Search - Loverboy :: Wildside

A Great Cd To Have

Harry Hollingsworth | Indianapolis, Indiana United States | 08/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of all the Loverboy cds this is my favorite one. All of the songs rock. The best songs from this cd are "Love Will Rise Again" , "Notorious" , "Hometown Hero" & "Wildside" . Why it wasn't succesful as their earlier cds is a wonder. Loverboy was one of my favorite groups of the 80's. With the hits like "Turn Me Loose" , "Hot Girls In Love" , "Queen Of The Broken Hearts" & "Working For The Weekend" they had their place in 80's rock."

A solid, energetic, ambitious disc

sauerkraut | 08/29/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Loverboy's fifth studio album, 1987's Wildside, gets the job done. The material is in a straightforward rock musical direction. There are 11 tracks; one of these--the closing piece "Don't Keep Me in the Dark"--is a ballad. Altogether, I find the songwriting to be satisfying, the musicianship to be tight, and the sound quality to be good. Mike Reno (one of my favorite vocalists) does not dissatisfy when it comes to the vocals--his singing is unique, diligent, and lively. Throughout, there is a nice combination of guitar and keyboard work from guitarist Paul Dean and keyboardist Doug Johnson. Scott Smith's bass guitar playing is also noticeable. Though I like every one of the tunes, my favorites are the opening cut "Notorious," "Break It to Me Gently," and "Don't Keep Me in the Dark." The vigorous "Notorious," co-written with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, sports a memorable refrain. The spirited "Break It to Me Gently" displays an industrious, sprightly chorus and taut bass guitar work from Smith. The attractive "Don't Keep Me in the Dark" features serene keyboard playing from Johnson and a pretty-sounding guitar solo from Dean. The enjoyable "Hometown Hero"--co-written with Bryan Adams--contains a catchy keyboard melody from Johnson. The pleasing "Read My Lips" exhibits a gratifying intro. I also enjoy how Dean's guitar solo starts off menacingly. On the song's conclusion, I am impressed with the skillful, rapid-fire drumming from Matthew Frenette. The CD booklet includes the song lyrics and various illustrations; for example, there is a black-and-white photo of the band that is spread over two pages and a black-and-white photo of each of the guys. There is also a black-and-white illustration on the back of the CD jewel case. The disc is almost 49 minutes. I recommend this album."