-vocals and synthesizers

Gary Kemp-guitars, keyboards, synthesizers and cheng

Steve Norman-guitars, keyboards and saxophone

Martin Kemp-bass

John Keeble-drums

American garage-band Count Five enjoyed a short carrier, releasing their only album in 1966 with their big hit "Double-decker bus" peaking at nr.5 on the Billboard-list in september 1966. The album was recorded in a rush and the bandmembers did not get enough time to form the songs as they wanted to due to a low budget for recording and promotion. This also led to the band disbanding in 1969, not beeing able to gain the same success again. The album peaked at nr. 122. The band performed live wearing Drcula-style capes and went for a mystique image.

This is an album that cleary could have been better, ecspecially when listening to the hit-song they had plus "Pretty big mouth", both very good songs fitting perfectly in the wave of harder bands like The Who that appeared at the time. The rest of the songs are more of earlier 60's-style and inspired by psychotica.

In 1993 a live-album was released wich contained a reunionconcert made in 1987.

Singer Sean Byrne died in 2008, 61 years old of diabetes and liver problems. Drummer Craig Atkinson died in 1998 after surgery.

1)Double-decker bus (8,0)

2)Pretty big mouth (7,5)

3)The world (5,5)

4)My generation (The Who) (5,0)

5)She's fine (5,5)

6)Psychotic reaction (6,0)

7)Peace of mind (4,0)

8)They're gonna get you (6,0)

9)The morning after (4,0)

10)Can't get your loving (6,5)

11)Out on the streets (The Who) (6,0)

Score: 5,82

Kenn Ellner-vocals

John "Sean Byrne-vocals and guitars (1947-2008)

John "Mouse" Michalski-guitars

Roy Chaney-bass

Craig "Butch" Atkinson-drums (1947-1998)

Popstar of the 1980's first album released on MCA Records and it was an immediate success in many countries reaching nr. 5 in the UK, 7 in Norway, 8 in Germany and 4 top-20 singles in the UK. It's an album full of synthpop typical for the time; strange twists in many songs and a few obvious hits, real instruments mixed with synthesizers. I like the hits but the rest is not very much to listen to making this album a much seen one in bargainboxes in 2nd hand shops.

1)Dancing girls (5,0)

2)Wouldn't it be good (7,0)

3)Drum talk (4,0)

4)Bogart (6,0)

5)Gone to pieces (5,0)

6)Shame on you (6,0)

7)Cloak and dagger (5,5)

8)Faces (5,0)

9)I won't let the sun go down on me (7,5)

10)Human racing (4,0)

Score: 5,50

Nik Kershaw-vocals, guitars, bass and keyboards (b.1958)

Charlie Morgan-drums (b.1955)

Paul "Wix" Wickens-keyboards (b.1956)

+

guest musicians

This is one of my alltime favourite albums! It was the first to feature drummer Nicko McBrain who previously played with the french band Trust. Former drummer Clive Burr had left the band due to personal and touring-scedule issues. The band really developed into a direction I have learned to appreciate, it's not always easylistening heavy metal on this album, more of a very melodic progressive heavy style with incredibly strong songs and great individual playingskills and also variation in the quite longs songs. I can listen to this album over and over again, I never grow tired of these songs and it's one of the best albums that ever has been recorded, that is absolutely sure! Enjoyment of the highest level!

The album reached nr. 3 on the UK charts and nr. 14 in the USA.

1)Where eagles dare (9,0)

2)Revelations (9,0)

3)Flight of Icarus (8,0)

4)Die with your boots on (9,0)

5)The trooper (8,5)

6)Still life (8,0)

7)Quest for fire (8,5)

8)Sun and steel (9,0)

9)To tame a land (9,0)

Score: 8,67

Bruce Dickinson-vocals (b.1958)

Dave Murray-guitars (b.1956)

Adrian Smith-guitars (b.1957)

Steve Harris-bass (b.1956)

Nicko McBrain-drums (b.1952)

4 years since the lastest Pearl Jam-album the Seattle's boys released this album and showed that they are still to count on when it comes to their style of rock and hardrock, mixing good rockers and the usual and sometimes  boring quieter songs that I sometimes find hard to listen to and sometimes find great pleasure listening too. They once again used Brendan O'Brien as producer and the album reached nr. 1 the charts in USA, Canada, Belgium, Croatia, Portugal, Ireland and Australia.

1)Getaway (8,0) Good rocker!

2)Mind your manners (8,5) Full tilt! Never heard PJ rock like this!

3)My father's son (8,0) Intense rocker.

4)Sirens (6,0) Half-boring but with feeling. Vedder has a great voice.

5)Lightning bolt (8,0) It rocks once again!

6)Infallible (5,5) Slow, strange and boring.

7)Pendulum (4,5) Gaaasp...

8)Swallowed whole (7,0) Nice different melody.

9)Let the records play (6,5) Uptempo boogie-rock. Nothing special.

10)Sleeping by myself (5,5) PJ trying to get a hit-song? Acoustic, melodic and poppy.

11)Yellow moon (6,5) Floating and slow. Nice.

12)Future days (7,0) Beautiful piano-guitar-vocalballad.

Score: 6,75

Eddie Vedder-vocals and guitars (b.1964)

Stone Gossard-guitars (b.1966)

Mike McCready-guitars (b.1966)

Jeff Ament-bass (b.1963)

Matt Cameron-drums (b.1962)

In the vein of Testament american metal-veterans Death Angel continue thier mission to spread the music of pure thrash metal. On their 7th album they deliver aggressive and heavy riffs that's instoppable. Like always this band lack something. It's not impressive enough to play fast and aggressive, there also has to be good songs and they just don't manage that part good enough. Here and there they have it for a short while but 10 long songs of the same chaotic bulldozer-music is just too much. They have fallen in the same trap as Slayer and the music is obviously partly inspired by them, escpecially the vocals. Great cover and good production.

1)Left for dead (6,5)

2)Son of the morning (6,5)

3)Fallen (6,5)

4)The dream calls for blood (6,5)

5)Succubus (5,0)

6)Execution/Don't save me (5,5)

7)Caster of shame (6,0)

8)Detonate (5,0)

9)Empty (5,0)

10)Territorial instinct/Bloodlust (6,5)

Score: 5,90

Mark Osegueda-vocals

Rob Cavestany-guitars

Ted Aguilar-guitars

Damien Sisson-bass

Will Carol-drums

After the album "Eleventh Hour" in 1983, Birmingham's melodic hardrockers Magnum hit the charts and big arenas with their breakthrough album in 1985. They had parted with their former recordcompany Jet and keyboardplayer Mark Stanway had left the band to play with Thin Lizzy-singer in his band Grand Slam. Drummer Kex Gorin had also left to play with Robin George. Mark returned in time for the recording of this album. New drummer was Jim Simpson. The album immediatelly reached nr. 24 on the british charts and stands as one of the classic hardrock-albums of the 1980's and have played a big role in my life, I still enjoy these songs very very much and had the pleasure to see Magnum live this year in 2014, they still rock even though Bob Catley and Tony Clarkin are in their mid-60's! For me Magnum have always been around. Listen to this album and end up in musical heaven!

1)How far Jerusalem (9,0)

2)Just like an arrow (8,0)

3)On a storytellers night (8,5)

4)Before first light (8,5)

5)Les morts dansant (8,5)

6)Endless love (8,0)

7)Two hearts (8,5)

8)Steal your heart (7,0)

9)All England's eyes (7,5)

10)The last dance (8,0)

Score: 8,15

Bob Catley-vocals (b.1947)

Tony Clarkin (Anthony Michael Clarkin)-guitars (b.1946)

Wally Lowe-bass

Jim Simpson-drums

Mark Stanway-keyboards (b.1954)

Former member of the Spiders From Mars in David Bowie's band, Mick Ronson recorded some soloalbums after that period. This is an album of mostly coversongs, spanning from cheesy to wild rocksongs. The quality is variating from not very good to okey and the vocals is not very good either. Not an album I would listen to more than for the sake of rockhistory.

1)Billy Porter (4,0)

2)Angel no.9 (7,0)

3)This is for you (6,0)

4)White light/white heat (Lou Reed) (7,0)

5)Play don't worry (6,0)

6)Hazy days (3,0)

7)Girl can't help it (6,5)

8)The empty bed (lo me ne andrei) (5,0)

9)Woman (6,0)

Score: 5,61

Mick Ronson-vocals, guitars, bass, drums, piano, synthsizers, harmonica and clavinet (1946-1993)

Trevor Bolder-bass on 2,3, 4, 6 and 9 (1950-2013)

Richie Dharma-drums

Aynsley Dunbar-drums on 4 (b.1946)

Paul Francis-drums on 5

Tony Newman-drums on 7 (b.1943)

Neal Kernon-arp synthesizers on 1 and 3

Mike Garson-piano on 3, 4 and 6 (b.1945)

John Mealing-piano on 9 (b.1942)

Jeff Daly-saxophone and flutes

Ian Hunter-background vocals on 7 (b.1939)