These hairspray metallers Frontrunner hail from St Louis, and shouldn’t be confused with a band of the same name who released a 1984 LP ‘Runner In The Night’, which was a CCM oriented album.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Frontrunner
ALBUM: Up-N-Cummin’
LABEL: Self Released
SERIAL: FR4
YEAR: 1994
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Stephen T. Allen – lead vocals, keyboards * Steve Paul – guitars, backing vocals * Shaun Andree – bass, backing vocals * Patrick Cunningham – drums, backing vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Climb N’ Scream (Intro) * 02 Roller Coaster * 03 Face The Music * 04 Straddle Dance * 05 Search Your Heart * 06 Up N’ Cummin’ (In Your Face) * 07 Get Off Your Rocker * 08 Fraulein * 09 What R The Chances? * 10 Money Talks * 11 Anything Anytime * 12 The Devil Went Down To Georgia * 13 Roller Coaster (Reprise)
Background
These hairspray metallers hail from St Louis, and shouldn’t be confused with a band of the same name who released a 1984 LP ‘Runner In The Night’, which was a CCM oriented album if I recall.
Nope, these guys are straight out of the late 80’s hair scene, with Warrant, Bon Jovi, Autograph and Extreme as closest comparisons. I’d also chuck in fellow mid-westers Sing Sing as well.
‘Up-N-Cummin’ is the band’s second effort, having released ‘Without Reason’ back in 1989 on the Relentless Records label. So, surprising to see Frontunner go it alone five years later, and they do a pretty good job of it all, considering the grunge traction happening all around the U.S.
The Songs
Led by the erstwhile keyboardist and lead singer Stephen T. Allen, this guys is very talented, and has this Jon Bon Jovi vocal thing happening.
Coupled with Steve Paul’s very tasty guitar work and a solid platform laid by Shaun Andree and Pat Cunningham, ‘Up-N-Cummin’ has many delightful moments.
They do change it up a bit, from Warrant like rockers to some freaky and funky instrumentation, as can be heard on the title track ‘Up N’ Cummin’ (In Your Face)’.
For me, highlights include the excellent ‘Face The Music’. You can hear different influences in this one, including White Lion (the intro section includes a nifty reference to ‘Wait’, see if you can hear it) among others.
‘Search Your Heart’ is a superior sounding power-ballad, while ‘Get Off Your Rocker’ increases the tempo and the helium vocals.
‘What R The Chances?’ is a storming rocker in the vein of Biloxi, while the Charlie Daniels Band cover of ‘The Devil Went Down To Georgia’ played in hair metal style is an absolute treat.
In Summary
The album did get a 2008 reissue from Retrospect Records (so too ‘Without Reason’), following the band’s appearance at Rocklahoma that year.
Frontunner are definitely worth a shot, and this album is one of the better melodic rock records to make it out of the dire year that was 1994.
Frontrunner on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
