ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 60 MR. MISTER - WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD (1985)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Mr. Mister

Album: Welcome To The Real World

Producer: Mr. Mister & Paul De Villiers

Band Members: Richard Page/Steve George/Steve Farris/Pat Mastelotto

Singles:  Broken Wings (U.S. #1)/Kyrie (U.S. #1)/Is It Love (U.S. # 8)

Favorite Single: Broken Wings

Favorite Album Cut: Black/White

Most Likely To Skip: Into My Own Hands

Final Rating: 80% (curved down from 84% due to poor album cover)

 

As promised last week I'm going back to the 80's for a few weeks.  For the most part, I'll feature 80's albums that made an impact on the U.S. Top 40.  We start out with Mr. Mister.  Welcome To The Real World is the band's second album and was released in 1985.  The album found the number 1 spot on the Billboard chart and spawned 3 Top 10 hits, 2 of those being number 1 hits.  The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA.  That's not too shabby by anybody's standards.

 

I happen to like the album a good bit.  I don't like a lot of electronic styled music generally, but for some reason I don't mind the electronic percussion or the synthesizer/keyboard sound here.  There is a bit of guitar work, but you have to give it a pretty good listen to pick it out (the first track features a pretty good solo).  This is about as pop as pop gets so give it a try.  The album is readily available from Amazon for 12 bucks new or 4 bucks used (shipping included).

 

As for the cover art, it really blows.  It pulls my overall rating down a bit.

 

Did You Know (Stolen from Scott): According to Wikipedia, when the first Mr. Mister album, I Wear the Face, was released in 1984, Richard Page was offered the chance to replace Bobby Kimball as lead singer of Toto, and later was offered Peter Cetera's place in Chicago; he refused both offers.

 

Next Week: More 80's Pop? 

 

 

1. Black/White 10/10

2. Uniform Of Youth 8/10

3. Don't Slow Down 8/10

4. Run To Her 8/10

5. Into My Own Hands 7/10

6. Is It Love 9/10

7. Kyrie 8/10

8. Broken Wings 10/10

9. Tangent Tears 9/10

10. Welcome To The Real World 7/10

[Jon]

Wow, Rjhog. Wow.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I've known for a long time that I incite folks to "wow's", but you have to tell me why.  My presumption is that you can't believe I picked a Mr. Mister album for a classic rock website.  But I can only presume 'cause you haven't explained yourself...

[Jon]

Surprised you posted this because it's a

[Jon]

ok..I'll admit it. IT'S A GUILTY PLEASURE FOR ME! YOU HAPPY NOW?

[RJhog (Admin)]

NO.  I won't be happy until you give us your overall assessment of the album (details bro).

[Jon]

You know, it's not too bad. I like it back then, still like it. I don't know of many bands that had three hits (or even two) on the second "side" of an album. Remember when albums had sides? Do you, huh?

 

I have a greatest hits and it's for those three songs on side two basically. If I can find this really cheap, I just might purchase.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I totally meant to mention that all of the hits were on side two, but I forgot.  Thinking back, I believe that I owned the cassette for this at one time.

[Jon]

Do you still have ANY cassettes? I have about 200-300 packed away nicely.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I have a few, but not nearly that many.  There is a store in Pigeon Forge that is loaded with cassettes still in the factory wrapping.  They range from around 2-5 bucks.  I picked up a couple of Kiss cassettes there, but haven't been back since.

[Jon]

That makes sense for you though. You come from pickup country!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Oh yeah!

[Niels (Mod)]

My words exactly, Jon.

This is a great album. When I bought it in '85, I didn't really like it at first. It was too "poppy", but after a while it grew on me, and I ended up loving it. I don't think, there's one bad track on the album. The first 3 tracks are my favorites, and "Don't Slow Down" is probably THE favorite. And no, I had no idea, that Richard Page was offered those "jobs". I'm glad he turned down Toto, because then they wouldn't have made their best album (Isolation) with their best singer ever (Frederiksen) 

By the way, the following Mr.Mister-album really sucked, I mean REALLY!!!! I did buy it, but I think, I threw it out in the garbage.

This album, for me, is 10/10