RANK AND DISCUSS THESE 4 CLASSIC ROCK RELEASES

[RJhog (Admin)]

Walmart...do you love 'em or hate 'em?  I'm on the fence, but I have bought at least 6 CD's that started out as Walmart exclusives over the last few years.  Out of the six, I would like to hear your opinions on four of them.  The albums are:

 

The Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden

 

AC/DC - Black Ice

 

Foreigner - Can't Slow Down

 

Journey - Revelation

 

Each of these releases had some pretty slick extras, from re-recorded discs of previously released material to concert DVD's.  My question for you is which order do you rank them, from best to worst, and what do you think about each one in general.  If you haven't heard one or any of these releases, just click on the link a take a listen.  I'll post my opinions in a reply to the thread.

[Scott]

Interesting that you left off Sonic Boom!  Or is it in a class all by itself?  hahahaha

[RJhog (Admin)]

I didn't want any backtalk when I ranked it number 1...I also left off the latest REO, wasn't that a Walmart only at first???

 

I listened to all 4 of these yesterday, and my rankings are very scientific: Number of better than average songs divided by total number of songs times 100...

 

I'll post my findings a little later today.

[RJhog (Admin)]

My rankings are:

 

1. Foreigner - Can't Slow Down (69%)

2. Journey - Revelation (64%)

3. The Eagles - Long Road Out Of Eden (60%)

4. AC/DC - Black Ice (27%)

 

I don't remember any extras with the AC/DC disc.  I do believe there was a deluxe version, with some extra stuff, but I got the regular version.  Out of 15 songs, I only think 4 of them are at least above average.  Everything else totally bores me.

 

The Eagles release was a 2 disc set of original stuff, a total of 20 songs all together.  I think 12 of the 20 songs are above average.  I think they should have narrowed it down to one disc and the album could have been outstanding.  What struck me more than anything with Long Road Out Of Eden is the number of slow songs.  There's just way too many of them, and to me it really weighs this release down.  Also, there was no DVD with this one.

 

Journey released a very nice package.  It contained the new album, 11 songs, of which I thought 7 were better than average.  It also contained a 2nd disc that had 11 re-recorded songs from earlier in Journey's career.  Now, I'm not saying that this is necessarily worth going out and paying for on it's own, but as a freebie, I'll take it.  Also, we got a 3rd disc, a concert DVD with 14 songs on it.  All in all, a very nice package for the price, I think around 12 bucks.  I'm in the camp that want's to see Steve Perry back in Journey, and when I listen to this album, I imagine just how good some of these songs could have been with Steve singing, and I mean no disrespect to Arnel Pineda.  The songs themselves are very Journey"esque".

 

Finally, the Foreigner release was very similarly packaged to the Journey release.  We got 3 discs total, with disc 1 being the original, new album, disc two being remixes of 10 Foreigner classics, and disc 3 being a concert DVD.  There were 13 songs on the original album, and I thought 9 of them were excellent.  I would also prefer to see Lou Gramm in Foreigner, but I will say I think Kelly Hansen sounds better as Foreigner's vocalist than Arnel does as Journeys, but that's just an opinion.  It's somewhat interesting to hear Hansen on the remake of Fool For You Anyway, but I'm glad he only did the one song.  Watch for a Versus competition related to this song coming soon.

 

So there it is, my analysis.  I think that 3 of the 4 are fine releases, but I could use my money back for the AC/DC purchase.

[TageRyche]

Well I only have the AC/DC album. I found it to be pretty good, one of their best releases in years.

[Dave]

The Foreigner one is the best in my opinion.  The dvd flat out rocks!  The remixes sound great, and the new cd is good also.  The worst for me is the Eagles...just not enough rockin' songs...too many slow songs...and yes, if it had been one single disc..then it might have been really, really good.  Black Ice is next for me, as it is classic AC/DC.  Third would be Journey.  Good..solid, but not great.

[Scott]

My ranking without listening. 

 

1. Foreigner

I like the new stuff, although it doesnt compare to the Lou Gramm Foreigner I know and love.  But Jones can still write a lick and play a nice guitar.  The re-records are super fantastic as the production is top notch and the band nails every single nuance of each track.  In some cases I prefer the re-recording over the original.  By the way, this one still fits into the NMC criteria if someone wants to take a stab at it...

 

2. The Eagles

I get the easy listening, slow, ballady feel everyone is talking about.  I also get that if this would have been condensed into 1 CD it would been one great song after another great song.  But, for me, the typical Eagles record requires multiple listens to really get the feel of the songs.  Henley's ability to write a great tune is only surpassed by his ability to write a perfect and catchy chorus!  (See Waiting in the Weeds).  When you reach back into 1973 and pull off a perfect JD Souther tune, and use Paul Carrack to assist int he songwriting, you start to find tons of hidden treasures on each CD.  For me, this is really a 1a to Foreigner...

 

3. Journey

Its so easy to hear Steve Perry missing.  And I dont mean his voice only, but also in the song writing.  Some songs try too hard to sound like classic Journey and some fall short of that emotional connection Journey strives for.  So I wonder, is this a half Jonathan Cain and half Neil Schon album or a collaboration of the entire band, adn I wonder whythey fight with Perry and still try to re-create his sound...  things that make me go hmmmmm... The bonus disc of re-recorded hits is cool, I like the mastering and the slight changes you can hear in some tracks are really cool.  The DVD is good as well. 

 

4. ACDC

Seen this tour roll through Charlotte at this same timne last year.  They played a lot of tracks from Black Ice.  I purchased this after that concert.  I really like this CD.  But the issue I have with it is that my love for it didnt last.  Dont get me wrong, I like it and still will plop it in every now and then, but I threw it against the wall and it didnt totally stick... yet...

 

Cool topic...  but...  I would have loved this topic more if we included the REO and KISS releases.  I think the Wal Mart packaging has infused some life into the CD again and as much as I dont like Wal Mart, these types of releases and pricing are a big win for Classic Rock fans.  I Wonder if they will continue, it seems like it has been awhile since weve seen one....

[RJhog (Admin)]

Well, let's make an addendum to the original question and add Sonic Boom by Kiss (2009) and Find Your Own Way Home by REO Speedwagon (2007) to the mix for ranking.  Without going back and listening to either, I'd rank all 6 this way:

 

1. Sonic Boom

2. Can't Slow Down

3. Revelation

4. Long Road Out Of Eden

5. Find Your Own Way Home

6. Black Ice

 

Honestly, Sonic Boom is probably not the best album here, but as you guys know, Kiss is my band, and it's good enough this late in their career for me to put it on top.  The packaging was great, with the Sonic Boom disc, a disc of re-records that, while for the most part aren't as good as the originals, is still very interesting to me.  Also there is a third DVD disc of 6 live performances.  I would still prefer the Stanley/Simmons/Singer/Kulick lineup to this one, but that's not meant to be.

 

The REO disc is one I just can't get into.  Cronin sounds too different to me for some reason.  I know Scott disagrees with this, but I guess my brain just doesn't process this one the same.  However, I would take REO over AC/DC.  Other than Back In Black, I just prefer Bon Scott's vocals to Brian Johnson.

[Scott]

Revised...

 

1. Foreigner

2. The Eagles

3. REO Speedwagon - Shocked?  Give Dangerous Combination another try...

4. Journey

5. ACDC

6. KISS - Shocked again?  I love KISS, I really do, but this release doesnt do anything for me at all

[Jon]

1. AC/DC--Black Ice

Guess you either love it or hate it. I love it. My favorite album from them since "The Razor's Edge".

 

2. Kiss--Sonic Boom

Yeah, you're reading this right. Kiss at #2, but only because the rest don't do much for me. 

 

Here's where it gets tough....

 

3. The Eagles--Long Road Out Of Eden

Only because I liked a couple songs on the second disc....the rest I can't remember.

 

4. Journey--Revelation

I remember one song from this, something about the heartland maybe, the rest was just there. Hell, I have a song stuck in my head from 2001's "Arrival" album which I haven't listened to for a few years.

 

5. REO Speedwagon--Find Your Own Way Home

I tried to find a way to like this album, but couldn't. Nothing stuck with me, nothing reached out and grabbed me.

 

6. Foreigner--Can't Slow Down

And yet, they did. This felt like background dinner music. Even "Mr. Moonlight" kicks this album's butt.