#276/910
July 1985
Russ Ballard
The Fire Still Burns
Genre: Rock
2.25 out of 5
Summertime. Kids are out of school, hanging at the mall, anxious to burn their babysitting money on some rock and roll and, what’s this? A new Russ Ballard record!?! Son of a bitch! I GOTTA HAVE THAT!
Flash: Not even members of Ballard’s family would say the above.
My son has been on a Sesame Street kick. I don’t know what it is that’s making this happen, maybe he’s holding on to something as he gets ready to move on to the next grade. Maybe it’s soothing. Or maybe it’s just good stuff and makes him laugh.
No matter. I’ve got this Ballard record going in the background and Zack INSISTS on showing me a scene where Ernie is getting tips on how to play the Saxophone in a song called “Put Down the Ducky”.
The 30 seconds of watching a muppet band try to explain to Ernie that he should not squeeze his rubber ducky whilst attempting to play the saxophone is better than anything on Side One of this record. But “Searching” isn’t terrible.
That’s the problem. Nothing here is unlistenable “terrible” but it’s also not really all that interesting. It’s not like we’ve unearthed a lost Bobb Trimble record and it’s weird and awesome. It just…exists.
But, if you feel like it, go to “Your Time is Gonna Come”. Not because is great or anything. Just that it’s a perfect example of appropriating the gated drumming technique that was accidentally created by Phil collins and Hugh Padgham 4 years earlier. This is the technique Phil used on Adam Ant’s Strip. And on a host of other tracks he was called upon to produce after he invented it for his solo smash.
It is employed here only because it’s a “sound of the time”.
Already past it’s prime. Much like Ballard.
Also, fuck you, Russ for biting Loverboy’s “Turn Me Loose” on the following track, “Dream On” (also with gated drumming).
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