For long-time Rex fans, it’s those 1976 and 1977 albums which really deliver the goods, but we all know that, don’t we? both need to be compulsory additions to your CD collection.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Rex
ALBUM: Where Do We Go From Here?
LABEL: CBS
SERIAL: PC 34865
YEAR: 1977
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Rex Smith – vocals * Lars Hansson – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals * Lou Vandora – guitars, slide guitar, backing vocals * Orville Davis – bass * Mike Ratti – drums, percussion
TRACK LISTING: 01 Where Do We Go From Here? * 02 Do Me * 03 Burn Your Bridges * 04 7 Come 11 * 05 You’re Never Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll * 06 Chains On My Heart * 07 Stealin’ The Night Away * 08 You Don’t Want Love * 09 Running Wild
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Danger Zone recently took a stab at writing an article on the debut Rex Smith LP from 1976. It caused a bit of interest, so this time we’re looking at his next LP released a year later.
The former teen idol and TV host was on a roll through this era, as was his brothers band Starz, both equally pitched at the American toughened pop/hard rock market.
If you though Rex was stunning on that first LP, then we get a repeat performance second time. He’s helped by some quite fantastic musical backing, the boys delivering some crushing hard rock, making this an underrated but standout performance for 1977.
The Songs
I’ve been going back and listening to a lot of stuff from the 1977 to 1979 period, so ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ sits right square in the middle of this. Essentially the same line-up from the debut appears here again, and they deliver with absolute abandon.
This is what U.S hard rock should’ve been compared to back in the day. They made Aerosmith sound like hacks to be honest. You can’t go wrong with classics such as the title track, the booming hard rock of ‘7 Come 11’ with some choice slide guitar.
Check out the Dokken like intro to ‘Stealin’ The Night Away’, overall it’s pure hard rock bliss. And how about ‘Running Wild’ which is Y&T in a different guise.. ‘Hungry For Rock’? Surely. Winding back a bit, ‘You’re Never To Old To Rock’ is the album’s anthem moment, like an American version of Teaze. Even the sax solo is on the spot!
In Summary
Smith would move into pop territory after this, and his next two albums are way different to the two albums released under the ‘Rex’ banner. ‘Sooner or Later’ (based on the movie) and ‘Forever’ landing Smith into the teen/pop market. However, for long-time Rex fans, it’s those 1976 and 1977 albums which really deliver the goods. But we all know that, don’t we? Both need to be compulsory additions to your CD collection.
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