Jon Shaw

Although generally this album has had good reviews it's difficult to see who it's aimed at. I would guess fans of 70s blues rock but how many blues rock fans want to hear guitar shredding on every track? A good guitar solo should be memorable and something you can sing, hum or whistle, it should also add to the song. Unfortunately Mr Kotzen insists on blazing up and down the scale faster than Janick Gers and producing absolutely nothing of the above. Even the usually reliable Mr Smith seems out of ideas on this album and his singing is evermore closer to Dennis Waterman. Loved the first album and the live show was electrifying but there's absolutely nothing that stands out on this album of weak pop/ blues other than the first single White noise ( which was borrowed from Free's Wishing well).

It's not a bad album but I can hear earlier Dickinson works at play namely..Cyclops, Devil on a hog, Headswitch, Chemical wedding and even a nod to Def Leppards Armageddon it ( intro track 2).. its also a bit sparse on memorable solos and riffs, can't help thinking input from Adrian Smith would have elevated the whole album. Overall its an OK metal album but a rival to Chemical Wedding...Hell no!

It's a bit like an expensive tyre deflating...it starts with a bang, uptempo, energetic and a bit unusual for U2 but four tracks in it becomes a bit predictable... there's still plenty to enjoy but the early drum and bass rhythms from Mullan and Clayton have taken a back seat. Still a good solid album with an outstanding vocal performance yet again from the evergreen Bono I just feel there are one or two tracks too many which are the slower tracks...but it's still a cracking album and if you like U2 you won't be disappointed.

Not rock and roll enough, too many acoustic type songs and a lack of memorable riffs and melodies. Rain in the summertime and Rescue me are stand out tracks but there's not much more. Buy the new album 'Forwards' instead, its much stronger.

A massive departure from Lexicon of love but still packed with memorable tunes....music at the time was moving towards more guitar oriented tracks with U2, Big Country, the Alarm...even the Human League got in on the act a few months later with 'the Lebanon'. But unfortunately for ABC their targeted audience obviously were not ready for this...its a bit like ABC with Bowie or even Led Zep which is a huge change from the first album...nevertheless its an outstanding pop/rock album with real quality music..stand out tracks are 'loves a dangerous language, and 'If I ever thought you would lonely.