|
|
"Foreigner delivers with "4" a real monument of Hard FM !"
|
5/5
|
|
|
|
Even though it confirmed Foreigner's ascent to power, "Head Game" showed that there was still a lot of progress to be made. Determined to move up a gear, Mick Jones has started a small revolution in two stages. First of all, Al Greenwood and Ian McDonald have decided to leave the band without being replaced, turning Foreigner into a quartet. Secondly, the guitarist have called upon the rising star of production: John "Mutt" Lange who have just released the last 3 AC/DC albums ("Highway To Hell", "Back In Black" and "For Those About To Rock"), and then the second present of a young British band called Def Leppard ("High'n'Dry"). As a true perfectionist, he gives Foreigner the necessary acoustic jewelry back to deliver what will be a true monument of Hard FM, this fourth opus soberly entitled "4", whereas its working title was "Silent Partners".
The last folk wanderings and the tracks sung by Mick Jones are over! This time, each track is a potential hit, carried by the irresistible melodies of the multi-instrumentalist leader, and raised to the top by the vocals of a Lou Gramm in a state of grace. While the line-up no longer includes an official keyboardist, this instrument takes an increasingly important place in Foreigner's music, even providing the essential melody and atmosphere on certain tracks, in particular the beautiful aerial ballad "Waiting For A Girl Like You", delicate and never falling into mawkishness. The saxophone also makes an unavoidable appearance, Junior Walker giving a legendary solo on the irresistible "Urgent", also destined to make rock history.
The nuggets follow one another, varying the tempi, even if the general tendency is to tighten up the lyrics. The Hard-Rock is scathing on a very efficient "Juke Box Hero" or on a dark and aggressive "I'm Gonna Win", while the melodies are bright without losing energy on the catchy "Night Life" and "Don't Let Go". Lou Gramm's vocal demonstration is a real lesson, as he knows how to convey a range of emotions that seems limitless. Tearing on the most aggressive tracks, moving and delicate on the ballads, mixing everything on the melodic "Break It Up", the singer seems to be the cement bringing the final touch to a coherent ensemble , marrying to perfection the double development of more Hard-Rock tracks and more FM elements.
"4" is a monument of the genre, one of those essential albums that everyone has heard at least once and in front of which all the fans of the style bow down, without the others being able to disparage it. If perfection doesn't exist, Foreigner comes very close to it with this opus that you can listen to endlessly without getting tired of it. "4" has marked an era and the history of Rock in general and has managed the feat of crossing eras without losing its magic. - Official website
|
|
|
|
|
TRACK LISTING:
01. Night Life - 3:51
02. Juke Box Hero - 4:20
03. Break It Up - 4:13
04. Waiting For A Girl Like You - 4:52
05. Luanne - 3:28
06. Urgent - 4:31
07. I'm Gonna Win - 4:53
08. Woman In Black - 4:46
09. Girl On The Moon - 3:53
10. Don't Let Go - 3:51
LINEUP:
Dennis Elliott: Batterie
Jr Walker (Guest): Saxophone
Lou Gramm: Chant
Mick Jones: Guitares / Claviers / Piano
Rick Wills: Basse
Tom Dolby (Guest): Claviers
|
|
| |
|
(0) MIND(S) FROM OUR READERS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top of the page
|
| |
|
|
(0) COMMENT(S)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
READERS
4.6/5 (5 view(s))
|
STAFF:
4.8/5 (8 view(s))
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
OTHER REVIEWS
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
OTHER(S) REVIEWS ABOUT FOREIGNER
|
|