earMUSIC [Release date 03.02.14]

You can’t help thinking this ballads collection is something of a cash-in in advance of the band’s spring tour with Europe and FM.  There are no new tracks but newcomers may be interested in the note-perfect re-rendering of these classics.

There is a bit of disingenuity too: more serious buyers may be horrified to see ‘Double Vision’ and ‘Feels Like The First Time’ in the track listing but – fear not – these are pared down versions that originally appeared on ‘Acoustique’ in 2011 .  But to include these essentially hard rock songs in a Ballads collection is frankly debatable.  The compiler evidently gave up with the construct because ‘Long Long Way From Home’ is the hard rock version.

Kelly Hansen does an excellent job on vocals recreating Lou Gramm’s distinctive emotional pull whilst maintaining his own dignity but the main crime is that all these tracks have been available before – even with the updated line-up – on that Acoustique release and in more recent times we’ve also had the bonus disc of remixes that  came with ‘Can’t Slow Down’  (2010).

This will, then, only appeal to complete novices and those BMW owners who take their latest squeeze to one of the forthcoming shows and who need to top up their greatest hits collections.  For completists, the 2-disc version includes a previously unreleased acoustic German concert.

What we really want is another new album, not re-treads of bygone classics immaculately performed.  2010′s “comeback” album ‘Can’t Slow Down’ was perhaps criminally under-rated and is represented here with six tracks.

As a scene-setter for the UK tour, though, it does remind us that – aside from the hard rocking -  Foreigner have an irresistible softer underbelly even if – in this case – the packaging is somewhat laboured and a tad lazy.  ***1/2

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

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Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 6 October 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

IZZY REIGN Spooky Scary Skeletons (FiXT)
THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

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