CD review FOREIGNER "40"

(*/10) Rock dinosaurs Foreigner are one of these bands that are in business since so many many years and always had success with what they did. Regardless if it has been the rocking 70’s and 80’s, the for rock bands challenging 90’s or the new century, Foreigner always delivered good time hardrock music that fitted very well in the respective period in time. But their sound includes more than that. Most of Foreigner’s rocking anthem’s are timeless which means that hits from the earlier days are still highly entertaining in 2017.

The band was originally formed in 1976 in New York City by guitarist Mick Jones, Ian McDonald and the exceptionally good singer Lou Gramm. Mick Jones is the only active member of this first line-up which doesn’t mean that Foreigner had to face a loss in quality over time. The current band features great musicians. Jeff Pilson, Thos Gimbel, Michael Bluestein, Bruce Watson and Chris Frazier stand for an excellent line-up with all of them keeping the Foreigner spirit alive and kicking. 

In case you think that I’ve forgotten someone; no, I did not. After Lou Gramm decided to leave the band, Jones found with Kelly Hansen a singer that fits perfect to the band’s sound and music. Having this guy in the band is like a lottery win and guaranteed a seamless transition into a new era. This was in 2005 and up to date Hansen is doing an excellent job as being singer and frontman of this powerful rock outfit.

As a special gift for their fans, the band releases a ‚best of..‘, celebrating 40 years of Foreigner. „40“, what a surprise, is the title of this two disc release that features 40 songs, leading to the subtitle „1977 - Forty hits from forty year’. My personal favourites are the tunes from the eighties. It was „4“ that marked my entry point to this band; an album that belongs to the hardest ones the band did in their entire history. Songs like „Urgent“, „Juke Box Hero“ and „Waiting For a Girl Like You“ are present on this compilation, songs that bring back many memories. 

For the rest the album covers the early days with songs from the debut as well as the later material from „Can’t Slow Down“. Towards the end, Foreigner added a new ballad to this tracklist. 'Give My Life For Love“ is a typical Foreigner ballad that sounds good, but also not much more. Next to these silent notes it’s „The Flame Still Burns“ that’s the first time available on CD while another ballad, „I Don’t Want to Life Without You“, was newly recorded.

In case you’re a big fan of the band you have decide if this release brings enough new to the table. However, rock fans that might missed the 70’s and 80’s get a pretty good overview of what Mick Jones and Co. released over a four decades period in time, songs that brought Foreigner into the Champions League of rock.

(*/10)

Tracklist:

Disc One

1.     Feels Like the First Time” (Radio Edit)
2.     Starrider
3.     Cold as Ice
4.     Long, Long Way from Home
5.     Headknocker
6.     Hot Blooded (Radio Edit)
7.     Double Vision (Radio Edit)
8.     Blue Morning, Blue Day
9.     Dirty White Boy (Radio Edit)
10.     Head Games
11.     Women
12.     Urgent” (Radio Edit)
13.     Juke Box Hero
14.     Waiting for a Girl like You
15.     Night Life
16.     Luanne
17.     I Want To Know What Love Is
18.     That Was Yesterday
19.     Tooth and Nail
20.     Reaction to Action (Radio Edit)
21.     Down On Love

Disc Two

1.     Heart Turns To Stone
2.     Can’t Wait
3.     Lowdown and Dirty
4.     Soul Doctor
5.     White Lie
6.     Rain
7.     All I Need To Know
8.     Too Late
9.     When It Comes To Love
10.     Can’t Slow Down
11.     In Pieces
12.     Fool For You Anyway
13.     Say You Will
14.     Save Me
15.     Girl on the Moon (Live)
16.     Break It Up (Live)
17.     I Don’t Want To Live Without You - New recorded
18.     Give My Life For Love – New song
19.     The Flame Still Burns – First time on CD

Label: Rhino /WMG

Genre: Hardrock

Release Date EU: May 19th, 2017