Album review : GIRLSCHOOL – From London To Nashville (2 CD Set)

January 24th, 2022 by brianmc

The Store For Music [Release date: 21.01.22]

Girlschool experienced their share of heartache… label let downs, revolving door membership issues, conflicting views on musical direction and the struggles to sustain their ambitions in the face of all of the above, never mind the industry’s prevalent sexism.

But they soldiered on regardless, having to endure some critical bashings by the music press, but enjoying brief peaks of fame nonetheless.

This 2 CD/ 2 Live Gig release is taken from the band’s concerts in Nashville and London, both in 1984.

It was a key year for the band. This was to be the time of transition, from Metallised Biker Punk, to polished American Pop/Metal. Success beckoned.

Live From Nashville
The US gig looks back on the raw and raucous, rough edged rock of their first 3 albums, reeling off a series of consistently strong songs. The blissfully thunderous ”Screaming Blue Murder’ and ‘Hit & Run’, and the DIY Garage/Biker Rock excitement of ‘Rock Me Shock Me’ and ‘Emergency 999′ drive the gig forward like a rock’n'roll juggernaut. ****

Live From The Camden Palace, London
The London gig sees the band straddling the boundary line between the past and the polish of their 4th and latest album, the Radio/MTV friendly Play Dirty.

In fact only 4 tracks from those earlier recordings, ‘Hit & Run’, ‘C’mon Lets Go’, ‘Emergency 999′ and ‘You Got Me’ survived the shift from the studio to the Camden Palace stage.

The remainder are an even mix of songs from Play Dirty and those planned for 1985 album, Running Wild.

Of the new material, ‘Love Is A Lie’, ‘Running For Cover’ and ‘Are You Ready To Rock’ never feel like too much, or not enough. Hearing them live deceived us to thinking perhaps the new, improved pop metal sound would be just like this. When in fact “just like this” was reserved for live performance. ***1/2

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)