#171
May 22 1985
Jimmy Barnes
For the Working Class Man
Genre: Rock
4.5 out of 5
Highlights:
I’d Die to Be with You Tonight
No Second Prize
Boys Cry Out for War
Thick Skinned
Paradise
I really loved that last Cold Chisel record. For me it was a helluva discovery. A band whose name I’d heard for decades and, when I finally gave them a shot, they really paid off.
Barnes comes out of the gate with his best John Mellencamp impression. The heartland rock pedigree here is strong, the only thing missing is a John Fogerty cover. Is he Bryan Adams? Is that what he wants to be?
Steve Van Zandt, Jonathan Cain, Tony Carey…all contribute tunes to this thing. Kim Carnes does backup vox. Tommy Thayer. Waddy Wachtel. Charlie Sexton. They all play on this thing. It’s a cornucopia of who’s who to help Jimmy break through.
He doesn’t, obviously, but it’s not for lack of trying.
And, to be honest, I can’t figure out why. Is it Jimmy? Is it his screech? That doesn’t make sense for the era. This is right in that mid 80s heartland rock wheelhouse.
If you were anxiously waiting between Bruce records (years) or disappointments with the subdued nature or balladry of Mellencamp or Adams or you were just annoyed by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, this would’ve been right up your alley. It’s right up mine.
Solid.
No comments:
Post a Comment