The beach boys of glam/pop Metal that sounds fresh in 2004
Kurt J. Schneider | Streamwood, Il United States | 07/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD (album) is one of my all time favorites and if you are into anything like early BonJovi, Cinderella, Autograph, Kix, or Ratt I think you would really like this disc. Every Song on here is winner - the disc is a cool listen from start to finish. It is a fun, vibrant, timeless cd that keeps me coming back 18 years later!This cd was going for $80-100 before this re-release - don't miss out -- this thing is really worth it."
Discover This Band!!
Graboidz | Westminster, Maryland | 01/17/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Do you like 80's hair metal, but are sick of listening to "Girls, Girls, Girls" and "Slippery When Wet" for the thousandth time? Well good news....re-issues of one of the most talented, but overlooked bands, Black n Blue are now available. I wore out my cassettes I owned of "Without Love", "Nasty Nasty" and the self titled debut album around the time Clinton was first elected and have been waiting for the cd re-issues. All of the albums still sound great, you will be banging your head and playing air guitar all the way to work. "Without Love" seems to have the reputation of being BnB's "pop" album, and while it does seem the music is a bit more commercialized, it is still a really good album. "Strange Things" may be BnB's best tune, the hook, the catchy chorus, a true 80's metal-head delight. If you are tired of the retread music offered today..then take the time to discover some of the bands you may have missed the first go around. Sure....you know as soon as the opening guitar chord hits that you are listening to music that could only have come out during the Reagan era...so what? These guys had talent, and the music is still fun. Break out the Spandex, get 2 or 3 bottles of hairspray for that big hair look, and rock out like it's 1986!!!"
Refreshing
Allan Winchester | Toronto, Canada | 07/18/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I loved this album the second I slapped it on. It's more pop sounding but they do it well. To say it's the worst album, wrong for sure, that one will always be In Heat. Miss Mystery is mellow but it flows so good (Loved the video) Nature Of The Beach reminds me of summer and always will. Without love has a great hook and one of my favs. Yes it could've rocked a little more but that's my only critisism. CAN'T WAIT FOR HELL YA to come out.AND FOR THE LAST TIME, STOP COMPARING THESE GUYS TO KISS, THEY DO NOT SOUND ANYTHING LIKE THEM."
Black n blues best cd by far...
T. Sampson | Fremont, Nebraska | 09/08/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i had this on cassette & wore it out in th 80's im happy to see it on cd. i will have to buy one. i think this was black n blues finest work to date before gene simmons ruined them. my favorite tracks....miss mystery,without love 7 stop the lightining. id say the band was best on their first couple of recordings up to this cd without love. its been eons since i seen a black n blue video on mtv,but it was really good days when they did play. this band never really broke on the high ground mostly in part of not having a direction,gene simmons, & little fm radio airplay. after black n blues without love cd came nasty nasty & in heat both of which were commercial failures "gene simmons" if black n blue woulda kept the direction the first 3 cd's were going & stayed away from gene simmons they woulda faired far better in the music biz. also check out black n blues ultimate collection cd its worth it."
Great Melodies and Musicianship
James Choma | 03/02/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If one was to go by radio airplay alone, the assumption would be that "Miss Mystery" is all Black 'n' Blue had going for it. If you were to go along with that assumption, you'd be missing out on some of the most interesting and melodic hard rock to come out of the mid to late eighties. This album is a particular favorite of mine. I remember a friend of mine lending me his cassette telling me that I had to hear this band; that the music was great but different from anything else out there in '86. He hadn't steered me wrong yet, so on the way home I popped the tape in the car and wound up listening to it almost non-stop for two weeks. The stand out songs on the album are "Nature of the Beach," "Strange Things," "Swingtime," and "Without Love." You also get a pretty good cover of Aerosmith's "Same Ol' Song and Dance." I'm not sure what it is (possibly "Nature of the Beach"), but this album reminds me of Summertime. There are a few clunkers on the album, but with all the good material packed on this one, they can be forgiven. To me, Without Love" isn't quite as good as "Nasty Nasty," but it comes in at a very close second. Full of heavy guitar licks, pounding drums, and great vocals, this album will make you a Black N. Blue fan."