Flashback CD Review #70 - Y & T - Black Tiger (Remastered)

[TageRyche]

This review was written for the Rock Is Life.com's Reviews In Brief section in 2006. (2012 Update: When I originally posted the link to this review on the Y & T message board, unsurprisingly the reaction to it was negative.)

Y & T
Black Tiger (Remastered)
Meanstreak Music Company - 2005
http://www.yandtrocks.com

The Verdict

Though the CD is a remastered version of an album released in 1982, I listened to the disc as a first timer. It's also how I'm looking at doing my review.

What I heard on the album was a band that put forth a maximum of quality in regards to their music, but sadly come up a bit short lyrically. Singer/guitarist Dave Meniketti has a nice husky yet melodic sound to his vocals, but there's just not much there lyrically. I find this sad because this is rock and roll how I generally like it.

The best songs on the disc were the title track, "Forever" and "Barroom Boogie". However, that's not saying much since it is really only the music that did anything for me here.

The prevailing thought is that Y & T has always been one of those unsung bands that just never got over on the music audience. I can't say that I agree based on listening to Black Tiger.

Rating: 2 out of 5

[Jon]

Oh, come one! This is the first Y&T album I ever bought so it has a place in my heart. Love it from top to bottom, even better than "Mean Streak".

[TageRyche]

Sorry, but that's how I felt about the album.

[Scandal 2000]

Interesting review. Black Tiger is probably my favorite Y&T album. I know they seldom wrote masterful lyrics, but I think this is one of their best albums and have always thought they were underrated.

[RJhog (Admin)]

I have this but have never listened to it.  Guess I need to change that.

[Scott]

Jumping on the bandwagon here.  Black Tiger was the first time I heard Y&T.  Best album they ever made as far as Im concerned, great heavy rock album, and great party rock album.  Lyrically?  who cares, its good times everytime it gets played!

[TageRyche]

I care about lyrics.

Remember, I'm doing a review. It has to be encompassing.

I liked the music, not the lyrics. It was a part of the review that had to be written about.

[Scott]

Not a critique of you Tage, sorry if I came across like that.  Love your reviews!

[TageRyche]

Scott,

Nope, didn't take it as a criticism of me. I just wanted to respond because I'm not a musician so I can't talk more in depth about the quality of a particular album's musicianship. But I do write so I can do more criticism about the words of a song.

We're good, no worries.

[Jon]

Tage has woken the savages!

[Niels (Mod)]

Now, this album is also of interest to me:

"Earthshaker" was the first Y&T-album, that I bought, and I thought it was great, so I had great expectations for this album, and .......I thought it was even better than "Earthshaker". Still do, it's my favorite Y&T-album!! And then when they released the "Mean Streak-single", I thought that,THAT album would be even better, but no. "Mean Streak"(the album) was a big dissapointment, and Y&T never made a great album again (IMO).

"Black Tiger" is one of the albums, I now and then try to get on cd, just like Night Ranger's "Seven Wishes", but it seems, that I have to pay a lot of money for both of them. Living in Denmark, I have to pay taxes and stuff, when I buy through Amazon. Some day, perhaps?! 

[Mike Mills]

The first song I heard from Y&T was "Mean Streak"! It was on a K-Tel "Master's Of Metal" cassette. It was one of my favorite songs on the cassette. I remember liking the heavy vocals & sound! I also, remember going to a "Battle Of The Bands" & a group whipped out an Awesome cover of it!