Melodic Rock Webzine

Melodic Rock Webzine


MTM Volume IV - Rock Is Coming Home

MTM Volume IV - Rock Is Coming Home

Tracks:
 
  1. Steelhouse Lane - If Love Should Go (Slaves Of The New World - Bonus track Japan)
  2. Dare - Run To Me (Calm Before The Storm - Bonus track Japan)
  3. Danger Danger - I Do (The Return Of The Great Gildersleeves)
  4. Jaded Heart - Live & Let Die (Jaded Heart IV)
  5. Storyteller - What She Wants (Storyteller)
  6. Harlan Cage - Can't Tame The Raven (Forbidden Colors)
  7. Beggars &Thieves - Gypsy (unreleased)
  8. Reingold - Killer On The Loose (Universe)
  9. Guild Of Ages - Let It Go (Vox Dominatas)
  10. Metropolis - Never Look Back (The Power Of The Night)
  11. Axe - Let The Music Come Back (Twenty Years Volume 2)
  12. Michael Morales - That's The Way (What's The Way)
  13. ACT - Abandoned World (Today's Report)
  14. Brett Walker - Rain In My Heart (Lift Off)
  15. Joe Lynn Turner - No Room For Love (Hurry Up & Wait)
  16. Brian McDonald - Wind It Up (tba)

Album Cover:

 

 Label:  MTM Records
Producer: various
Year: 1999

Total Playing Time: 72:07 m:s

Review date: 3 December 1999

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Rating: 8
Verdict: A good sample from recent MTM releases
MTM round off the year with a duo of compilation/sampler albums - one with rock tunes and the other with ballads. First up in the spotlight is the rock album. It is good to see a couple of Japanese bonus tracks and an unreleased track to add interest for those who may already have invested in some MTM releases already.

Quite few of the albums upon which this compilation is based have already been reviewed in Mood Swings. For example, Metropolis, Michael Morales and ACT all got dissected last month with the first two getting a very positive thumbs up from me.

The Japanese bonus tracks by Steelhouse Lane and Dare give the album a strong start and certainly don't sound like the filler expected of bonus tracks to these ears. In fact, I'm enjoying the Dare track more that I would have expected given my somewhat cool reaction to the album. The unreleased Beggars & Thieves track was another shock. Whilst I could take or leave, and erring on the side of leaving, the album, "Gypsy" is an great GnR meets Rolling Stones number. Whilst I'm on the subject of being pleasantly surprised, the Harlan Cage track, "Can't Tame The Raven", with it's Magnum meet Survivor vibe, is a far better than I expected, as I never really 'got' their debut album and promptly forgot about them.

Danger Danger, Guild Of Ages, Axe and Joe Lynn Turner all provide consummate performances without varying from their own formulas. As Deep Purple/Rainbow were my first love in the hard rock world, I'm always going to like Joe's ventures into this area. When it comes to choosing tracks for a compilation, I guess it's all a matter of personal choice. Reingold's Rainbow-influenced "Killer On The Loose" wouldn't have been my choice from that album as I think the cop car radio sample spoils it. It's a similar story with Jaded Heart where the cheesy kiddie's choir at the start of "Live & Let Die" knock the edge off an otherwise decent tune. The strong production on the Jaded Heart track makes like difficult for Storyteller who's lightweight progressive style sounds weak in comparison. Another looser in the same department is Brian McDonald who's track sounds muffled to me. Brett Walker's track also sounds a bit out of place amid the heavier company, but this lightweight catchy number has certainly wetted my appetite for his new album.

As with all compilations, it has it's highs and low, but thankfully there are more of the former. Whither you buy this as a look before you leap into the individual albums sampler or simply as a rock compilation album, I don't think you'll have many complaints.

Mood Swings - Nigel Wilson - All Rights Reserved