by Aaron Conte
New England
Explorer Suite
Genre: Power pop rock metal
Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Aaron’s Rating: 2.5 out of 5
Aaron’s Highlights:
Honey Money
Conversation
A distinct whiff of Air Supply, Supertramp, Redd Kross, and Motley Crue. Jaunty rollicking melodies straining through Peavy amps and some seriously tight high male vocals with vibrato naturally. Not King Diamond soprano, but it's what you think it is. These guys had a hit in the late seventies and were managed by Bill Aucoin of KISS fame. This is their second record and it sounds like it was recorded in Motley Crue's filthy carpeted basement. Keep the volume low when you first put it on because someone forgot to raise the bass in the mix. It's a tire screech on eleven, and it takes a while to adjust to it because the whole album sounds this way. These guys can write a catchy melody for sure and they also employ one of my favorite things ever which is the descending finger barre power chord. Lots of double tracking and over dubbing here (for the audiophiles out there). Super compressed drums and the oddest choice of keyboard sounds which is where the Motley Crue/Supertramp comparison comes from. Otherwise it's very middle of the road vanilla music played by "rock musicians", and I use that term lovingly with a wink wink. You can imagine Johnny with his hair all sprayed up, stage clothes on, smelling like Safeguard, coming down for dinner with his parents in suburban Massachusetts. Dad won't look up from his pot roast, sister is suppressing laughter and mom is worried she'll find some homo mags under his bed when she goes in to secretly smoke out the attic window. But Jimmy's not gay! No mom and dad, he's a rock musician. Very quiet and withdrawn. A master of his instrument, and figuring out how to break his band. (hint: stop singing in that fake English accent!) You can tell these guys meant it, and if I haven't said it yet, they really were a good band, meaning they play well, and I guess now is when you see through my review. Nothing to see here folks, park's closed. They probably never had a chance because management was known for flash and gimmicks, the industry was becoming a different beast, and they really just wanted to be good, but they had Survivor, Queensryche and Loverboy on their tail, plus AC/DC had just released Back in Black so no, this record never had a chance.
TRACK BY TRACK
"Honey Money" - still confused why this isn't "Money Honey" seeing as how its a song about reasoning why the guy can't get the girl. Driving chorus which is played with a different dynamic than the verses. Very good idea because otherwise this would be a throw away for a lead off track.
"Livin' in the Eighties" - almost sounds like a demo version of the song that would appear on the "real" record, except this is the real record and I guess they were in a hurry? Carousel organ mixed with a primitive drum/guitar riff. A close approximation of Motley Crue's "Looks That Kill" played by Clarabell (that was a clown in the 50's for all the young people reading this.) I really wanted this to be better but then suddenly there's a bridge that satisfies and makes everything alright. Somehow by the end of the song it works considering the album is titled "Explorer Suite”.
"Conversation" - suddenly it's a different band now. Air Supply after having a stiff drink. Really needs to be heard to be believed.
"It's Never Too Late" - Can Casio organs be metal? Yes they can in New England. Pre-Bon Jovi but within the Redd Kross age....I think this where Jeff and Steve McDonald (RK) got the idea that their band could play power pop instead of punk rock.
"Explorer Suite" - synthesizers ala ELP and choral arrangements. Long Island's The Lemon Twigs surely know this album, and they make way better versions of it these days. Look them up. This band is now called "Long Island". They are no longer "New England". Billy Joel called; he wants his ideas back.
"Seal It With A Kiss" - bad idea. An adrenaline drum beat that reminds me of the days when I played drums in bands, and the songwriter would come to practice with an idea that wasn't the most inspired so in an effort to keep things moving I would have to supply him with this "boom bat boom boom bat" stupid beat. Skip this one. It even ends terribly, so maybe let it play through just to hear the train wreck.
"Hey You're On the Run" - sure are. Let's get this session overwith boys. As a wise man once told me, "just getting in the studio is worth .5." so I added .5 to my score for this album.
"No Place To Go" - ok ok not bad, it's just that I had a problem when musical theater began imitating rock and roll. "Hair", "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Godspell", I hated it all, so when a rock band, albeit a pop rock metal band, pulls something like this out and I smell the greasepaint, I have to shrug it off. Power ballad I think the business calls it.
"Searchin'" - very Boston. Just listen to Boston. They're from New England too.
"Hope" - well I had a feeling they would do this; Renasainse Faire lute style guitar with giant drum rolls, Saga synths. Well done guys. Those lessons really paid off. Pass.
"You'll Be Born Again" - unless you're Stryper, and wear it on your sleeve, it's wrong to do this to your audience. I'm sorry readers but rock and roll is at it's best when it's taking life for granted, running roughshod over warnings and rules, really scaring you or challenging a pervading opinion of goodness. When a band uses the phrase "born again", it's time to run far far away in the opposite direction unless that's what you're looking for in your rock and roll. Maybe this is what Johnny had to do to quell his parents misgivings about him being a rock musician. Probably taking some good old Massachusetts Irish Catholic religion a step too far into Christianity is what helped grandma cash out her pension to keep the band alive. I'm not really a jerk I just have to call it like I see it, and at times my resting review face is a bit bitchy. It's 1:30pm on a Sunday in May of 2020. Time for a drink.
