One Step Closer is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Doobie Brothers. The album was released on September 17, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records. The album included the hit "Real Love", which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. This album is the band's last studio album with Michael McDonald in the lineup until 2014's Southbound, and also the first studio album to feature John McFee as a member of the band.
Up Against It! is a 1997 album by Todd Rundgren consisting mostly of song demos he wrote and recorded between 1986 and 1989 for the musical theater adaptation of the never-produced screenplay Up Against It. The play was originally written in 1967 by Joe Orton for the Beatles. This album is Rundgren's score to the stage adaptation of playwright Joe Orton's Up Against It, the unfilmed screenplay originally mooted as the third Beatles film (after Hard Day's Night and Help). They declined it, so he reworked it to lessen their presence, successfully sold it to the producer Oscar Lewenstein, and then was violently murdered by boyfriend Kenneth Halliwell in a notorious murder-suicide.
This is a very good album, no question about it. The disc covers a lot of musical territory and has a great prog sensibility. The musicianship and vocals on the CD are impeccable. The CD reviewed here is a Japanese import, and the two bonus tracks are only available on the Japanese edition. It is also important to note that these bonus tracks are separated from the rest of the CD by a long pause. A special treat on the disc is a great cover of the theme song to the old British sci-fi series Space 1999. Rocket Scientists are Erik Norlander and Mark McCrite. Tommy Amato, Neil Citron, Greg Ellis, Tony Franklin, Lana Lane, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, and Don Schiff join them on this album.
Double Platinum is a double-album, 20-track collection that gathers all of Kiss' biggest hits ("Rock and Roll All Nite," "Beth," "Detroit Rock City," "Calling Dr. Love," "Love Gun"), but what makes it an essential retrospective and introduction is that it doesn't overlook key album tracks and concert favorites like "Cold Gin," "Deuce," "Black Diamond," and "She." If "Strutter" was represented by the original version, instead of a pointless 1978 remake – which was recorded only to entice collectors into buying an album of music they already owned – Double Platinum would have been a definitive collection, but as it stands, it's simply a very, very good overview.
Alive! was the album that catapulted Kiss from cult attraction to mega-superstars. It was their first Top Ten album, remaining on the charts for 110 weeks. Culled from shows in Detroit, New Jersey, Iowa, and Cleveland on the Dressed to Kill tour, the record features producer Eddie Kramer doing a masterful job of capturing the band's live performance on record. The band's youthful energy is contagious, and with positively electric versions of their best early material, it's no mystery why Alive! is widely regarded as one of the greatest live hard rock recordings of all time. "Rock and Roll All Nite" became a Top 20 smash and was the main reason for the album's success, but there are many other tracks that are just as strong – "Deuce," "Strutter," "Firehouse," "Parasite," "She," "100,000 Years," "Black Diamond," and "Cold Gin" all shine in a live setting. Although there's been some speculation of extensive overdubbing to correct mistakes, Alive! remains Kiss' greatest album ever. An essential addition to any rock collection.
Hey Stoopid is the 19th studio album by rock singer Alice Cooper, released on July 2, 1991. After his smash 1989 hit album Trash, Cooper attempted to continue his success with his follow-up album, which features guest performances from Slash, Ozzy Osbourne, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars (both of Mötley Crüe). Hey Stoopid was the last music album to feature bassist Hugh McDonald before he joined Bon Jovi as their unofficial bassist in 1995. According to Cooper assistant Brian Renfield, an alternate cover was originally considered, described by Renfield as being "hardcore with hypo needles, pills…" Notably, the track "Feed My Frankenstein" features famed guitar duo Steve Vai and Joe Satriani playing together, accompanied by Nikki Sixx on Bass. In 2014, "Dangerous Tonight" was featured in the video game Watch_Dogs.
Irish hard rocker turned respected blues man Gary Moore may not be breaking new ground 15 years into his musical transformation, but he continues to churn out solid, energized albums that play to his considerable strengths. It may be his raw Peter Green-inspired guitar that draws fans in, but Moore's soulful vocals and stronger-than-necessary songwriting keeps them there. These 11 humdingers feature five originals interspersed between sharp, tough covers of Sonny Boy Williamson (two tracks), Chuck Berry, John Mayall, and even a closing, seven-minute acoustic version of Son House's "Sundown," a rare glimpse of Moore's unplugged abilities.