SCOTTS HIDDEN TREASURES - (FOREIGNER - Unusual Heat)

[Scott]

SCOTTS HIDDEN TREASURES... FOREIGNER - UNUSUAL HEAT JUNE 1991 Johnny Edwards - guitar, vocals, background vocals Mick Jones - guitar, keyboard, background vocals Rick Wills - bass, background vocals Dennis Elliott- drums   Here are the two tracks I selected - (Click album cover to listen) ONLY HEAVEN KNOWS READY FOR THE RAIN My memory of this album is like Deja-Vu. Here's why...   One of the very first albums that really shaped my musical tastes was when my brother brought home Foreigners debut album. It was, at the time, life altering. I'd taken to the band wholeheartedly. Their follow up release, Double Vision was my second concert experience, and all the cool kids in Junior High (that’s what they called it back then) had this album and knew it from top to bottom. Head Games continued the momentum and 4 knocked it out of the park. So my love for the band just continued up until they released Inside Information which was a disappointment for me. I'd followed with interest all the trouble the band was going through and loved Lou Gramm's debut solo album. It’s still in rotation for me to this day. But when Mick Jones put together this version of Foreigner, I totally passed it by, until my brother brought them home yet again. Reluctantly I put in on the turntable, and the rest as they say is history. Still don't understand why this didn't go over bigger, but I'm convinced it was timing as 1991 was a year of transition for this style of music. Lastly, a certain new member on this site had mentioned she really liked Hair Metal and since this album came out at the end of that era and I thought it was a great representation of how good Hair Metal could be! You can argue how Hair Metal Foreigner wasn’t, but before you do, listen to this entire album and then let's have that discussion. This album is strong top to bottom. It contains some of my favorite Mick Jones guitar work. The 80's style riff's are some of the best out there. And the production remains top notch, so anything off this album is indeed hidden treasures, enjoy the two I picked.

[RJhog (Admin)]

Hey, I went to Junior High too.  I have to explain the concept to my son...

[Jon]

Underrated album really...guess people just gave up after "Inside Information" (which is also quite good). Now if this was ME, I would have picked "Lowdown And Dirty" as one of the tracks, but it's not about ME. Edwards does a good job on vocals as well.

And this is one of those albums that found its way into the cutout bins REALLY quick, That's why I picked it up, because it was only a couple bucks.

[RJhog (Admin)]

So, a couple of things here.  First, you are right Scott, these songs aren't bad at all.  I think I'll give a slight edge to the first track, Only Heaven Knows, but only a slight edge.  The vocalist doesn't blatantly sound like Lou G., but at certain times in his delivery I notice some similarity.  All of that being said, I'm gonna play Scott/Styx here and say that Foreigner needs Lou Gramm.  It always has been and always will be his voice that makes this band. 

 

But that leads me to the real issue or issues:

 

1. Do classic bands do themselves a service or disservice by hiring "sound alike" vocalists?

 

2. Should the musical part of the band change names when the classic vocalist leaves?  This probably doesn't apply as much with bands that have multi-vocalists.  But a band like Foreigner or Journey that have so many songs tied to that particular voice have a lot to lose when that voice leaves.   You can really count Styx here as well becuase Dennis DeYoung sang many of their hits.  What should a band do?

[Scott]

I agree with you its not the same band even if they try to sound like it.  In this case I don't think they tried to sound like old Foreigner musically, though vocally its clear they wanted Lou Gramm Jr.

What we don't know if the legal maneuvering that took place to allow them to use the name.  I suspect it has to do with this band truly being owned Mick Jones, its likely something he setup at the beginning.  I don't think the songwriting suffered as much as say, Styx, Journey and even REO (Richrath wrote some cool stuff!)

[Alan Christensen]

I have this CD, but I have not even listened to it yet. I will listen to it tonight.

Mr. Moonlight wasn't a bad Foreiner CD either, with Lou Gramm on vocals.

[Scott]

Almost went with mr. Moonlight but opted for unusual heat... I'm a fan of both! White Lie is an awesome tune that's been featured on a SHT list before

[Mike Mills]

I'm kinda' with RJ, these songs aren't bad & the vocalist does sound similar to Lou Gramm, but not a carbon copy.

I too, went to Jr. High. I was part of the last 9th grade class to ever grace the halls, before they made it a middle school & it just happened to be the rival to RJ's Jr. High. Can we pay homage to Sego Jr. High & RJ's Murphy Jr. High?

I remember listening to a lot of Foreigner during that time! I had the debut, Double Vision & Head Games. The hits off those abums were staples back them & you heard them everywhere! I remember, when 4 first came out, during my 10th grade year. I bought it right away! Then, Agent Provacateur, I can remember listening to it on my Walkman, on the way to the beach. I remember, really liking it! After that, Foreigner fell off my radar, other bands had taken the prominence, in my musical listening. I remember hearing the hits off of Insider Information, but I never bought it.

All that being said, I never considered myself a big fan of Lou Gramm's voice, but the songs worked! I hear them now & they're still good songs. They seem simplistic, yet very good! I remember hearing J.D. Fortune, perform "Cold As Ice" on Rockstar INXS. It blew me away, on what a great song that actually is!

I watched the videos Van Halen posted. Lou Gramm's voice sounds more polished than it did in the earlier works. I think it ventures into a little more easy listening feel, but I liked them. It was good to refresh with Foreigner, I had forgotten how much time I spent listening to them.

 

 

[RJhog (Admin)]

That's Van Alan bro.  It took me a minute to figure out what you were referring to.

 

Yes, Murphy and Sego Junior High.  Go Orange and Blue!

[Mike Mills]

Oops, I noticed a slip on my post. I meant Van Alan, not Van Halen!

[Niels (Mod)]

A long time, since I heard this album, but I remember, that I was surprised, that the album was better than Inside Information, with the "new" singer and all.

[Alan Christensen]

OK, I listened to this full album. There is no Juke Box Hero, but there are still some good songs.

I like the opener Only Heaven Knows, I'll Fight For You, Moment of Truth, Ready For The Rain and Safe in my Heart.

This was a good listen before bed.

The only video for this album on youtube is from Lowdown and Dirty, and it ruins the song for me, but oh well.

[Gordon Williams]

Never heard either of these songs, and as I listen for the first time, my reaction is...

1st song - Average and bland to me

2nd song - like this one right away...a lot!! Great vocal melody on this one, and I love the accoustic guitar intro. This song is good enough where if I find this for a decent price, I may just check out the rest of it. The production is excellent. I really like the mid-section, where the rhythm behind the guitar lead is really paced by the piano. This is the kind of song/melody, that gets stuck in my head, and I hum it over and over.

 

I hear a little "Gramm" in the vocals...but I do not think it's a blatant rip-off, or copy of his style, at all.