Signal - Loud And Clear
This was my introduction to the voice of singer Mark Free. Whenever this was first released, it created quite a buzz and the words ' the next Foreigner' were being mentioned in AOR circles. Obviously this didn't happen & this was the only album they put out.
The Foreigner comparison is probably the best description that I can think of - provided we're talking about the rockier moments and not the ballads that Foreigner are usually associated with by Joe Public.
I can't really pick out one or two tracks because most of the tracks are excellent, with only a couple of weaker ones spoiling the show (for example 'My Mistake' definitely was). The album gets better as it goes along, and the second half contains the best material. The vinyl version of the album would definitely wear out on side two first. Mark Free is on excellent form. I've a couple of other albums featuring Mark Free in my collection, but this is the one I would recommend.
This album is widely regarded as one of the classic AOR albums. I'm not going to disagree with that. This is the sort of album that reminds you just how good AOR can sound. Almost an essential purchase for those of us who love bands like Journey, Survivor, and, of course, Foreigner.
Rating : 8
