Lost/Forgotten Album #209

[Jon]

Forget about the spelling error on the cover. I have no cue where that came from since my album doesn't have that error. Where was quality control? Did they have the day off? WIll this bug you now since I brought it up?

NOTE: 100% collusion free, unlike others! All facts are from jonsmindopedia, unless otherwise noted.  Don't Scott this album (which he has done yet again).

This week's pick is "......as midnight approaches" the 1988(?) release from White Lightning. I'm guessing at the release date because there's really no answer I could find from my limited research.

By clicking here, you can read a nice biography of the band. It's easier then transcribing the biography from the CD booklet. Trust me on this.

Of course this little writeup wouldn't be complete without a review from allmusic.com:

"The 1980s were a puzzling decade for musicians who'd left a foot firmly planted in the previous decade, and weren't quite sure what to do with the new sonics then racing in. Ex-Iron Pig guitarist Simon Pengilly and bassist Gerald Goff certainly found themselves in that predicament when they formed White Lightning in 1984; should there be rock? Metal? Pop? New wave? Or perhaps a combination of all four? They chose the latter and the resultant As Midnight Approaches is completely of its era -- glossy metal with rough riffs and soaring vocals that are typical of the rise of mid-decade glam metal. From the heavy "Lesson One" to the ballad "London Nightlife," the band served up everything they could lay their hands on. And it works well, too. A more consistent release schedule could have really made a difference. In the event it would be 1990 before they followed it up, as the band juggled its membership (most notably replacing Pengilly with John Storey), and their sophomore set emerges a straight-ahead hard-rocking set, wisely leaving behind the tat of the last decade for the glitter glam of the early-'90s rockers, it too works. Mostly. "Ticking" and "Under My Skin" are solidly excellent, but there are also songs (like "Voodoo") that fall sorely by the wayside. Still, this double reissue of both albums is augmented by a hefty selection of bonus tracks and demos -- a worthwhile purchase for the White Lightning connoisseur."

Personally, it takes a little while for the album to pick up, track 2 just isn't that good. Maybe you'll think differently. I just provide a service. 

...as midnight approaches

1. Lesson One
2. Danger Man
3. Blue horizon
4. Hypocrite
5. London Nightlife
6. Right Between The Eyes
7. This Poison Fountain
8. Losing Streak
9. Frightened Children

BONUS TRACKS
10. This Poison Fountain
11. Hypocrite

Availability: As seen by the picture at the top, you can get this album as well as the followup (which was never released until now) along with a bunch of bonus tracks for around $15.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Starts out pretty good, but doesn't end that way.

• Lesson One - I get a Triumph/Van Halen feel with this opening track.
• Danger Man - This is good musically, vocally not so much.
• Blue Horizon - Excellent guitar solo.
• Hypocrite - Excellent bass work.
• London Nightlife - Cool song, the best so far.  It sounds a bit like Kansas near the end.
• Right Between The Eyes - This is where it lost me.  I really didn't care for anything past this except for the guitar playing.

Overall, outstanding guitar playing throughout this album.  But the vocals are meh, and the production is nothing to write home about.

[Scott]

Kind uv a Kanzuz/Outfeeld tone 2 hiz voculs.  Not a bad thing thoe - at leeest for me its not.  Lesssun Wun is a farely desent opuner, albeit a tad uneeveun.

I get more of an Outfeeld feel as the disk moovs on, so now Im curius as to whi you would even like this?  Don't get me wrong, I like the Outfeeld so its not a slam, but I kno u don't like them so theres that odditee.  Also produkshun wise its all so Outfeeeldie. 

The songs r uneevun, no consistence from song 2 song, so this is just an Oh Kay lissun but nuthin styandsa out, except for thoz Outfeeldie moments which are 2 far and fue to carry this in 2 the Oh Kay zone...

[Jon]

That was actually readable!

The album is ok. It picks up about halfway thru for me. Didn't notice anything similar to the Outfield, probably because they suck.

Their second album is much better. Maybe one day I'll post it, and it will be the same album cover so it'll be eazy!!!

[Gordon Williams]

Just now listening to this, and I'm on my second listen through. It's not so great that I'm adding it to my "must get list", but I do like it. Some excellent lead guitar here. It's amazing how many great guitar players are out there. Plenty of unknown guys that can tear it up like the world wide, known superstars. If I stumble across this somewhere, I might just pick it up.

I dont understand using the spoken words in the background of track two. Maiden did this already, so why go there? But whatever. It does not ruin the song or album at all. Just strange to do something like that that's already been done/used. The vocalist reminds me a tad of the dude for Hurricane...who then went on to become (and still is) the replacement of Lou Gramm in Foreigner. Enjoying this. The lead guitarist really stands out.