Thursday, January 1, 2004
Review : Big Mutha Truckers : PS2
Big Mutha Truckers
PS2
By Steve Fulton
(Originally published on Gamerdad.com)
Slam The Hammer Down, Blow The Doors Off This One And Give It A Big 10-22
To a 7-year old in 1977, Star Wars was the coolest thing ever conceived. The second coolest thing was Evel Knievel and his insane jumps on motorcycles with factory suspensions. The third coolest thing however, was American trucker phenomenon. The mid 1970’s saw independent truckers and their CB lingo pull out of the truck stops and drive head-on into the American psyche. Like most great American pop-culture mishaps (i.e. disco, 50’s sock hops, teenage scientists, wire-fu, bullet-time, etc.), it all started in the movie theatre. It began with White Line Fever in 1975, continued with The Last Of The Cowboys starring Henry Fonda in 1976, reached an apex in 1977 with Burt Reynolds and Smokey And The Bandit, and petered-out (cut-off by the success of Star Wars) with the Sam Peckinpah directed Convoy in 1978. It is no coincidence that the last great western of 70’s, Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales, was released in 1976, smack-dab in the middle of trucker-movie era. For a few short years (until Han Solo shot-first and rose above all comers), truckers replaced cowboys as the quintessential outlaw-heroes of the American West. What drove this fascination with 18-wheels vehicles, and the people (mostly men) who piloted them? The open roads and convoys of big rigs were like the romantic, wide-open spaces, wagon trains, and cattle drives of the western era. “Smokeys” were like the corrupt town Sheriffs, or worse, the ruthless Pinkerton men. Knowing the complicated CB language was like having a ticket into a private, FCC thumb-nosing party. This was post-Vietnam, and heroes for kids were in short supply. As silly as it may seem, the truck-driver of the mid-70’s seemed to embody the All-American spirit of freedom, independence, free trade, and the dream of making your life into anything you want it to be.
Monday, September 1, 2003
Review : Lego Drome Racers : GBA
Lego Drome
Racers (GBA)
GBA
By Steve Fulton
(originally published on gamerdad.com)
A surprisingly winning racer from THQ
Good racing games for the GBA are hard to come by. They are usually either ambitious 3D miss-fires like the textured-polygon filled Driver 2 Advance, or 2-D, third-person contests like Hot Wheels Velocity X with some good features, but ultimately difficult to view and control. THQ’s Lego Drome Racers manages to avoid these common pitfalls, crossing the finish line as rather nice little 3D combat racing game for the GBA.
The best choice THQ made with this game was to avoid textured polygons. Instead, shaded ones are used to great effect. The GBA screen is too small for most textures anyway, and most of the time they end up looking messy and grainy (ala Driver 2 Advance). The shaded polygons with their associated color palette, give the landscapes a feeling not unlike that of Warner Bros. Road Runner Cartoons. Far from detracting from the realism, the graphics create a surreal racing environment that manages to look great, while not distracting the player from the task at hand: winning races.
The game gives you the choice of 4 play modes: Arcade, Quick Race, Championship, and Multiplayer (with a link cable). The heart of the game is the Championship mode, as it let’s you race through all four “Cups” in succession. “Cups” consist of four or five races, over various terrain, each one locked until you have placed at least 3rd in the previous race. As well, each successive Cup is locked, until you have completed the previous one with a combined ranking from all races of first, second, or third.
You begin your Championship by selecting from one of the four race teams (Hot, Red, Zero, and Maverick). Two teams, Nitro and Exo-Force, are left to be unlocked by the player. This is one of the few parts of the game that actually uses it’s license, as these are also names of actual LEGO Brand product race teams. As with many THQ licensed games, aside from this detail, you’ be hard-pressed to find much in the game that uses it’s source material. In this case though, it doesn’t really detract from the game at all. After selecting you team, you have the choice to “qualify” for your race. Qualification involves a simple drag-race with computer opponent to figure out in which position you will star the race. You can skip this step, but you risk losing the extra bonus “upgrade” point you could obtain if you have the fastest over-all score.
Races are on paved or dirt tracks, using two separate cars. To be honest, it’s not easy to tell which races are on or off road, and it doesn’t seem to matter much in the game either. Each race is three laps over varied, and interesting terrain. The shaded polygons give the game crisp look, and help give it an illusion of high-speed. Along each track you can pick-up missiles, triple missiles, mines, disruptors (force field), shield, rocket, flares (to blind drivers) to help win race. Weapons are fired with the [L] buttons, while turbos are engaged with [R]. [A] accelerate, [B] brakes, and the game left-right control-pad for steering round-out the controls.
If you finish your three laps in first, second or third place, you advance to the next race and obtain power points to apply to your car’s attributes. You can choose from Top Speed, Acceleration, Handling, Grip. Refreshingly unlike some games, these attributes actually do seem to affect your vehicles. For instance, you will notice over the course of many races that your top-speed increases when you apply your point there. You will also notice handling gets much harder, so you will want to apply some points there as well. Making these sorts of details count seems like a no-brainer, but it is one of the features of LEGO Drome Racers that sets it apart from your average GBA racer.
While the graphics are nice, the sound leaves much to be desired. Engine noise is fine, but you will be taken-aback by just how awful the crowd-noise sounds. The sound is so terrible that it does detract a bit from the enjoyment in the game. With such a solid title in other areas I suppose THQ had to skimp somewhere. I would venture to guess that THQ played the odds, figuring that many people play their GBA with little or no sound. However, I like great sound in my games, and it’s usually good rule to simply leave a sound out if it is not up to snuff, instead of letting it mar otherwise good game.
Lego Drome Racers is an action-packed, solid racing title for the GBA. It’s surprising to see THQ, the king cheap throw-away licensed games, come up with something as memorable and fun as this title. If you are in the market for a diverting racer to play in-between rounds of Advance Wars 2 or Golden Sun 2, you could do much worse than plopping this game in your GBA, and taking your team of Lego racers through a thrilling Championship season.
Kid Factor
GBA
By Steve Fulton
(originally published on gamerdad.com)
A surprisingly winning racer from THQ
Good racing games for the GBA are hard to come by. They are usually either ambitious 3D miss-fires like the textured-polygon filled Driver 2 Advance, or 2-D, third-person contests like Hot Wheels Velocity X with some good features, but ultimately difficult to view and control. THQ’s Lego Drome Racers manages to avoid these common pitfalls, crossing the finish line as rather nice little 3D combat racing game for the GBA.
The best choice THQ made with this game was to avoid textured polygons. Instead, shaded ones are used to great effect. The GBA screen is too small for most textures anyway, and most of the time they end up looking messy and grainy (ala Driver 2 Advance). The shaded polygons with their associated color palette, give the landscapes a feeling not unlike that of Warner Bros. Road Runner Cartoons. Far from detracting from the realism, the graphics create a surreal racing environment that manages to look great, while not distracting the player from the task at hand: winning races.
The game gives you the choice of 4 play modes: Arcade, Quick Race, Championship, and Multiplayer (with a link cable). The heart of the game is the Championship mode, as it let’s you race through all four “Cups” in succession. “Cups” consist of four or five races, over various terrain, each one locked until you have placed at least 3rd in the previous race. As well, each successive Cup is locked, until you have completed the previous one with a combined ranking from all races of first, second, or third.
You begin your Championship by selecting from one of the four race teams (Hot, Red, Zero, and Maverick). Two teams, Nitro and Exo-Force, are left to be unlocked by the player. This is one of the few parts of the game that actually uses it’s license, as these are also names of actual LEGO Brand product race teams. As with many THQ licensed games, aside from this detail, you’ be hard-pressed to find much in the game that uses it’s source material. In this case though, it doesn’t really detract from the game at all. After selecting you team, you have the choice to “qualify” for your race. Qualification involves a simple drag-race with computer opponent to figure out in which position you will star the race. You can skip this step, but you risk losing the extra bonus “upgrade” point you could obtain if you have the fastest over-all score.
Races are on paved or dirt tracks, using two separate cars. To be honest, it’s not easy to tell which races are on or off road, and it doesn’t seem to matter much in the game either. Each race is three laps over varied, and interesting terrain. The shaded polygons give the game crisp look, and help give it an illusion of high-speed. Along each track you can pick-up missiles, triple missiles, mines, disruptors (force field), shield, rocket, flares (to blind drivers) to help win race. Weapons are fired with the [L] buttons, while turbos are engaged with [R]. [A] accelerate, [B] brakes, and the game left-right control-pad for steering round-out the controls.
If you finish your three laps in first, second or third place, you advance to the next race and obtain power points to apply to your car’s attributes. You can choose from Top Speed, Acceleration, Handling, Grip. Refreshingly unlike some games, these attributes actually do seem to affect your vehicles. For instance, you will notice over the course of many races that your top-speed increases when you apply your point there. You will also notice handling gets much harder, so you will want to apply some points there as well. Making these sorts of details count seems like a no-brainer, but it is one of the features of LEGO Drome Racers that sets it apart from your average GBA racer.
While the graphics are nice, the sound leaves much to be desired. Engine noise is fine, but you will be taken-aback by just how awful the crowd-noise sounds. The sound is so terrible that it does detract a bit from the enjoyment in the game. With such a solid title in other areas I suppose THQ had to skimp somewhere. I would venture to guess that THQ played the odds, figuring that many people play their GBA with little or no sound. However, I like great sound in my games, and it’s usually good rule to simply leave a sound out if it is not up to snuff, instead of letting it mar otherwise good game.
Lego Drome Racers is an action-packed, solid racing title for the GBA. It’s surprising to see THQ, the king cheap throw-away licensed games, come up with something as memorable and fun as this title. If you are in the market for a diverting racer to play in-between rounds of Advance Wars 2 or Golden Sun 2, you could do much worse than plopping this game in your GBA, and taking your team of Lego racers through a thrilling Championship season.
Kid Factor
This is a good beginning race game for kids. Over the age of 5, with skills to use the [R]
and [L] buttons will be enough to have little-ones ripping around these
well-designed and varied tracks. The
game is very forgiving when it comes to staying on the road, which is great for
kids just learning the mechanics of a driving game. However, kids will definitely need help with
the “drag racing” qualifiers, and understanding what to do with their “power
points”. As well, while the game has
forgiving controls, that does not mean it is easy to win. Younger kids
will have fun driving around one of the tracks (over and over and over)
until they are good enough to finish at least 3rd but that might never happen
. While 5 year olds can enjoy the
game (mine did), it might be better suited to 7 or 8 year-old, who can truly
appreciate it.
Score: ***
Age: 5+
ESRB: E - Everyone
Producer: THQ
ESRB: E - Everyone
Producer: THQ
Developer: Mobius
Entertainment
Tuesday, July 1, 2003
Review : Land Before Time Activity Center : PC
Land Before Time Activity Center
PC
By Steve Fulton
Originally published on gamerdad.com
If You Can Stand It, Your Kids Will Love It
I am a self-proclaimed “bargain-bin diver”. My ultimate price-point is $2.00. I’ll buy any software for $2.00. When Havas bought Sierra in the late 90’s
they dumped dozens of their low-rent titles for $2.00 each at CompUSA. It was like finding buried treasure. I’ve never owned more copies of pinball,
miniature golf, and You Don’t Know Jack games in my life. I dream about finds like that, but they are
few and far between. These days, the
lion’s share of the bargain-bin and jewel-case racks in major discount stores
are filled with Kid’s software, sometimes in packs of 2 or even 3 titles for
$9.99. One of the titles currently
available is The Land Before Time: Activity Center. It can sometimes be found packaged in a
two-pack with The Land Before Time: Math Adventure, or in multi-pack
named The Land Before Time: Three Pack that also includes Kindergarten
Adventure and Math Adventure.
Sunday, June 1, 2003
Review : Game : Activision Anthology : PS2
My first review submitted to Gamerdad.com. This was not written in the gamerdad.com style.
Activision Anthology
PS2
PS2
By Steve Fulton
(originally published on GamerDad.com)
(originally published on GamerDad.com)
For A Change, Nostalgia Is Done The Right Way...But Will
your Kids Care?
The name "Activision" means more to me than it
rightly should, and far too much than I can ever admit to
my wife. To me at age
11, the fab-four were "David Crane, Alan Miller, Bob Whitehead and Larry
Kaplan". I knew the names of the founding fathers of 3rd party video games
better than the authors of Declaration Of Independence, or the U.S.
Constitution. Activision games were so
well-crafted, they made the majority Atari's own 2600 releases look silly by
comparison. They continually released
high-quality (if sometimes shallow) games, up until the end of the first great
video game boom. After changing their
name to the obviously focus-group friendly Mediagenic and then back again in
the early 90’s, the company started to dig into it’s own history for
ideas. In 1995 they, released three Atari
2600 Action Pack titles for the PC. In 1998 they released an Activision
Classics collection for the PS1.
All of these early efforts suffered from an incomplete selection of
games, and poor game emulation.
Saturday, June 10, 2000
Review : The Alarm : Eponymous
The Alarm
Eponymous
2000
By Steve Fulton
Essentially, this record started out life as a CD version of “The Alarm” E.P., which has never been released. Instead, it has become something much more. This CD stands as an historical record, chronicling the sonic rise of a nearly anonymous Wales-based punk band into a chart-topping success story.
The album starts out, appropriately enough, with a-side and b-side from The Alarm’s first independent 1981 single Unsafe Building b/w Up for Murder. Both songs sound remarkably clean and crisp on CD, and set the stage for the material to follow. At this point, two songs in, the album takes a monumental turn. Instead of logically moving into “Marching On”, The Alarm’s second single from 1982, we get to hear 5 demos from 1982. Actually a mix of demos for EMI , miscellaneous demos, and sessions, these 5 songs capture The Alarm in their rawest form ever recorded. “Lie Of The Land” displays the Sharp “electro-acoustic” in all its glory, behind some alternate and very interesting lyrics. “Reason 41” follows, and it has to be the best version of this song ever recorded. Except for a slight off-key harmonica blast near the end, this song is perfect, and shows what a masterpiece this Sharp/Peters collaboration really was before it got left behind for other tracks. The album continues with “The Deceiver” a less gothic, less abstract version than the one found on the “Declaration” album. Next up is a demo of “What Kind Of Hell”. Although the recording level is a bit low (this might be fixed in the final remastering), the song in this form rocks! Think of the version “Second Generation Vol 1”, as played by wild natives. It is really remarkable. The final song in this section is “68 Guns”, and early version that sparkles like a ball of raw, focused energy.
Next up are the single/E.P. versions of “Marching On”, “Across The Border” and “Lie Of The Land”. All sound great because we can finally hear them on CD. The album then moves from 1982 to 1983. And we get a trio of Mick Glossop produced songs. “The Stand”, which needs no introduction, “Blaze Of Glory”, and “Thoughts Of A Young Man”. “Blaze Of Glory” is a version recorded in 1983, which appeared on the b-side of the “Absolute Reality” 12-inch single in 1985. To many die-hard fans, this is ultimate version of the song. It is tight, explosiove impassioned and wonderful. Legend has it that this is one of The Alarm songs that Bono heard and helped shape the direction of U2 in the following years. Yes my friends, the album critics might have always called The Alarm a rip-off of U2, but maybe, just maybe, it was the other way around. Hmm. Not to get too sidetracked, but has anyone ever noticed just how-much “Joshua Tree” sounds inspired by The Alarm from this era? Harmonicas, acoustic guitars, cowboy hats, stuff that U2 rarely delved into prior, but The Alarm had been using since their inception. Hmm. Anyhow, I digress., but it is something to think about. The third song in the “salute to Mick Glossop” is “Thoughts Of A Young Man”, a song in the form of a letter with a cool, guitar-crunching ending.
The fourth section of this album plays like a mini Alarm concert from 1983. It begins with the live version of “For Freedom” from the E.P/The Stand 12”., still as good a stomping rocker as The Alarm ever produced. Next up is a new, never released live version of “The Deceiver”, which sounds a bit faster and more anthemic than any other released version. “Third Light” (live) , “Lie Of The Land”(live) (count ‘em, three version on one CD) “A Legal Matter” (live), and the rarer “Marching On” (live) follow, all gloriously vibrant, and raucous in a way only The Alarm could have performed them on stage.
The album finishes with the single version of “68 guns”, that adds a drum-count by Twist at the beginning. This song rounds out The Alarm’s output for 1983. While not a totally remarkable ending, it is fitting for this collection. What we have here is not just a repackaging of an E.P. with some bonus tracks, but instead, a remarkable rock n’ roll journey. One that takes the listener from Rhyl bedrooms, to record company basements, through sweaty live shows in downtown London and the New York, all the way to the top-10 singles charts in the UK. This is the prelude to greater things to come, the opening shot in a battle to win the hearts and minds of music fans around the world. This is an amazing document, and one that should not be missed under any circumstances.
Eponymous
2000
By Steve Fulton
Essentially, this record started out life as a CD version of “The Alarm” E.P., which has never been released. Instead, it has become something much more. This CD stands as an historical record, chronicling the sonic rise of a nearly anonymous Wales-based punk band into a chart-topping success story.
The album starts out, appropriately enough, with a-side and b-side from The Alarm’s first independent 1981 single Unsafe Building b/w Up for Murder. Both songs sound remarkably clean and crisp on CD, and set the stage for the material to follow. At this point, two songs in, the album takes a monumental turn. Instead of logically moving into “Marching On”, The Alarm’s second single from 1982, we get to hear 5 demos from 1982. Actually a mix of demos for EMI , miscellaneous demos, and sessions, these 5 songs capture The Alarm in their rawest form ever recorded. “Lie Of The Land” displays the Sharp “electro-acoustic” in all its glory, behind some alternate and very interesting lyrics. “Reason 41” follows, and it has to be the best version of this song ever recorded. Except for a slight off-key harmonica blast near the end, this song is perfect, and shows what a masterpiece this Sharp/Peters collaboration really was before it got left behind for other tracks. The album continues with “The Deceiver” a less gothic, less abstract version than the one found on the “Declaration” album. Next up is a demo of “What Kind Of Hell”. Although the recording level is a bit low (this might be fixed in the final remastering), the song in this form rocks! Think of the version “Second Generation Vol 1”, as played by wild natives. It is really remarkable. The final song in this section is “68 Guns”, and early version that sparkles like a ball of raw, focused energy.
Next up are the single/E.P. versions of “Marching On”, “Across The Border” and “Lie Of The Land”. All sound great because we can finally hear them on CD. The album then moves from 1982 to 1983. And we get a trio of Mick Glossop produced songs. “The Stand”, which needs no introduction, “Blaze Of Glory”, and “Thoughts Of A Young Man”. “Blaze Of Glory” is a version recorded in 1983, which appeared on the b-side of the “Absolute Reality” 12-inch single in 1985. To many die-hard fans, this is ultimate version of the song. It is tight, explosiove impassioned and wonderful. Legend has it that this is one of The Alarm songs that Bono heard and helped shape the direction of U2 in the following years. Yes my friends, the album critics might have always called The Alarm a rip-off of U2, but maybe, just maybe, it was the other way around. Hmm. Not to get too sidetracked, but has anyone ever noticed just how-much “Joshua Tree” sounds inspired by The Alarm from this era? Harmonicas, acoustic guitars, cowboy hats, stuff that U2 rarely delved into prior, but The Alarm had been using since their inception. Hmm. Anyhow, I digress., but it is something to think about. The third song in the “salute to Mick Glossop” is “Thoughts Of A Young Man”, a song in the form of a letter with a cool, guitar-crunching ending.
The fourth section of this album plays like a mini Alarm concert from 1983. It begins with the live version of “For Freedom” from the E.P/The Stand 12”., still as good a stomping rocker as The Alarm ever produced. Next up is a new, never released live version of “The Deceiver”, which sounds a bit faster and more anthemic than any other released version. “Third Light” (live) , “Lie Of The Land”(live) (count ‘em, three version on one CD) “A Legal Matter” (live), and the rarer “Marching On” (live) follow, all gloriously vibrant, and raucous in a way only The Alarm could have performed them on stage.
The album finishes with the single version of “68 guns”, that adds a drum-count by Twist at the beginning. This song rounds out The Alarm’s output for 1983. While not a totally remarkable ending, it is fitting for this collection. What we have here is not just a repackaging of an E.P. with some bonus tracks, but instead, a remarkable rock n’ roll journey. One that takes the listener from Rhyl bedrooms, to record company basements, through sweaty live shows in downtown London and the New York, all the way to the top-10 singles charts in the UK. This is the prelude to greater things to come, the opening shot in a battle to win the hearts and minds of music fans around the world. This is an amazing document, and one that should not be missed under any circumstances.
Friday, June 9, 2000
Review : The Alarm : Raw (The Alarm 2000)
The Alarm
Raw (Alarm 2000 version)
2000
By Steve Fulton
I suppose it is fitting that start here with "Raw" as my first "preview-review" of "The Alarm 2000" releases, because, frankly, it has always been my least favorite of The Alarm’s studio albums. To me, the original sounded disjointed, messy and rushed. This was a far-cry from the lush and cohesive "Change" from two years prior. I always felt that "Raw" was missing something. After listening to the "Alarm 2000" version, I know what it was: more good songs.
Basically, this version of "Raw" pulls together all the songs that were originally recorded for the album, before the "Standards" greatest-hits album got in the way. "The Road", "Unsafe Building 1990", "Up For Murder 1990", and "Happy Xmas (war is over)" are all here in their full-glory. This may not sound like a huge addition, but when heard in context, they really changed my impression of the album.
"The Road" blasts off the collection in the proper manner. It is essentially the same as the version from "Standards", except it contains a tighter vocal-track than the previously released version. This is a good thing, as Mike Peters' vocals have been reigned in a bit, and sound more earthy and real. Next up, an extended version of "Rockin' In The Free World", that (as my brother pointed out) now contains the "good part" of the song. It includes.the final climax of Neil Young's masterpiece , and it sounds fantastic. Next up is "Raw", which sounds better here because it does not have the pressure of starting-off the album. After "Raw" a version of "The wind Blows Away My Words" with a tighter vocal-track, similar to the one in the new version of "The Road". In this case, it does not make the song better or worse (it is still my personal favorite song from the album) but simply sounds great. "Unsafe building 1990" continues the trend of longer songs, with an uncut version that contains a proper ending. "Moments In Time" is essentially unchanged, but the next song is not. "Let The River Run It's Course" contains a masterful, uncut ending that rally shows off Dave sharp's guitar-prowess. This used to be one of my least favorite songs, but here it takes on new life. It is one of the better tracks on the album.
"Raw" continues with "God Save Somebody", "Lead Me Through The Darkness", "Hell Or Highwater", and then quickly switches gears to include "Save Your Cryin'" (if only Mike Peters could have found a version of this like the 1986 demo, now THAT would have been something), "Wonderful World", "Up for Murder 1990", "Happy Xmas (war is over)". All of these songs are essentially the same as "Raw", and need no further comment.
However, the last song on the album comes as a complete surprise (unless you read the sleeve notes that is). "Walk Forever By My Side" is an acoustic take with Dave Sharp and Mike Peters playing dueling guitars. The acoustics are bright and colorful, the vocals as great as ever. If a single could be released from this entire 150-song set, this would be my choice. It shows The Alarm at their best. Simple, yet ultimately complex if you delve into it's deeper meaning.
With all of its extras and surprises, "Raw" receives the "Most Improved" award from me. It is not the best in the collection, but it light-years beyond the version released in 1991. If this is the final album from "The Alarm", at least it now shows they did not falter and drift away, but instead were making vital and exciting music until the day they broke-up.
Raw (Alarm 2000 version)
2000
By Steve Fulton
I suppose it is fitting that start here with "Raw" as my first "preview-review" of "The Alarm 2000" releases, because, frankly, it has always been my least favorite of The Alarm’s studio albums. To me, the original sounded disjointed, messy and rushed. This was a far-cry from the lush and cohesive "Change" from two years prior. I always felt that "Raw" was missing something. After listening to the "Alarm 2000" version, I know what it was: more good songs.
Basically, this version of "Raw" pulls together all the songs that were originally recorded for the album, before the "Standards" greatest-hits album got in the way. "The Road", "Unsafe Building 1990", "Up For Murder 1990", and "Happy Xmas (war is over)" are all here in their full-glory. This may not sound like a huge addition, but when heard in context, they really changed my impression of the album.
"The Road" blasts off the collection in the proper manner. It is essentially the same as the version from "Standards", except it contains a tighter vocal-track than the previously released version. This is a good thing, as Mike Peters' vocals have been reigned in a bit, and sound more earthy and real. Next up, an extended version of "Rockin' In The Free World", that (as my brother pointed out) now contains the "good part" of the song. It includes.the final climax of Neil Young's masterpiece , and it sounds fantastic. Next up is "Raw", which sounds better here because it does not have the pressure of starting-off the album. After "Raw" a version of "The wind Blows Away My Words" with a tighter vocal-track, similar to the one in the new version of "The Road". In this case, it does not make the song better or worse (it is still my personal favorite song from the album) but simply sounds great. "Unsafe building 1990" continues the trend of longer songs, with an uncut version that contains a proper ending. "Moments In Time" is essentially unchanged, but the next song is not. "Let The River Run It's Course" contains a masterful, uncut ending that rally shows off Dave sharp's guitar-prowess. This used to be one of my least favorite songs, but here it takes on new life. It is one of the better tracks on the album.
"Raw" continues with "God Save Somebody", "Lead Me Through The Darkness", "Hell Or Highwater", and then quickly switches gears to include "Save Your Cryin'" (if only Mike Peters could have found a version of this like the 1986 demo, now THAT would have been something), "Wonderful World", "Up for Murder 1990", "Happy Xmas (war is over)". All of these songs are essentially the same as "Raw", and need no further comment.
However, the last song on the album comes as a complete surprise (unless you read the sleeve notes that is). "Walk Forever By My Side" is an acoustic take with Dave Sharp and Mike Peters playing dueling guitars. The acoustics are bright and colorful, the vocals as great as ever. If a single could be released from this entire 150-song set, this would be my choice. It shows The Alarm at their best. Simple, yet ultimately complex if you delve into it's deeper meaning.
With all of its extras and surprises, "Raw" receives the "Most Improved" award from me. It is not the best in the collection, but it light-years beyond the version released in 1991. If this is the final album from "The Alarm", at least it now shows they did not falter and drift away, but instead were making vital and exciting music until the day they broke-up.
Thursday, May 20, 1999
Review : The Alarm : King Biscuit Flower Hour
King Biscuit: The Alarm
1999 King Biscuit Records
By Steve Fulton
There has always been a huge gap in album catalog from
the Welsh band The Alarm: a scorching live album. Sure, the band recorded
two of the best rock albums of the 80's (1984's "Declaration",
and 1985's "Strength"), but
hearing The Alarm "in-the-studio" was only half the story.
In it's time The Alarm's live performances were nothing
short of legendary. They didn't merely "take-the-stage" but more
accurately "held it hostage", blasting their unique mix of
acoustic guitars, stomping rhythms, and fiery vocals to a frantic and
amazed audience left gasping for breathe and screaming for more.
The band released an the E.P. in 1988 called "Electric Folklore: Live", but that 6 song
disappointment did more to show how The Alarm's troubles
as unit in the late 80's than display their sheer
magnificence as a live band.
1999 King Biscuit Records
By Steve Fulton
There has always been a huge gap in album catalog from
the Welsh band The Alarm: a scorching live album. Sure, the band recorded
two of the best rock albums of the 80's (1984's "Declaration",
and 1985's "Strength"), but
hearing The Alarm "in-the-studio" was only half the story.
In it's time The Alarm's live performances were nothing
short of legendary. They didn't merely "take-the-stage" but more
accurately "held it hostage", blasting their unique mix of
acoustic guitars, stomping rhythms, and fiery vocals to a frantic and
amazed audience left gasping for breathe and screaming for more.
The band released an the E.P. in 1988 called "Electric Folklore: Live", but that 6 song
disappointment did more to show how The Alarm's troubles
as unit in the late 80's than display their sheer
magnificence as a live band.
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