Lost/Forgotten Album #298

[Jon]

For the the twenty-seventh album in the series I thought up all by myself, I am proud to buck the trend yet again and NOT feature an anniversary album. Plus, I took a slight liberty......

This week's selection is the 1995 release from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Stranger In Us All, and it was the first Rainbow album since 1983's Bent Out Of Shape. It's also quite possibly the last ever Rainbow release. 

Stranger In Us All is the first studio album that did not even chart in the U.S. Not only that (and here comes the liberty), this is the first studio album to not receive a certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It is also the lowest charting studio album in England, reaching #102 on the charts. Every other studio album before this had reached at least #11. For those wondering, no Rainbow album has received a certification in the U.S.

Let's see if allmusic.com digs it as much as I do:

Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore resurrected the beloved hard rock band Rainbow in 1995 for the album Stranger in Us All. The new lineup -- technically named Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow -- was not an all-star who's who of hard rock like the groundbreaking original version with vocalist Ronnie James Dio or the radio-targeted AOR version with vocalist Joe Lynn Turner. All incarnations of Rainbow, even the mid-period lineup fronted by bellower Graham Bonnet, are generally revered in hard rock circles. In its own way, Rainbow's music was just as influential as the music Blackmore made during his years in Deep Purple. Stranger in Us All feels like Blackmore's shot-in-the-dark, semi-inspired effort to reconnect with his hard rock fan base. Around this same time, he was gearing up his Renaissance-flavored new age project, Blackmore's Night. For Stranger in Us All, Blackmore recruited vocalist Doogie White, keyboardist Paul Morris, bass guitarist Greg Smith, and drummer John O'Reilly. Many songs, such as "Wolf to the Moon," "Cold Hearted Woman," and "Stand and Fight," are decent enough. The two standout tracks, "Hunting Humans (Insatiable)" and "Black Masquerade," are the best at recapturing classic Rainbow's energy, drama, and dynamics. Blackmore also proffers another cover of the Yardbirds' "Still I'm Sad." He clearly loves this song since it has appeared in studio and live versions on previous Rainbow albums. Does Stranger in Us All live up to the Rainbow name and reputation? Not really. White is a decent, fully capable hard rock vocalist, but he is not as distinctive as Dio, Bonnet, or Turner. Then again, few vocalists are. (On tour, White did do a fine job of singing all of the old Deep Purple and Rainbow favorites in the set.) Rainbow soon fell by the wayside as Blackmore concentrated on Blackmore's Night. Perhaps some variation of the classic lineup will reunite eventually; even without the late, great Cozy Powell on drums; something like Yes' 1991 Union tour, which gathered multiple members to celebrate its overall legacy, would be a hard rock fan's dream.

Stranger In Us All

1. Wolf to the Moon
2. Cold Hearted Woman
3. Hunting Humans (Insatiable)
4. Stand and Fight
5. Ariel
6. Too Late for Tears
7. Black Masquerade
8. Silence
9. Hall of the Mountain King
10. Still I'm Sad

Availability: New runs around $8. There's supposedly an 11th song, "Emotional Crime", on that version but it's not on mine even though that's the version I ordered awhile back. Oh, well.  

[Scott]

I've always wanted to hear this... Looking forward to catching up

[RJhog (Admin)]

I've never heard this one before.  I've heard of Doogie White, but I believe this is the first time I've ever heard him sing on anything. The album seems to be okay, but it's not really memorable.  The first song that is somewhat memorable is Hunting Humans (Insatiable).  It seems to have one of those melodies that seem to get stuck in your head.  But any momentum that is picked up with that song is quickly lost with Stand And Fight.  Ariel is a decent little tune.  

I easily managed to listen to the balance of the album without one time feeling interested in it.  It seems to me like Rainbow and Ritchie Blackmore had nothing new to offer.  But they offered it anyway.  I guess that's pretty cool if you are a big fan of Rainbow or Blackmore.  

[Scott]

My immediate impression is the sound feels like some sort of "Straight Between The Eyes" feel with "Down To Earth" production.  Seems like that would be a great thing to me!

This Doogie guy is a dead ringer for Turner.  These first two tracks are pretty good but not overly memorable could've used some more Ritchie!  Two more tracks in and I've yet to really hear much of Ritchie's guitar work - just bits but nothing overly interesting and extended, yes there's some nice riffage and the harmonica is cool, some good chorus' and song structures feel solid.

I actually like the feel of Ariel the best so far and I'm guessing that the wifes vocals were worked into the ending, just a guess though.  But his transition to Blackmores Night becomes clearer the more this moves along.  The aforementioned vocals and now the acoustic work on Black Masquerade are clear indicators of the split in direction.  Makes me wonder if there was tension in the recording of this.

Still I'm Sad is confusing, wheres the cowbell!!!  And why redo this?  Loved the guitar intro but I couldn't recognize the tune until it kicked in and even then I had to pay close attention..

There is nothing here that's not interesting, but theres nothing here that really grabs at me.  Seems as though if you own some Rainbow albums then this wouldn't really make a nice addition to the collection. Cleary a release for the bands biggest fans, of which I am not, but I love the early work and the Joe Lynn Turner albums, the in between stuff is hit and miss and that's where this one gets lumped in.