The album features backing vocals by Katrina Leskanich, the lead singer of Katrina and the Waves.
Many of the lyrics deal with typical rock n’ roll topics like breaking the law (“No Law or Order) and teenage rebellion (“Teenangels Outsiders”). This album also marked the first time McCoy was not the sole songwriter, with Monroe being the second songwriter on the songs “Motorvatin'” and “Teenangels Outsiders”. The album was produced, recorded and mixed by Peter Wooliscroft who had worked with Frank Zappa for example.
Recordings for Oriental Beat (then with the working-title, Second Attempt for Suicide) started in late 1981, at the Advision-studio in London. The album has definitely a lot to say and to tell the truth it's another Hanoi Rocks and glam rock classic! From the dynamite opening "Motorvatin'" and "Teenangels Outsiders" to the rock n' roll attitude of "Sweet Home Suburbia", from the esoteric piano-driven ballad "Fallen Star" to the Clash oriented "No Law Or Order" (not only the music reminds the mid-period of The Clash, Monroe brings forth vocals memories of Joe Strummer as well!) and from the groovy "Visitor" and "M.C.Oriental Beat is the second studio album by the Finnish glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, recorded in London and released in 1982. Oriental Beat also opened markets in the UK and Japan, where Hanoi eventually became very popular. Of course the harmonica, the piano and the saxophone couldn't be missing, they are present and they make the glamorous yet so decadent aesthetic of Hanoi Rocks more present, more alive and in the most appropriate way! What can someone easily notice from the very first listen of the album is that the whole feeling is more upbeat, the compositions are groovier and rock a whole lot more with the members of the band being in a rock n' roll ecstasy even the lunatic cover prepares the listener for this rock n' roll assault! I really adore the way the bass lines lend their pulsating sound to the compositions along with the tempo-keeping and ultra groovy drumming, that's one of the most important reasons, of course, why the album sounds more danceable and rolling indeed, more imposing at times as well, something I appreciated a lot! Sami Yaffa and Gyp Casino for one more time did a fabulous work on the rhythm section factor, pacing in perfect harmony with Andy McCoy and Nasty Suicide's ultra dirty riffing! This time the guitar work sounds a whole lot better and has a kind of a sharper edge, everything seems well-executed and well-put in the compositions making the whole atmosphere filled with energy! Michael Monroe's vocal sound more mature and he gives it all once again! He sounds so vivid and so much into the lyrics that you can't imagine Hanoi Rocks with another vocalist, whether he sounds dirtier and more upbeat or more melodic he always tends to interpret the lyrics the way he has to. With this release they made their name more well-known while "motorvatin'" the world with their wild mood and groove! After their legendary and highly influencial debut album, "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks", Hanoi Rocks returned one year after, during 1982, with their second full-length attempt, "Oriental Beat".
0 kommentar(er)
