Dizziness - On the Rocks

No Remorse Records, is a label that actually started out as a bit of a hobby of a guy that had a record shop in d/t Athens area, but by today not only has it grown to a serious proposition putting out some serious re-releases, but it has also started, putting out some quite decent proper releases as well, after another partner joined forces with the main guy behind the operations, sharing his expertise.

 

But enough with lip-service. I was in absolute shock ‘n awe and short of dismay and bewilderment of WHY didn’t this absolute GEM of a melodic rock album hadn’t seen the light of day any earlier than 1986 when it was originally recorded. Dizziness are a precursor band to Pole Position, meaning, that they share a few members. Their story begins as early as 1975, after a core of the members, left school and formed the band, but it wasn’t until a decade later that the album was done. While it was twice attempted to get signed to a major label, first by their local Swedish label and then by an “American manager” those plans didn’t come to fruition, leading the band to fracturing and going their separate ways and leaving the album unreleased until today, which was a CARDINAL SIN as it was an absolute masterpiece.

 

If someone overlooks, the slightly retro and somewhat not a million dollar production, that however is far from being bad and fits the material very well, everything else is fine. But even the production quibble is VERY minor, it’s a fine production and the “restoration” done has boosted it, quite considerably.

 

“Playing with Fire” sets things right immediately from the start, as it has a great melody and another one of those BIG CHORUSES that BON JOVI would KILL to write THESE DAYS.

 

“Victim of Love”. MASTERPIECE! Nuff SAID! HYMN! BEST SONG OF THE ALBUM AND ONE OF THE BEST SONGS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD!!! GENRE TOP 200!

 

“Every Little Piece of my Heart” is a “classic” weepy ballad with guitars taking a relative backseat and I suppose it’s not bad, as it changes the mood, into something less “Viking” and way more “let’s dance my dear” hahaha...

 

“Heart Beating Woman” is a little more rock ‘n roll and as such it’s a little less interesting but still after the previous barrage, one can’t complain. Again, saying it’s “not as good” doesn’t mean is “bad”!

 

“Take It or Leave It” is a mid tempo hymn, in the vein of Europe or DaVinci, but maybe a tad heavier. 3/3 so far!

 

“Snowblind” is a deeply melodic cut, with an absolute peach of a chorus! HUGE, GENIAL, absolutely FANTASTIC!

 

“Power” in comparison pales a bit, with its single word chorus, but its “bridge/pre-chorus” is supposed to climax it and indeed it does, with the word “power” working as the “release”... not too bad and it has a blazing solo too, but not quite on par with any of the previous songs.

 

“On the Rocks”… is the homonymous track and it rocks like hell! An amazing tune with a very catchy refrain! Along with “Victim of Love” they are the best songs here.

 

“I Tell You Again” is a ballad, with fake strings and real climaxes (vocal ones!) lol! Another great song in the pipeline…

 

Finally “Midnight Lover” switches into higher gear and gets meaner and slightly more hard rocking but it still is imbued with healthy dashes of melody, via the discreet but omnipresent keyboards that come up with some beautiful aural textures.

 

This edition features the single versions of “Midnight Lover” & “Take It or Leave It”, from 1984, as bonus tracks too.

 

PS: OK... The cover is also a bit… no... pretty bad, in fact so bad, that it’s actually good! But I suppose, they could hardly come up with it any other way and I suspect that not a lot of women would easily pose covered in ice-cubes... but then again, you never know, what honeys do for money... to misquote AC/DC...