2012 CD Reviews - Lita Ford - Living Like A Runaway

[TageRyche]

Lita Ford
Living Like A Runaway
SPV/Steamhammer - 2012
http://www.litafordonline.com

While you might say "Don't call it a comeback" since this is the second album since Lita Ford's return to recording and performing, given the absolute atrocity that was the album Wicked Wonderland, I'm confident in saying that THIS album is a true Lita Ford release. The other one was more a guest vocal appearance by Ford on an album that was an ego trip for her now ex-husband Jim Gillette.

Living Like A Runaway is a soul baring look into the life Ford dealt with supposedly living a blissful happy life on an island with her ex and her two sons. It wasn't quite as blissful as we were led to believe.

The version of the album I got was the limited edition one. It comes with a poster and two bonus tracks.

Ford wrote or co-wrote 9 of the 12 tracks on the album. She covers Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" as the album's closer and brings a far more revved up rocking sound to it than the original song. There's also "A Song To Slit Your Wrists By" that was done by Nikki Sixx. Sadly, I didn't get into that song much at all. While I liked the heavy rock vibe on "The Mask", I didn't like the effects used on the vocals during various parts of the song.

The album might snarkily be referred to as "The Divorce Album" but you'd be missing out if that's all you took away from the listening experience. This CD features much more of a raw and gritty aggressive sound than her most successful album Lita.

The anger in her writing and playing was highlighted and enhanced by guitarist Gary Hoey. He was a huge factor in the making of this album. He produced it, played guitar, co-wrote 5 of the songs and wrote "Relentless" on his own. He also played bass and helped with the arrangements. And yet despite his heavy investment, this doesn't come off sounding as if Lita was a guest on her own release again. Hoey is a phenomenal guitarist in his own right and though he does have some solos here, the album spotlight is on Lita Ford as it should be.

"Branded" was a rocking way to open the disc and "Hate" was a very dark track. As you might expect, some of the songs are autobiographical in their lyrical content, particularly the title track and "Mother". The latter song is dedicated to her two sons, the heartbreak in the lyrics and peformance so deeply in evidence.

"Relentless" was written by Hoey, but the lyrics ring solidly enough that you might mistake them for another tale from the life of Lita if you didn't read the album credits.

The rockers "Asylum" and "Bad Neighborhood" are excellent, but for me the stand out track on the album is without a doubt "Devil In My Head". It's a kick ass rocker with a set of lyrics that blew me away.

It's been a long time coming, but Lita Ford is definitely back and raring for more. Check out Living Like A Runaway for yourselves and I think you will find quite a suprisingly good rock and roll CD.

GRADE: B PLUS

Lita Ford Interview from Classic Rock Revisited

[Alan Christensen]

I listened to this on Spotify, and really like it. I thought she was writing form her heart, and not just writing songs about sex, drugs, and Rock and Roll (Yes, she has songs about that on some of her old albums). She has some good old songs, some bad. But this album sounded mature and from the heart.

[Scott]

Interesting review. After her last release I wouldn't have even gave this one any thought at all. Now I may go preview this using my Zune subscription.

[Jon]

That's interesting that Hoey had major input in this. Would never think of a Ford/Hoey hookup.

With this review I am now curious about this. As long as there's no "Kiss Me Deadly" or "Close My Eyes Forever" I should be good. 

[TageRyche]

While I liked those songs, there is no equivalent on this album.

[Scandal 2000]

Very nice effort, one of her best. I heard it bombed it's first week selling less than a thousand copies in the United States which is too bad. The state of music is is in bad shape, I read an article where there were something like 75,000 albums released in 2010 and only around 2,000 sold more than 5,000 copies. This one is worth everyone's time.