The Michael Schenker Group - MSG
#439
By Chris Natale
September 1981
The Michael Schenker Group
MSG
Genre: Metal
Allen’s rating: 4 out fo 5
Chris’ Rating: 1 out of 5
Highlights: “Attack of the Mad Axeman”...no, wait...was that “On and On”...nevermind.
As for so many, music invokes a clear sense of time and place for me. Music like MSG from the Michael Schenker Group puts me back in upstate New York in the mid-1980s. Strangely enough, though, not actually the Michael Schenker Group. I remember his name and that of his brother Rudolph Schenker, but their music escaped my attention. Listening to this, it’s easy to see why.
I don’t want to get into the debate of Schenker’s talent as a guitarist. I get it. He plays fast and loud. However, after listening to the album twice, I wouldn’t place any money on my ability to distinguish one song from the other. Nothing’s all that catchy or infectious. And when you are able to even faintly tell the difference, it’s either so damn gloomy...perfect for brooding 15 year old boys...or buried in overwrought lyrics.
Compare them to Judas Priest, a contemporary but whose origin is just a few years older. With Priest, you get songs that really distinguish themselves from one another and build some energy throughout the song. MSG is full of songs that just kind of plod along with lots of distortion. Meh…
https://open.spotify.com/album/2Dwi3B8Es5Sp3ne8ShnJvr?si=aMmj04Z5S7ix3SYfp-QMww
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