The Outfield

The Outfield are an arena rock-influenced British pop rock/power pop power trio based in London, England. The Outfield are unusual for a British band in that they enjoyed commercial success in the U.S., but never reached the album or singles charts in their homeland…

The Outfield's brisk pop sound gave them five Top 40 singles within the span of five years. Their sound is comprised of remnants of classic rock which is soothed by the fluidness of Tony Lewis' voice, and a front-line guitar attack driven by John Spinks. Big Innings is a generous, 16-track compilation made up of the Outfield's hits as well as their unreleased and B-side material, offering a delightful roam through their short-lived stint. With "Your Love," "All the Love in the World," and "Voices of Babylon" representing some of their greatest chart successes, the rest of the collection still houses many other pleasing contributions. The effectively encumbered guitar charge of "Since You've Been Gone" from 1987's Bangin' stands out, as does the sheer charm of "For You" off of 1990's Diamond Days. Although acoustic tracks such as "Alone With You" and "Through the Years" appear in mono, they are welcomed just the same. The disappointing Rockeye album contributes its two best efforts in "Closer to Me" and "Winning It All," while "One Hot Country" from the If Looks Could Kill soundtrack is the set's weakest contribution, sounding glitzy and overly effusive even for the '90s. Still, with only one or two feeble tracks, Big Innings is a more-than-sufficient hits package.

The batters couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat. The fielders must be using frying pans instead of baseball mitts. It looks like the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t got a prayer…until the prayers of a young orphan girl get the Pirates some celestial support! Comedy and charm form the winning lineup of Angels in the Outfield, starring Paul Douglas as the team’s short-fused manager. “Dogs have fleas, managers have sportswriters,” he grouses to a columnist (Janet Leigh) covering the team. Adding to the fun are game footage from back in the day (buffs will love to spot the stars); support from Keenan Wynn, Spring Byington and more familiar talents; plus unbilled bits by baseball greats Joe DiMaggio and Ty Cobb. One more footnote about this nifty ’50s diamond: President Eisenhower called it his favorite movie. Batter up!

Three Varsity baseball players, who have been best friends since childhood, enter their senior year of high school and navigate difficult choices on and off the field, while also dealing with the concern of where they will be going to college.

A young woman reporter blames the Pittsburgh Pirates' losing streak on the obscenely abusive manager. While she attempts to learn more about him for her column, he begins hearing the voice of an angel promising him help for the team if he will mend his ways.

Who was not smitten by the hook-filled glory of Power Pop—the style of music that may be regarded as a hybrid of New Wave, Pop Rock, and Glam Metal? One of the bands that waved the flag of this genre in the illustrious decade of the 1980s was The Outfield, whose chart-topping classic singles such as “Your Love,” “All the Love,” “Bangin’ on My Heart,” “No Surrender,” “My Paradise,” and “Voice of Babylon” remain favorites on Rock-formatted retrospective radio stations as well as on the record players of many ’80s music aficionados.