Skywalker were a hard rock band from Chicago, and High Flyer is their sole release, and quite scarce today. Despite being from 1982, the band sound every bit like they're from the 1975-'76 era. The songs are straightforward hard rockers, with excellent breaks and great guitar solos. The vocals are high pitched, and FM radio is where he wants to be heard. The real anomaly here is the keyboard of choice - the trusty Hammond B3. Not a lot of bands in the early 80s still lugging that thing around, and it's what makes the album special. And that's all they used too - no synthesizers! Even the one throwaway track 'So Hard Baby' is saved by a nice organ solo. 'Rock the Night Away' is the highlight of Side 1, with some great riffing, and by looking at the track titles and song lengths of Side 2, I was certain to have an excellent album to witness. It wasn't to be. 'Disco Queen' is a lot like the opener on Side 1, which is solid. 'Living Free' on the other hand comes dangerously close to that old chestnut 'Free Bird' at times, and the mid section which promises to unleash, never quite does. And the vocals here are strained and cringe-worthy. 'High Flyer' is another good hard rocker, but again, one wishes for a bit more steam to motor ahead with. All in all, a very good entry for hard rock genre fans. But one whose immense potential was not met on the whole.
Hasn't been reissued legit on LP or CD as I enter this review.
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ReplyDeleteYep! Thanks for the reminder on Cain too. Building out a new list here.
DeletePardon me....I'm what you'd call a devoted lurker who enjoys and values your RYM blurbs as "AshraTom". But I have to ask: are you one bloke, or a corporation of sorts? I note your reviews/notes here are either signed "Purple Peak" or "Genius Hans". Thus, I can't help but picture two kids standing on each other's shoulders, wearing a long coat, top hat and fake mustache. Could you please clarify?
ReplyDelete-EL KABONG
LOL... umm... no. I have a "record store in the cloud" known as Purple Peak Records, which is nothing more than a place to sell my wares, so I can buy more! Strictly hobby stuff (with an official sounding name). Genius Hans is the name I use on RYM as well. All a bunch of silliness really. The only place I exist on social media for real is on LinkedIn, and that's dedicated to my career - nothing to with music.
DeleteThanks for clearing that up. And I suppose I should inform you that - along with longstanding landmarks like Planet Mellotron (and bygone legends like Willard's Wormholes), Unencumbered is quickly becoming one of my hands-down favorite go-to music sites. Best explained by using your nifty new FLIPCARD display - it's almost like staring at me own record collection! (I didn't think there was anyone else who had Weidorje AND Ibis AND Kenso AND bloody Shotgun Ltd, except that you've got first-edition vinyl copies of each....though I doubt Steven Wilson's got his remasterin' shoes on for that Shotgun Ltd reissue nobody's been waiting for).
DeleteAnyway, keep up the good - which is to say, weird - work. Your secret's safe with me, "Hans"!
El
Thanks for the comments and the readership!
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