Having already bought Power Ballads Vol.1 I automatically went straight ahead and bought Vo.2 - I was not disappointed. This one is as much for the girls as it is for the boys. There are lots of late 80's and early 90's tracks, which for those of us in our 30's, create a great feeling of nostalgia.
It is a matter of personal opinion on a few of the tracks as to whether they can be classed as power ballads, and these may better be described as 80's pop, but saying that, there is not one bad track on this album.
DISC 1
01: QUEEN - BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
A timeless opening track, this is Queen at their best . Freddie Mercury certainly delivers the goods yet again and Roger Taylor's wide range of vocal tones are instantly recognisable in the operatic section. This song has stood the test of time over the years, having made No.1 in the Billboard Charts twice, the first time being on first release in 1975, and then when it was re-released on Freddie Mercury's untimely death.
02: PHIL COLLINS - IN THE AIR TONIGHT
This is Phil proving he is just as good solo as he is with his band Genesis. This is a very sultry track and what I call 'real music' by a real musician who does not have to rely on computer generated instruments to create and classic ballad. Excellent!
03: SCORPIONS - WIND OF CHANGE
This brings back memories of the early '90s. The Scorpions have had very little, if any, success in the UK and in my opinion are underrated. This track is unusual in that it is recorded in English, whereas the Scorpions usually record in their native German. The track itself has a very thought provoking and moody start and then gears up a little in the chorus.
04: JOHN FARNHAM - YOU'RE THE VOICE
Excellent vocals from this Australian artist who enlists the help of Scottish
pipers on this particular track. This ballad has a very '80s feel and is well worth a listen.
05: BOSTON - MORE THAN A FEELING
Ah yes, Boston! Good air guitar track. If you are not a Boston fan already, this one is sure to convert you. Like a lot of power ballads, a very quite start which then leads up to a powerful beat and electric guitar rhythm. Great stuff!
06: WHITESNAKE - HERE I GO AGAIN
David Coverdale expresses his sultry smoky vocals in this classic power ballad from the '80s. Quite a contrast the usual Whitesnake material and very pleasing to the ear,
07: TOTO - HOLD THE LINE
A little more upbeat than their classic hit 'Africa' I would not personally class this as a power ballad, but all the same provides good driving music.
08: CHER - IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME
Not really my kind of music, but is a good example of the strength in Cher's vocal talent and is a good track for any avid Cher fans out there.
09: ALICE COOPER - POISON
At the risk of upsetting any Alice Cooper fans, this is one of the few big hits that the snake lover had in the UK. Another good driving hit but not really a power ballad in my eyes.
10: MR MISTER - KYRIE
I don't think any Mr Mister offering could ever beat 'Broken Wings' which is what originally launched them into the charts. Saying that, Kyrie has a good melodic tone and fits in well on a power ballad album.
11: MARILLION - KAYLEIGH
Before Fish departed from the band, he gave us a lasting reminder of the true sound of Marillion with this excellent track. For anyone not familiar with the record, watch out for the sudden ending!
12: TINA TURNER - WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT
Ms Smokey Voice herself A very quiet start, if that is possible on a Tina Turner track, this ballad gears up to a powerful chorus, proving that Tina can manage it after all these years.
13: FOREIGNER - WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU
One of my all time favour groups. Anyone who saw the movie Footloose, you will remember that this track was featured in the dance hall scene. An extremely sexy record (maybe a matter of opinion) but I dare anyone to say they don't like it.
14: MARC COHEN - WALKING IN MEMPHIS
Cher did a version of this track but it is not a patch on the Marc Cohen offering. Yet another sound that I would not personally put on a power ballad record, so I would say good record, not really for this album.
15: LONESTAR - AMAZED
Don't know why it is here.
16: RICHARD MARX - HAZARD
A song that actually tells a bit of a story. Quite a sweet record and maybe not suited to the male listeners to the album, but a good sentimental record from an artist who is a little underrated in my opinion.
17: REO SPEEDWAGON - CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING
Ah, reminds of a jukebox in the pub I used to go to when I was 17. It was played to death, but even now it is a good singalong record which nearly everyone knows, even if they don't admit it.
18: BONNIE TYLER - IT'S A HEARTACHE
You have really got to like the gravel voice style of music to enjoy this. The Welsh singer thrashes out her vocals to the extreme, even though it sounds like she is singing 'It's a hard egg'. Quite easy to sing to after a few drinks, but is very much an acquired taste.
DISC 2
01: PRINCE - PURPLE RAIN
Having never been a fan of Prince/Artist formerly known as…/ or symbol (not sure what he calls himself these days) this should not be on this album. It is not powerful enough to be a power ballad. Not enough of a guitar sound for my liking.
02: MEATLOAF - BAT OUT OF HELL
Air guitars at the ready… Meatloaf lets rip with this track - definitely one for the boys.
03: SIMPLE MINDS - ALIVE AND KICKING
One of Scotland's finest talents, Simple Minds' Alive and Kicking is probably one of the best tacks on this album. Well worth a listen.
04: BELINDA CARLISLE - WE WANT THE SAME THING
Power Ballad? Maybe not but a fresh sounding song that reminds me of school discos. May be not to everyone's taste.
05: SURVIVOR - BURNING HEART
Another air guitar classic. Although Survivor have not had too many hits, Burning Heart is a very strong track with a good beat.
06: THE BABYS - EVERY TIME I THINK OF YOU
Not really my kind of music but there is sure to be someone this appeals to.
07: BAD COMPANY - FEEL LIKE MAKING LOVE
A real 70's feel to this song. It has a really good beat and makes good driving music.
08: NICKLEBACK - SOMEDAY
In my opinion, Nickleback are very underrated and deserve a lot more airplay. This is a very good track with a lot of 'umph' to it. For those not familiar with the group, take a listen and prepare to be impressed.
09: GARY MOORE - STILL GOT THE BLUES
Classic! A very haunting melodic track with strong vocals from Mr Blues himself. Gary Moore had success in the 1980's with Phil Lynott (formerly front man of Thin Lizzy) when they released 'Out in the Fields' but Still Got The Blues demonstrates the man needs no help in producing a good ballad.
10: JOURNEY - OPEN ARMS
A power ballad album would not be complete without a track from Journey. A very distinctive sound and a good one for the car!
11: CHICAGO - HARD HABIT TO BREAK
Peter Cetera who fronts Chicago always comes across as a sickly sweet all American gooey singer, but this is one of the band's better songs. Probably a bit more of a girly record than a lot of the tracks on the album, but nevertheless a very good ballad.
12: ROXETTE - LISTEN TO YOUR HEART
One of the best duo's to come out of the early 1990's., this is a very powerful track with a bit of grit to it. The stereo needs to be turned up high to get the true effect!
13: FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD - THE POWER OF LOVE
This always reminds me of Christmas, not because of the song itself but because of when it was released in the UK. Nevertheless, Holly Johnson as front man of the band expresses his vocal strengths with true spirit.
14: DAVID BOWIE - LIFE ON MARS
As every fan will be aware, David Bowie is the king of odd lyrics and this is no exception. Whether it is a power ballad is questionable, but is definitely a '70s classic so who cares?
15: NILSSON - WITHOUT YOU
Very powerful, very romantic and probably impossible to find someone who has never sung along to it. This could not possibly be left off a power ballad album and I could not fault it at all.
16: THE MOODY BLUES - NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN
Justin Hayward is the true voice of the Moody Blues and his vocals could not be mistaken. A very calm and quiet start, the middle of the track has a tremendous crescendo and is a perfect end to a perfect album.
If, after listening to the album, you like the tracks so much, the inside cover of this double CD also provides order information if you want to buy mono and polyphonic ringtones of any of the tracks, which mobile enthusiasts will certainly find useful.
All in all, this is an excellent album which I would definitely recommend.
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by (19%):
22.05.2009 10:48
Great review x
03.05.2009 13:58
Very detailed review..:)
25.03.2009 22:52
Not an album I would buy, but I was surprised to see a few tracks on there that I listen to. Nicely reviewed :)