Anyhow, I guess that's about it. I have now reviewed every Y&T album worth reviewing, so...
I was joking about this and expected to be called out on it, but I guess people lost interest.
But I shall finish.
1. Black Tiger. No real controversy here, right? This is not only an indisputable Y&T classic, but is a hard rock classic in every sense of the word. Throughout hard rock, peers of the band, including heavyweights like Ronnie Dio and Rob Halford sat up and took notice and have given this album heavy praise. That alone speaks volumes. So let me get a bit unconventional and start off by saying that, to me, this is a flawed album.
First off, the ratio of really good songs to "filler" is not quite up to par with the consistency they would show on some other albums. This album is relatively short, with only 8 full-length songs plus an instrumental intro track. Of those 8, I would say 5 are "classics," with the other 3 being filler that I would never pull out the album to listen to. So 5 strong, solid tracks plus a cool instrumental intro. Second, Dave's vocals are not in a place where I felt he was really shining as a singer yet, and the album's production kind of highlights that, to me. He shows some definite range and some cool technique. But his voice also sounds thin and has way too much warbly vibrato that at times takes away from his power. Not that the vocals are
bad--they aren't. But Dave just hadn't quite found his style yet. Two more albums, and he would really make leaps and bounds as a lead vocalist.
With those shortcomings out of the way, let's move on to this album's strengths. Those five tracks I mentioned above are some of the best the band has ever written. In fact, let's dial that praise up a notch and say that they are some of the best hard rock songs
any hard rock band has ever written. These are some of the signature songs that lifted this band above many of their peers and were drawing praise from all over the hard rock world. And Dave's guitar playing on this album is jaw dropping. To get into some specifics, I want to do something I have not really done and go track by track on this one.
-From the Moon: This is the instrumental intro. This is a VERY cool track. It is heavy, yet melodic, and it really does a fine job of setting the mood for the album right from the get-go. It has a certain energy to it that really primes the listener for what is about to follow--so much so that the band used it as their intro for not only the tour supporting this album, but for the next two album/tour cycles as well, and even to this day revisits it from time to time. The descending "Phantom of the Opera"-like background chords on the repeat are a really cool, subtle touch. But there is so much going on in what sounds like such a simple guitar-driving instrumental. This melody is also repeated later in the album as the intro to the album's centerpiece, Forever.
-Open Fire: This is how all rock albums should open. Immediately after having the mood set up by From the Moon, we get a short, crisp drum fill, and then--BOOM! Right into the fast, blistering riff that opens this song. This is a fast-paced rocker that serves as not only a great album opener, but also a great concert opener as well. It always gets a great crowd reaction. When I ran cross-country in high school, I used to play this song in my head for that extra adrenaline boost to kick it in for the last half mile or so. It is that type of song.
-Don't Wanna Lose: A lot of people really like this song. I am not one of them. I don't actively dislike it, but to me, it is just sort of there. It has some good things going for it, but the melody just feels really sappy to me, and that makes it feel out of place on this album of otherwise rocking tunes. And it isn't just that it is one of the "softer" songs (although it is clearly NOT a ballad). The rest of the album just seems to have a certain "attitude," and this song doesn't have that. Still not a bad song, however.
-Hell Or High Water: Speaking of "attitude," this song just has it in spades. The riff on this one is one of my favorites. And the solo is SO expressive and creative. From start to finish, this song really shows off Dave's guitar skills in some very unique ways. And just...the attitude! I know that is a very vague way to describe a song. But you know how there are just some songs out there about when you are in a bad relationship and finally get fed up with the other person's nonsense and decide there will be a reckoning that ends with completely telling the person off? And when those songs are done well and really capture that mood, they can somehow translate into awesomeness that is hard to describe? This is that song.
-Forever: If there is such a thing as the "quintessential" Y&T song, this is it. Rob Halford described this song as the ultimate hard rock anthem. I cannot disagree. The song starts with an intro that reprises From the Moon. After lingering on the last note of that intro, the song starts in earnest with a single guitar riffing away, and then builds with the riff gradually opening and the addition of the other instruments. The chorus of the song is what arena anthems are made of. And the solos... Yeah, this is Dave at his best. But it is not only the
playing that is noteworthy. The solos are just so well written and thought out. The main solo, for example, has a long, slow build that could be dissected and studied in textbooks on how to build the most awesome guitar solos ever. And the way it ends and the song pauses ever so briefly before dropping back into the bridge is glorious. But the song isn't even done yet. Back to the chorus, with repeats. And there is some really cool guitar orchestration going on in the background that gives the chorus an awesome buildup and tension during the repeat leading up to the final, epic, drawn-out "foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!" before the song again reprises the From the Moon melody and then the big rock ending that just leaves the listener speechless and sitting there in silence for a few seconds until either the needle runs off the record or the cassette player clicks "off," jolting the listener back to reality and reminding him or her that side 1 has just ended and there is still another entire side of the album to listen to. The album is very much like a theater production in that the end of side 1 builds to a huge climax that is perfect for the brief intermission of flipping the record/cassette over to side 2. The energy and pacing of the entire album is very much like that in many respects, despite that this is not a concept or theme album that is consciously trying to emulate that structure.
-Black Tiger: Great way to start off side 2 of the album. That long intro with the jungle sounds and muted, building riff, slowly adding in the increasing intensity with the drums, draws the listener in until that awesome main riff explodes with a boom, much like how Open Fire begins the album. This song features another really cool signature riff that helped define the band's unique sound. Really awesome guitar solo as well, featuring the first time Dave would blow minds with his signature pickup switch technique.
-Barroom Boogie: A fun little jaunt about...well, escapades at the local bar and the after-effects of the morning after, kinda similar to Gimme Three Steps. Despite the rather sophomoric subject matter and lyrics, the guitar riffing and cool walking bassline make the song a lot cooler than it should be and help it musically fit the mood of the album. Not a favorite of mine, but subject matter aside, there are some cool things going on with this one.
-My Way or the Highway: Some neat melodies and guitar work. But overall, I am not a fan.
-Winds of Change: This is the perfect finisher for the album. It is...not really a "ballad," but is kind of a softer anthem. The song clocks in at 6:20 and uses that time well to establish some nice build-ups and releases. On the vocal side, there are some deep, introspective lyrics that are a welcome change from the previous two songs, and a smooth vocal delivery from Dave. The chord progression and the way the notes are picked during the intro and verses are pretty unique and fun to play. And the overall buildup of the song from start to finish, with that awesome long guitar solo at the centerpiece makes this one of my all-time favorite songs. I cannot praise this song enough. I remember reading an article a LONG time ago where someone was describing Meniketti's playing and saying something along the lines of, "his solos have the ability to rip you open, touch your very soul, and then stitch you back up again and leave you begging for more." This is one of those solos were I say, "Yeah, I know
exactly what the person who wrote that means."
Overall, I cannot say enough about this album. The "flaws" I mention above tempted me to rank this album at #2 behind the more consistent In Rock We Trust. But the "classic" status of this album and the quality of its 5 best songs simply cannot be denied. Every classic hard rock fan REALLY needs to have this album in his or her collection. There is no excuse not to.
*trivia: When Y&T was touring with AC/DC in support of this album, Ozzy came backstage after one of the shows, got down on his knees, and said, "David, would you please join my band?" Dave was incredibly flattered, but politely declined because, as he has put it, he really wanted to be in a band where he had a say in the band's direction and creative output rather then being more or less a hired gun, even if the hired gun position might make him a superstar.
Topic: 80s metal/hard rock: Y&T Discography - #1 album reviewed (Read 9449 times)
