Jeremy Fox Veg

One of the brighter debuts to emerge in the late '80s, Britny Fox established themselves early on as hard-hitting contenders, only to expose a glass jaw in subsequent bouts. Often labeled clones of sister band Cinderella (whence they got their image, guitar player, and record contract), the quartet overcame expectations by filling their first album with song after song of top-flight '80s glam, marred only slightly by the cliché-ridden lyrics. The boys each play to their strengths here, which results in killer riffs and licks from Michael Kelly Smith and impassioned howling from Dizzy Dean Davidson. On later platters, they would overextend their talents and become just another struggling bar band, so enjoy the chemistry while it's still there. Among the many highlights are "Long Way to Love," "Girlschool," and a cover of Slade's "Gudbuy t'Jane."

Despite the title, the boys seemed to have cooled off substantially since their scorching debut. Dizzy Dean's attempts at singing straight on the majority of these tunes rob the band of its raw edge, and the ultra-clean acoustic guitars backing many of the midtempo tracks are too clearly derived from Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." Unfortunately, the band tames its strip club mentality for a more mature outlook on relationships, only to find they have nothing to say on the subject…

Pearl Jam, live at the Fox Theatre, Atlanta on 3rd April 1994. Performed shortly after the band started work on Vs., and just as they embarked on their bitter battle with TicketMaster, this epic show finds them on breathtaking form, playing a cross-section of fan favorites, with a typically intense vocal performance from Eddie Vedder and some scorching guitar from Mike McCready. Originally broadcast on KROQ 106.7 FM, it s presented here in full as a Double CD.