Audio CD review:
Fastball - The Harsh Light Of Day (Limited Edition)

Fastball - The Harsh Light Of Day (Limited Edition)

Band: Fastball Title: The Harsh Light Of Day (Limited Edition) Rating: Release Date: 19 September, 2000 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: This Is Not My Life 2: You're An Ocean 3: Goodbye 4: Love Is Expensive and Free 5: Vampires 6: Wind Me Up 7: Morning Star 8: Time 9: Dark Street 10: Funny How It Fades Away 11: Don't Give Up On Me 12: Whatever Gets You On 13: The Way (Live In Australia) (Bonus Track) 14: Emotional (Previously Unreleased) (Bonus Track) 15: Love Doesn't Kill You (Previously Unreleased Demo) (Bonus Track)

Editoral Review The Austin-based trio's debut, Make Your Mama Proud, was mostly forgettable, anonymous alternative pop. Call it the gradual acceleration of Fastball. Their sophomore release, All the Pain Money Can Buy, upped the ante with more confident songwriting and a bona fide classic in "The Way. " Album number three is The Harsh Light of Day, by no means a classic but another step forward. The first single, "You're an Ocean," benefits from a sky-high hook and the infectious piano pounding of Billy "Get Back" Preston. Speaking of the Beatles, the influence of the lads from Liverpool is pronounced on Harsh Light's production flourishes; the band opens up to heavier use of strings, vibes, and lighthearted steel guitar. Highlights include the slightly Southern-fried ballad "Don't Give Up on Me," "Wind Me Up" (which sounds like a haunted, forgotten Elvis Costello tune), and the jaunty opener of "This Is Not My Life. " This limited edition includes three bonus tracks. --Jason Josephes .. You can see a complete list of all Fastball discography, or go back to the Fastball tabs