Firehouse--Firehouse (1990)
Rating--9.4
**U.S. Sales Certification--Multi-Platinum 2**
Helpless--RealAudio Shake and Tumble--RealAudio
Sharp guitars, caustic riffs, smooth vocals---welcome to the debut from Firehouse, a longtime East Coast mainstay. The releases
will be downhill from here, so get it while the gettin's good.
Maybe thought of as heavy rock, just by name association, but
the pure distortion makes it unmistakably metal. Catchy without fully falling into the "glam" stereotype from the 80's, but at the
same time biting influences from Dokken, Ratt, Slaughter,
Lynch Mob, and the Crue are apparent.
"Rock on the Radio," the
disc opener, is the one song I don't really care for. Just thought I'd throw that out there, should anyone listen to that first track
and want to stop.
"All She Wrote" rolls with a sing-along
chorus, and a sharp riff and heavy chug. "Shake & Tumble" brings another great riff, as it's a cruising, stop-and-go attitude-driven
romp!
Want thump and bump, strut, and groove? Try "Oughta Be a Law". Strong snare and bass drums that drive the tune, and
a heavy, riff-rolling chorus? Here's "Lover's Lane" for ya.
"Overnight Sensation" and "Helpless" may be the toughest
tracks on the disc, with mean razor chops, and dark heaviness dripping throughout.
The first semi-radio track was "Don't
Treat Me Bad," with a nice acoustic-to-electric shift. The second, the ballad "Love of a Lifetime," is great---emotional, but powerful.
"Seasons of Change" is an impressive acoustic instrumental, and finally there's "Don't Walk Away," a slower, methodical
churner that just may be my fave...
Maybe a little cheese here and there, but great stuff nonetheless!
TRACK LIST: Rock on the Radio/All She Wrote/Shake & Tumble/Don't Treat Me Bad/Oughta Be a Law/Lover's Lane/Home
is Where the Heart Is/Don't Walk Away/Seasons of Change/Overnight Sensation/Love of a Lifetime/Helpless
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