The 1981 Listening Post - The Look - We're Gonna Rock

 The Look - We're Gonna Rock 

#744

1981 Housekeeping

The Look

We’re Gonna Rock

Genre: Glam Power

2.25 out of 5

Requisite 80s cover: “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”. This cover of The Animals tune feels like the Bassist really thought he had a great idea for a riff on this and he did not.

I once learned how to play the Masterpiece Theater theme on the French Horn. I played it all the fucking time in band. The band instructor decided to let us play it as a group. 

The French Horn part was harmony bullshit. I never forgave him. If I was Dave Edwards of The Look I would not forgive the bassist here. 

I’m kind of breaking a rule here. We are missing 3 tracks but I’m a sucker for Power Pop. And this one had promise and the Mets are rained out.

So, let’s spin what we have. 

If you declare that you’re “Gonna rock”, you better bring more than second rate Bay City Rollers, which is like warmed over 3rd rate KISS. That’s for damned sure. 

They do, in point of fact, rock. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9vVRgL_tAg&list=PLlvn8uktX5LvoljWGAzsbQpyMOyI7t3fp

The 1981 Listening Post - The Look - The Look

 The Look - The Look

#702

1981 Housekeeping

The Look

The Look

Genre: Power Pop 

3.25 out of 5

Highlights:

I Am the Beat

Requisite 80s Cover: West Side Story’s “Tonight”. Which, when you add hard cockney to it doesn’t make it better. This is something that Me First and the Gimme Gimmes would get their hands on and I would’ve played the shit out of it in 2001. It’s not that great here but I appreciate the solid attempt. 

Power Pop with an organ! 

So…Squeeze meets The Vapors and the Jam and Joe Jackson. 

And then, after they put out one record they disappear until 2005. 

I’d dive deeper into that story but this album isn’t really worth it. 

Their 2012 album, Tunes and Stories, featured The Jags’ drummer, Alex Baird. So, there’s that. 

They almost get there with “Knock, Knock, Knock”.  “I Am the Beat” is a solid single but, following “Tonight” I have to wonder if all of this was an attempt at a rock musical that didn’t get backing. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-look/626332361