The 1986 Listening Post - Waysted - Save Your Prayers

Waysted - Save Your Prayers

#411/2090

1986 Housekeeping

Waysted

Save Your Prayers

Genre: Arena Rock

3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

Walls Fall Down

Heaven Tonight

Waysted should have been huge in the 80s. All the elements were there, sonically, at least. 

Way is a spectacularly energetic axeman. His voice has the requisite high register without turning too shrieky. Yes, he is without a definite personality, ala David Lee Roth, but he’s better than most of the “Wytch” bands lead vox. 

He’s got the blues chops. 

But, even while the songs are right there in the 80s Rawk wheelhouse, they aren’t all that memorable. Maybe his image wasn’t as sexy as the kids from Ratt or Poison but he was at least as talented (more so, even) than Bon Jovi.

Maybe if he hired Desmond Child for a track or two…

https://music.apple.com/us/album/save-your-prayers-bonus-track-version/254631257

The 1985 Listening Post - Waysted - The Good, the Bad and the Waysted

Waysted - The Good, the Bad and the Waysted

#190

1985 Housekeeping

Waysted

The Good, the Bad and the Waysted

Genre: Hard Rock

4 out of 5

Highlights:

Hang ‘em High

Manuel

Around and Around

The mark of a lazy reviewer (or so I’ve been told) is simile. And, as you all know, I do love me some simile. In fact, I find myself searching my brain for similes to describe the music as I hear it because there’s really only a few ways a guy with as limited a vocabulary as I can say, “this is exceptional” or “this is bad”. 

That said, it’s also not acceptable to just be binary. “this is exceptional” or “this is bad” is sub-par. 

So, that brings me to Waysted. 

Somewhere between the power arena rock of Triumph/UFO/Van Halen/Bryan Adams and the Southern rock of Molly Hatchet/Lynrd Skynrd/Allman Brothers is Waysted. Fin Muir’s growl of a voice adds a lot to the latter, while Pete (UFO) Way’s sensibilities contribute to the former.

They could go either way and that leaves them both in no man’s land and everyone’s land. 

And that makes for one satisfying 40 minutes of Rock. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-good-the-bad-the-waysted/282747641