Billy Squier’s third time around sees a straight forward approach to hard rock, with just the right doses of energy, enthusiasm, and catchiness.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Billy Squier
ALBUM: Emotions In Motion
LABEL: Capitol
SERIAL: ST-12217
YEAR: 1982
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Billy Squier – vocals, guitars * Alan St Jon – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals * Jeff Golub – guitars * Doug Lubahn – bass, vocals * Bobby Chouinard – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Everybody Wants You * 02 Emotions In Motion * 03 Learn How To Live * 04 In Your Eyes * 05 Keep Me Satisfied * 06 It Keeps You Rockin’ * 07 One Good Woman * 08 She’s A Runner * 09 Catch 22 * 10 Listen To The Heartbeat
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
How many of you knew this album features an Andy Warhol created picture on the cover? It’s true, and perhaps a time in Billy Squier’s career when he knows he’s made it big. Perhaps only a Star on Hollywood Boulevard would be the only other exception, but in any case, how difficult would it be for Billy to follow up his massive selling ‘Don’t Say No’ album from ’81?
Well for his sake, it’s just as well he got Bobby Chouinard to tone down the drum work on this one, but all in all, there are some goodies to be had on this platter. Joining the band this time in is former Riff Raff bass player/singer Doug Lubahn. Billy’s third time around sees a straight forward approach to hard rock, with just the right doses of energy, enthusiasm, and catchiness.
The Songs
‘Everybody Wants You’ starts out in a traditional sense, and though a rockin’ entree, it certainly doesn’t fire up the same way as ‘In The Dark’ did from ‘Don’t Say No’ the year before. Second out of the blocks is the title track ‘Emotions In Motion’, which marks a shift in style, a shuffle bass beat, which borders on funk rock.
Back to more Billy Squier inspired melodic rock is the excellent ‘Learn How To Live’, with a nice synth pattern emerging through the guitar mix. The warmth of the mid-tempo ballad ‘In Your Eyes’, rises to an electric crescendo by the time we get to the end, another great track, one that is well remembered by me from 1982.
‘Keep Me Satisfied’ has a boogie flavour, somewhere between Status Quo and Aerosmith, if your imagination stretches that far. Meanwhile ‘Shes A Runner’ is a catchy straight out rocker, with an easy-on-the-ear hummable chorus, while ‘Listen To Your Heartbeat’ has an insistent quality, and rounds off a solid, if slightly less dynamic set of tunes compared to the material off ‘Don’t Say No’.
In Summary
Still worthy of a spot in your collection, and coupled with ‘The Tale Of The Tape’ and ‘Don’t Say No’, this triumvirate of Squier albums showcases an artist who was at the forefront of arena/stadium rock. And who can’t forget that riff from ‘The Stroke’, still an 80’s anthem to this day.
Video
Everybody Wants You
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
