Lost/Forgotten Album #249

Many years ago, someone on this here site mentioned something about Russ Ballard and maybe even requested that an album (or two) get the feature-of-the-week treatment. I waited patiently for someone to step up to the plate and grant this request, but nobody did until a few weeks ago.

That selection went over so incredibly well and I got the message. You want more Russ Ballard!

Of course, I am only here to please everyone and this week's selection is the self-titled release from Russ, but it's not the 1975 self-titled release. No, it's the self-titled release from 1984! That's the one you were looking for.

As with most Russ Ballard albums, there might be a song or two covered by another artist, but I'm too lazy to find out what song was covered by who. It just doesn't matter. What does matter is the song "Voices", which received a lot of airplay plus was featured on Miami Vice. It just doesn't get better than that.

For those keeping track, this was RB's highest charting album, reaching #147 in the U.S.

Russ Ballard (1984)

1. I Can't Hear You No More
2. In The Night
3. Two Silhouettes
4. Voices
5. A Woman Like You
6. Day To Day
7. Playing With Fire
8. The Last Time

Availability: A used, standalone version costs around $8 and there's also a version that includes "The Fire Still Burns" that costs around $14.

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Permalink Reply by RJhog (Admin) on May 29, 2015 at 7:55pm

The first song has an intro. Definitely sounds dated to the eighties, but that's really good in this case. Killer geeeeeeeeter work on this track. The keyboard style is what dates it the most. This song is terrific.

In The Night is a song that was covered by Frehley's Comet. They changed the name slightly to Into The Night I believe. Yet another good 80's song.

Track three ventures into Cheeseland. Strike one.

I don't remember Voices at all. I don't hate it but I don't love it either. We will hold off on calling strike two for now.

A Woman Like You has a very typical 80's opening, and I dig it. Lyrically it's quite cheesy, but I like that guitar playing a bunch.

Next up, this track is a bit better than the previous ones. Nice backing vocals, guitar playing an melody. I would be surprised to find out this one wasn't covered. This could have been a hit in 1984 or 1985 for Peter Cetera.

Song number seven is boring. Strike two.

The closer has a keyboard intro that immediately made me think of Journey's Girl Can't Help It. This is the kind of 80's song that I like. It's a great mood song. Joe Lynn Turner should have covered this tune.

So Russ didn't strike out. Overall, this is quite nice. I love the production that gives most of the songs a moodiness and the guitar playing is very good. Even the vocals are pretty decent on this album. I'd say this one is better than the last one you posted. How 'bout some more Donnie Iris since you are in such a pleasing mood?

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Permalink Reply by Scott on June 2, 2015 at 9:41am

I see no evidence of this "request" you refer to...

First track feels pretty good, a bit bland IMO since it seems to be a slower-mid-tempo groove which is not always bad, but this one just doesn't hold my attention. At least its not the blatant KISS throwaway track that began the last Ballard listening experience.

Frehley's version of In The Night is much better but even in Frehley's case the tune is still a middle of the road 80's track but with better geetars...

Ooohhh, the cheese oozing out of track 3 is really thick!

Voices, if RJ cant all this one a strike well then I will.. And so begins the second half of a so-so album. Remember buying an album, putting side one on and not really getting into it? Theres a few albums I have where side two was never played or played once or twice at most. This would be the point of this listen where I would put the album back in the sleeve and move on... But my contract says otherwise now days...

Theres not really anything here that grabs me, so my conclusion remains... Russ Ballard penned tunes are better off getting a make over by other artists. How many albums does this guy have out?