Customer Reviews
always the pretenders....i.e. Europe rocks!
Great hard rock. . Those who criticize this album or give it bad marks are likely from the competition or fooling around. Any band would wish to have this CD under their belt.
It is similar to 'Start from the Dark' and as some have said, 'Secret Society' has a different yet modern sound.
Compared to other bands from this genre, Europe eats them all for breakfast. A Mothers Son is a wonderful track together with Always the Pretenders.
Worth the buck. Rock on Europe!
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actually a decent rock CD but has NOTHING to do with EUROPE
Good rock CD but has NOTHING to do with the band Europe . . yeah even though they recorded it. I've heard this 3 times through now. There are maybe 2 songs on here that sound anything like their first 4 records. I'm all for a band progressing, but they lost too much of their sound that made them famous. John Norum shouldn't have been allowed to just take over . . . . . there's barely an ounce of keyboard on this record folks . . . seriously . . . and yeah it's a "Europe" record. Mic Michaeli was pretty much a warm body taking up space at this recording. The disturbing part is some who back in the day hated them and thought they were too pop, are celebrating this record, even more than the last one. So Europe is making records for people who in the day didn't think they were any good and were listening more to other bands. ~ ? ~
A lot of folks who like this record are guitar players, one can tell because many pro-this album have NO PROBLEM that Joey Tempest comes across as a rather average singer here, while guitar work rules the day. Speaking of which would it have killed Joey to sing a high note somewhere in a song? I know he can because I saw them live when they came to Detroit . . . . . . . . Unless you listen with the idea it's not really a Europe CD (then it's good in places) this record is in a word . . . depressing . . . .
Depressing because to enjoy it I have to literally wipe my mind that the magnificent albums "Wings of Tomorrow", "Final Countdown", "Out of This World" and "Prisoner's In Paradise" ever existed. But in some circles it's 'kool' to like Europe now, since you can't hear the keyboards . . . . . Europe sold out (though this record pleases folks who like mainly to hear guitar). Just like some group with an album in the late '80s who for the 1st single releases a keyboard ballad sold out, in the 00s Europe sold out.
And I don't buy the notion that every listener here always thought the song "Final Coundown" was 'too predictable' or 'too keyboardy', and (truthfully because Europe got made fun of for the 'Too_Pretty_Image' thing, which killed them back in the day) the notion the "Final Countdown"
as a song was just a phase some people were going through . . . Yeah the melody is maybe sort of predictable and the chorus is simple, but Joey Tempest's voice on it is very powerful, and the guitar solo by J. N. was different than any other solo in any song by any competing group at the time. The song "Final Countdown" was #1 in 26 COUNTRIES, people, and went top 10 in America . . . but - OH (talking to U. S. folks and folks in Europe) you couldn't STAND that song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . it was only females blasting it on the radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yeah, ok.
There are some great lyrics, but songwriting wise it's really pretty plain {thanks John Norum, and whoever let him take over the band} . . . going back to my above response to some reviewers, there is nothing on here that will resonate with a mass audience . . . . . and I guess that's my point. Next time I'll say it more quickly .
Awesome Hard Rock Album
Europe have really struck the balance between keeping their old fans happy while sounding modern and progressive. Wow - what a great album and a real suprise package. This album has catchy, memorable hooks and a nice dark grungy guitar sound. I would guess that Norum was definately listening to Velvet Revolver when he wrote the material for this album as their are inevitable comparisons to be made with some of the riffs on this album, however with J. T on vocals, that familiar Europe sound comes through. Stand out tracks include Wish I Could Believe, Always the Pretender, Let the Children Play, Human After All & Devil Sings the Blues. I would put this album right up there as my second favourite Europe release behind Wings of Tomorrow - buy it now, I douubt you'll be disappointed.
. You can see a complete list of all Europe discography, or go back to the Europe tabs
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