Lost/Forgotten Album #279

[Jon]

The eighth album in the series I thought up all by myself is a rush job since I thought this was the one week of the year that I was allowed to have off and, when I found out it wasn't, I rushed so much that I almost posted an album that had already been posted but I caught my (almost) mistake in time but realized that I have other things to do so I had to quickly go thru the pile of albums for this current series and find something that I felt like posting and almost posted something else instead of this one but finally decided that this would be this week's L/F album which is the last L/F album of 2015! Oh yeah, it's 1983's Caught In The Game from Survivor.

Whew.

Caught In The Game is the followup to the platinum Eye Of The Tiger and precedes the platinum Vital Signs. So, we have a double-whammy here, since this album is not certified.

To be honest, I thought this album was a letdown after Eye Of The Tiger and it's obvious a lot of people thought the same way. However, now I think the album is quite fine and find it a nice followup to EOTT. It rocks, like that album, and it rocks more than Vital Signs.

The one single that was released is the title track which reached #77 on the US charts. This is a far cry from the title track of the previous album which reached #1. Maybe if the song was in a Rocky movie it would have charted higher. Maybe not. It still rocks, though. 

After Vital Signs I forgot about Survivor. They went a soft rock route that I didn't like. Now, like this album, I enjoy it. It's age, I think. 

Obligatory allmusic.com review:

Caught in the Game had Survivor focusing on a harder rock & roll sound, with greater emphasis stemming from the guitar and percussion, but this new formula didn't fare well commercially and the band failed to put any of the album's songs onto the charts. With Frankie Sullivan finally expressing himself with his guitar playing, the album does manage to establish a vibrant and dominant punch through most of the cuts, but because of this, there's a shortage of musical flow and melodic consistency that becomes apparent after the first few tracks. Efforts such as "What Do You Really Think" and "I Never Stopped Loving You" are Survivor's best examples of their straight-ahead rock fair, but they're canceled out by non-abrasive fillers like "Slander" and "Santa Ana Winds," which have the band playing well below their capacity. After this album, Survivor replaced vocalist Dave Bickler with the more inspired-sounding Jimi Jamison. The album that followed, 1984's Vital Signs, had the band playing clean-cut radio-friendly rock, and two of the three singles released from the album made it into the Top Ten. Survivor encountered further success with their new vocalist and their future albums had more of a congenial pop/rock flair to them, which was apparent even on the releases that didn't net the band any charted singles. None of Caught in the Game's tracks appear on Survivor's most thorough hits package entitled Fire in Your Eyes: Greatest Hits, an essential 18-track compilation released in 2001.

Caught In The Game

1. Caught In The Game
2. Jackie Don't Go
3. I Never Stopped Loving You
4. It Doesn't Have To Be This Way
5. Ready For The Real Thing
6. Half-Life
7. What Do You Really Think?
8. Slander
9. Santa Ana Winds

Availability: Around $5 new. The was a Rock Candy release, believe that is OOP and costs around $30. I'd do more research if I wasn't so rushed. Maybe.

[Scott]

Happens to be my favorite Survivor album ever, so much so the title track made its CRB debut in my very first SHT post...  Crunchy riffs, of which Caught In The Game may be one of the 80's best.  Sullivan really can play, the dude shreds and scales back when necessary.  Dave Bickler is the voice of Survivor as far as I'm concerned, this means no disrespect to Jamison, its just the way it is for me. 

I can't say theres any filler here, at least for me.  Though the public missed out on a great album, it did get some radio attention, but the hidden treasures are aplenty...  Some of the best are Ready For The Real Thing and Santa Ana Winds.  Yes the blueprint was laid down with EOTT, but it was perfected here.

Why Bickler left I cant recall, something to do with his voice and maybe other factors as well, but they would never be the same even if they entered superstardom without him.  At least we have 4 solid albums with him leading the way.  Fine post sir!!  Merry Christmas to you and yours...

PS:  I had no idea we had a week off ...

[Jon]

I had to beg for next week off. You might want to check with corporate on that.

[Scott]

[TageRyche]

Like all Survivor CDs, I loved this one.

My favorite two tracks on the disc are "Jackie Don't Go" and "Santa Ana Winds".

It is definitely an overlooked or forgotten album because it wasn't as commercially successful as either album that came before or after it.

And from what I remember, Bickler left the band because his voice couldn't handle the workload.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I've got to sit down soon and figure out my Top 5 LFAOTW for the year.  You have been on fire with this most recent series that might not be a series.  I don't remember ever hearing this album until now...

Caught In The Game - I do remember this song.  Nice slice of melodic rock right here.  Excellent

Jackie Don't Go - Haven't heard this one though.  It's also very melodic.  This should have been a hit!

I Never Stopped Loving You - The first ballad.  When it first started, I was thinking of cheese.  But as it went on, I changed my mind.  I like it.

Ready For The Real Thing - Corny

Half-Life - Definitely back on track.  Killer guitar solo.

What Do You Really Think? - Not feelin' this one.

Slander - Same here.  The backing vocals are almost obtrusive.  But, on second thought, the more it plays, the more I like it.

Santa Ana Winds - Wow!  What an epic closer.  The guitar work is brilliant.  It almost makes me think of southern rock in it's style and set up.  And the guitar work, once again, is brilliant.  Oh, I already said that.

Very nice post Mr.S.  This was beautifully melodic and I just loved the guitar work.  Wouldn't mind picking up the Rock Candy remaster for this one.

[TageRyche]

I do have the Rock Candy remaster so it is worth it to get it.