What Are You Listening To?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

JIM STEINMAN "bad for good" 1981, vinyl. #63 US, #7 UK, #5 Aust.

apparently....so legend has it...Meatloaf's voice was shattered after performing Bat Out Of Hell for three years and Steinman wanted to get these tracks out ASAP, so he decided to record them himself.
Jim's vocals are not as strong as Meatloaf's, and he doesnt have the range of vocal capability that Meat has, never-the-less, i find this to be a fine theatrical/epic album with some great Steinman moments,musically, it is more in tune with Meatloaf's "deadringer" set than "bat out of hell",due mainly to the heavier guitar sound.
over the years Meatloaf has recorded some of these songs on his own albums,but unfortunately for Jim, the Meat's are best.
All-Music gave this 2.5/5,which equates to 1.5 on our rating scale, which IMO is a bit harsh.
im not sure about the tracklisting in other countries,but here in Australia "rock and roll dreams come through" was issued with the album as a bonus 'ep' with a track called "the storm".

worst track: dance in my pants
best track: lost boys and golden girls

tracks:

1. bad for good**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jujSbje7pZA video
2. lost boys and golden girls***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbhIaDF2YSI audio
3. love and death of an American guitar (spoken word track)***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q8f-XTeZ3I audio
4. stark raving love**
5. out of the frying pan(and into the fire)**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3r6lSqYMXo audio
6. surf's up***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mPiizL1Jlc audio
7. dance in my pants* #66 Aust.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAIGRIi96EI video
8. left in the dark**

3s=3
2s=4
1s=1

rating: 2.1