Tag: Year-1981

Reviews tagged to the year 1981.

J Geils Band - Freeze Frame

J Geils Band – Freeze Frame 4 (1)

1981 was a great year for AOR. However, there was one other outfit who did remarkably well that year and…

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Billy Squier - Don'T Say No

Billy Squier – Don’t Say No 4 (1)

‘Don’t Say No’ was Billy Squier’s sophomore effort, following his promising debut ‘Tale Of The Tape’ from 1980. Don’t Say…

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Saxon - Denim And Leather

Saxon – Denim And Leather 0 (0)

Saxon required another monumental effort to separate themselves further from the pack and achieved that comprehensively with ‘Denim And Leather’…

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Kiss - Music From The Elder

Kiss – Music From The Elder 0 (0)

‘Music From The Elder’ is a truly unique piece within the diverse Kiss studio output.

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Rush - Moving Pictures

Rush – Moving Pictures 4 (2)

Released in February 1981, ‘Moving Pictures’ would go on to become one of Rush’s better selling albums, eventually going 4…

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Mpg - Mpg

MPG – MPG 4 (1)

Signed to a lucrative deal with A&M, MPG and their one and only effort is notable for it’s disappointing show…

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Journey - Escape

Journey – Escape 5 (2)

Journey’s ‘Escape’, where does one start when reviewing an album like this on a site like this?

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Journey - Captured

Journey – Captured (Live) 4 (1)

Journey have released many live albums during their lengthy career but ‘Captured’ is their jewel in the crown as a…

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Judas Priest - Point Of Entry

Judas Priest – Point Of Entry 3 (1)

‘Point Of Entry’ is not the immediate HM follow-up from Judas Priest that everyone was expecting. Instead, the album had…

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Van Halen - Fair Warning

Van Halen – Fair Warning 5 (2)

Van Halen’s ‘Fair Warning’ is easily the most forgotten Roth era album, but for myself it’s their best.

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Novo Combo - Novo Combo

Novo Combo – Novo Combo 3 (2)

Novo Combo were all about jangly pop rock, with a definite nod to The Police who were big news during…

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Balance - Balance

Balance – Balance 4 (2)

Balance’s music was prime time AOR suited for early 80’s radio, such was their commercial style.

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Tycoon - Turn Out The Lights

Tycoon – Turn Out The Lights 4 (2)

It was surprising to see Tycoon three years later with an album that was completely different, and held by many…

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Air Raid - Air Raid

Air Raid – Air Raid 4 (1)

Air Raid’s pompous arrangements, tempo changes galore, and some impressive vocals by Offen, make this a great listen for fans…

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Fortress - Hands In The Till

Fortress – Hands In The Till 4 (1)

Another period AOR classic from 1981 are the band Fortress, a Californian outfit with hints of southern fried rock and…

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Black Sabbath - Mob Rules

Black Sabbath – Mob Rules 0 (0)

Black Sabbath’s 1981 album Mob Rules’ is easily as strong as ‘Heaven And Hell’, with not a poor track on…

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Mayday - Mayday

Mayday – Mayday 4 (1)

‘Mayday’ is worth the hype and an easy classic. The following year’s ‘Revenge’ was equally as accomplished.

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Trapeze - Live In Texas (Dead Armadillos)

Trapeze – Live In Texas (Dead Armadillos) 3 (1)

‘Live In Texas’ would be British band Trapeze’s last album before calling it a day.

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Shooting Star - Hang On For Your Life

Shooting Star – Hang On For Your Life 4 (2)

Depending on who you talk to, this sophomore album from Shooting Star is considered by many to be their best…

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Danger (Belgium) - Danger

Danger – Danger 3 (1)

Belgian band Danger were one of the first hard rock metal bands to emerge from that country, combining hard rock…

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The Rods - The Rods

The Rods – The Rods 5 (1)

Who remembers these guys? The Rods. A manic and rabid trio from New York, who started out as commercial hard…

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Blue Oyster Cult - Fire Of Unknown Origin

Blue Oyster Cult – Fire Of Unknown Origin 4 (1)

We look at Blue Oyster Cult’s 1981’s ‘Fire Of Unknown Origin’, an album which surprised many at the time as…

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