jstoyz

Yeah, that's a killer song, among the best I've ever heard from Great White...and since I've heard basically everything they've ever released, I'd say this ranks among their best songs period IMHO

I don't know if this is related, but that Boysvoice CD is one of the fresh batch of Russian pressings doing the rounds. Yep, I've noticed that too...

Thanx for the tip , these guys have a cool sound- I hear some "Buckcherry" vibes in the above vid.. Count me as interested...

I totally forgot about "Fierce Heart," that album rocks beginning to end

That vid. is a hoot, never heard of them either. Musically, not too bad.

Pretty Boy, Masquerade, Crush, Isom, Defcon, and Fire With Fire would likely be my top 6 Retrospect titles. Isom and Fire With Fire are definitely melodic hard rock (not glam), w/Isom tending toward AOR occasionally, but some of my fav. songs in the RR catalog are on those two discs....O/w, Geoff definitely has you pointed in the right direction w/his other recommendations, of which I especially like the Wildstreet CD

I've owned, and sold, almost their entire discography (back when I was just re-discovering melodic hard rock- yes, I did buy rather indiscriminately at first, much smarter now ;p ), and, I really hate to say this b/c I almost always keep my commentary positive, feel a bit worse for the wear. Their albums vascillate b/t poorly played (IMHO) 70s era prog. rock, straight ahead hard rock w.o. even the whiff of a hook (occasionally a pleasant melody or two comes along and surprises), and even some almost unlistenable, for lack of a better way to describe, rockabilly/folk influenced stuff. Vox. are VERY heavily accented, but do exhibit a nice range at times. Looking back, I guess I can appreciate their desire for creativity and variation and, to their credit, they recorded a pretty cool duet (ballad) w/Kelly Keeling titled "Soldiers Song" or something like that....But one song couldn't convince me to keep the CD. Basically, this newest album contains a selection of their older songs performed by "all star" vocalists. It is, by far, their ONLY CD worth even contemplating a purchase IMHO. To my ear, after listening to sound clips, Jeff Scott Soto REALLY adds a ton of energy to the song he performs vs. the original, both Billy Gibbons tracks piqued my interest, and Jorn Lande turned a dreadfully dreary song about heroin into a solid mid-tempo rocker. I'll pass on the Glenn Hughes and Paul Stanley tracks, and Dan McCaferty wasn't given much to work with. This is all just my opinion, maybe others here will enjoy this band a whiole lot more than I...if so, gr8!

That was a heckuva game, didn't quite go the way I wanted, but still very good. It was somewhat easier to handle since they won the year before. As for this Sunday, I couldn't agree more. Sunday night just needs to get here NOW! I've had friends from different parts of the world tell me they are staying up to watch this matchup even though the game starts for them at <insert random world time>! A buddy from Switzerland told me he is taking off Monday because the game starts at midnight over there but he won't miss this! The Packer haters (Vikings, Bears fans, Urlacher, etc) are looking forward to rooting for Pittsburgh, the Rothlesburger haters and Steeler haters (Ravens and Jets fans) are looking forward to a Packer victory! The Packers are favored, but everywhere I listen the radio guys are picking Pittsburgh by 3-4 points! Hallelujah! Holy shit! Where's the Tylenol? .......sorry, I just blacked out for a few minutes, I'm back. I can't wait. Yeah, even people around here who aren't fans of either team or who don't really passionately dislike any of the involved players seem stoked for this game. In part, I think, b/c the teams are so evenly matched. Personally, I disliked Big Ben for awhile, prob. due to his perceived arrogance, legal issues, and yes, the fact he completely outplayed Jake Plummer in Pitt's '05 AFC Championship win over Denver. But, over time I've come to at least appreciate his success- w/all his wins, incl. SBs, it's kind of incredible that he's still often overshadowed by the likes of Brady and Manning....My paternal grandfather and his siblings are all from WI, so I might have a little bias toward GB. Not to mention that I had one rip-roarin' weekend in Mad-"town"-ison, WI back in college , so yeah, come to think of it, I guess I prob. should root for GB this Sunday

Well, not sure how one could be confident in GB this week given that they're facing John Elway, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Smith and a stoudt Denver defense. My prediction: Broncos beat Packers 31-24....Should be a heckuva game.....this Sat. night in my living room ...Given the NFL wasteland we've become here in Mile High land, watching parts of that game again will warm my soul...And fire me up for SB Sunday, which has the cast and makings to be legendary. I've really got nothin' else to add to the astute analyses posted above, except to say the only thing that would make Packers v. Steelers better for me would be if Vince Lombardi and Chuck Noll were roaming the sidelines. O/w, can't get anymore old skool then matching up these two franchises.

Yeah, the Black Rose one stood out for me too. I'm interested. Totally agreed on the Brian Howe disc, too. Very nice. Funny thing is I thought it was loaded with "modern" elements. Given that Black Rose's "Walk It How You Talk It" is one of my all-time fav. albums, I guess my expectations were set too high for the new release. Still an excellent album- needs MUCH broader distribution, and really gr8 to see the guys can still write/record so well.....Brian Howe's latest sounds "modern influenced" to my ear as well, but the melodies are fantastic...Sorry to jump into the middle of the conversation, now back to regularly scheduled programming Nah mate, your input is more than welcome. I have to admit, I just got around to hearing the Black Rose album a few times. It's not bad, but I think I'm kind of where you're at. 'Walk it like ya talk it' is brilliant and this "new" one is definitely not anywhere near as good as that one. Still, a couple of pretty cool tunes. Is 44 Caliber actually a new release? For some reason I haven't heard it yet, but I also just assumed it was a release of old material for some reason. Actually, you're basically right re: 44 Caliber's first full length album--> it does contain most of the songs from their first two EPs released in '08 and '09, so maybe tecnically it really isn't a new release. Not the best of the year, but still pretty good and I'd recommend it w.o. reservations .

Hey Jeff, That 'Window in the Wall' album is excellent. Let me know what the 'Sprung' album is like when you've had time to hear it, I'm pretty interested in that one. Some other really good titles there too, namely the Norway, Laos and Paul Laine discs. Sure, will do Justin...And I'm definitely looking forward to receiving the "Window In The Wall" CD. It's amazing how many top hard rock songs (recorded/performed by alot of big name bands) that Bob Halligan has penned, yet his own personal recording preference tends toward AOR....And mate, stay out of the way of that very nasty cyclone bearing down on northern Queensland- you guys really have had one hell of a wet summer season, seems 'bout time to start drying out...

In my humblest of opinions, each of the lists this year were....EXCELLENT There are aspects I like w/just about every single album listed and there's no way I could pare my favorites down to just 5...or 10...maybe not even 15. But I would definitely add "44 Caliber- Can You Handle..." if I were compiling such a list. Without the fanfare, promotional press, and (most likely) budget of Crashdiet, Crazy Lixx, Reckless Love and others, I think these guys managed to put out one of the catchiest hard rock albums of 2010. I hope they've still got another album or two left in the tank.

Yeah, the Black Rose one stood out for me too. I'm interested. Totally agreed on the Brian Howe disc, too. Very nice. Funny thing is I thought it was loaded with "modern" elements. Given that Black Rose's "Walk It How You Talk It" is one of my all-time fav. albums, I guess my expectations were set too high for the new release. Still an excellent album- needs MUCH broader distribution, and really gr8 to see the guys can still write/record so well.....Brian Howe's latest sounds "modern influenced" to my ear as well, but the melodies are fantastic...Sorry to jump into the middle of the conversation, now back to regularly scheduled programming

Yessss, fan-frickin-tastic CD IMO...Received that and Distorted Wonderland at around the same time and really felt like I'd been dropped into a big vat of sleazyliciousness ....Or something like that.

Recent pick-ups incl.: Norway- Night Dreams (1997) The Hitmen- Cosmic Dayz (1994) Bob Halligan (aka Bob Halligan, Jr.)- Window In The Wall (1991) Bob Halligan, Jr.- Sprung (1994) Baton Rouge- S/T (1997) Poor Boy- S/T (1996) (FF Indie Austria) Night Ranger- Dawn Patrol (1982/1990) Last Autumn's Dream- Yes (2011) Ugly Kid Joe- Menace To Sobriety (1995) Sweet F.A.- The Lost Tapes (2008) Laos- We Want It (1990) Paul Laine- Can't Get Enuff (1996) Cinderella- Still Climbing (1994) Eclipse- The Truth And A Little More (2001) Guns 'N Roses- GN'R Lies (1988)

I really like that arrangement and am certifiably jealous

Good song, also the only CD I own w/a black playing surface...

I am absolutely stunned at the level of flooding parts of Australia have been enduring. B/c the Australian heartland and cattle industry have been significantly impacted, global food prices are set to rise even faster than they aready have been increasing......Not to mention the poor people who have lost, in some cases, their lives and in many more instances their property. I know Justin (Fahrenheit) lives in the Brisbane area, just sent him a CD a couple weeks back in fact....I hope he's making it through dry and intact- some of the most recent overhead pics. of Brisbane show the city practically submerged

Purple Raven- Crazy Train (1993)...I'm sure one or more people on this board have this CD, but it seems nearly impossible to find IME.

NICE ! I've got an AK-47 myself (actually my father's, but close enough), as well as an assortment of handguns, and thus fancy myself quite prepared for societal collapse/Armageddon/zombie plague....and, yes, I do have a supply of tin foil hats as well, just in case!

Finally got around to picking up a few CDs before saving the remainder of my pennies for Xmas gifts : 1) Distorted Wonderland- S/T (2010) Gr8 Swedish sleaze band, if someone likes Crashdiet/Crazy Lixx/Hardcore Superstar he/she could do a lot worse than pick up this one. 2) Michael Bormann- Different (2010) 3) Hinder- All American Nightmare (2010) 4) Guardian- First Watch (1989/2009) 5) Tobruk- Wild On The Run (1985/2001) from LV Kix on e-bay a couple weeks back. Very cool band IMHO. 6) Nelson- Lightning Strikes Twice (2010) 7) Moon'Doc- S/T (1995) (Jap. Pressing) 8) Tora Tora- Wild America (1992) Cheap and Good, just the way I like 'em. 9) Bon Jovi- The Greatest Hits Ultimate Collection (2 Discs) (2010) 10) Bai Bang- Attitude (2000)

That's terrible...My condolences to you, his family, friends, and fellow soldiers whose lives he saved and injuries he cared for. Really, it's a loss for the country, since they don't come any better than someone who risks his life to help others on the battlefield in service to this great country. Hope the fcker(s) who are responsible are caught and held accountable.....Jeff.

My response to this thread is pretty simple--> There ain't a whole lotta sites that cater to the music that I am most passionate about, and of those, this one is about the best . I'll never begin to have sufficient spare time to post here often enough to become a regular, but I respect and appreciate the opinions of others who do post more frequently (and less frequently too) and have taken away alot of very useful info. that has helped me build my music collection. I also find that this community does a gr8 job of keeping me ahead of the curve re: new releases, which is where I spend most of my CD-hunting time these days. I try to stop by at least every couple of days, if only to check out new topics and see who is selling what....My goal w/posting is not to be most popular, and certainly not to offend, but rather to just occasionally offer a comment or two within threads that catch my attention. Sometimes others respnd, sometimes not, but either way it's all good from my standpoint and is what I would expect on any message board of this size. I ardently hope this community continues to thrive and plan to continue using this site to discover more cool hard rock and AOR. Too much is never enough....Ok, speech now concluded, keep rockin' everyone

Her track on the new Phenomena 'Blind Faith' album is a killer aswell. You're not kidding, I love that track, and excellent album as well!

The first 3 CDs are all very good ...."Walkin' On Faith" features the best hooks, songs and guitar riffs, while the (first) S/T disc has the best lead vocals on account of Rob Rock. The 4th and final CD is very mellow and by far the weakest of the bunch, prob. best left for completists and/or Dennis Cameron devotees...My $0.02 anyway