Hit The Ground Runnin' - Control Yourself

1. Control Yourself
2. Back Again
3. Shanghaid
4. Lost
5. Still Life Lover
6. Born To Be With You
7. Pain
8. Holding On
9. I.C.V.
10. Dirty Girl
11. Surrounded By Fire
    

Album Cover:

Total Playing Time: 48:36 m:s

Review date: 28/09/2000

Email: smashent@home.com  

Blair Ramsey - Lead Vocals

HTGR released their first album, "Sudden Impact", back in 1988. They recorded 4 master tracks for a follow up album, but called it quits amid legal hassles in 1990. Ten years later they released the pre-production demos from those "Control Yourself" sessions on MP3. The interest that was generated inspired the original members to reform the group and the band are currently recording a third album.

The band's origins back in the 80s give a clue as to what they are going to sound like. On my first listen through REO Speedwagon was the first name that came to mind, but that was mainly because of one track. On repeated listens I felt that "a less refined REO Speedwagon" was the about the only comparison I could think of, but then Aviator popped into my head. So HTGR's music is the type that falls between AOR and hard rock. Let's call it "hard AOR" just to put a tag on it.

"Control Yourself" is a big rocker to start off proceedings. There are a few lighter sections, but the overall impression is given by the crunchy guitar playing, especially on the guitar solo. The band continue the uptempo start with another uptempo romp. This is where the Aviator comparison started to form. The album has a raw feel to it overall. For example, on this track the cymbals are just a tad too noticeable for my personal tastes. "Shanghaid" is rather standard pseudo-metal offering that retains just enough melody to stop it getting slammed by me. If you heard "Lost" on the radio you'd swear it was Reo Speedwagon. It is back to Aviator for "Still Life Lover" which has enough hooks to counteract the lyrics which would have been perfectly acceptable in the 80s, but now seem slightly corny.

"Born To Be With You" has got a pseudo rock 'n' roll feel in a Billy Joel kind of way. The synth sound and the vague 'new-wave' make "Pain" a definite 80s sounding track. Still, it is high on melody and very acceptable. "Holding On" is a semi-ballad and this style never fails to conjure up the name of Journey. For "ICV" and "Dirty Girl" the band decide to turn up the wick and rock out more than on previous tracks with unspectacular results. After those couple of duffers the band get very much back on track with "Surrounded By Fire" which is a great slice of hard AOR that leaves you wanting to hear more from the band.

The band have reformed and put out this album pronto. With a couple of duff tracks and a production that could be more refined, I can't give this full marks, but these are really only minor concerns because the band have delivered an album of good hard AOR. Once you hear this album I think your appetite will be suitably wetted for the new album that the band are currently recording.