Album: The Call of the Wild
Year: 1980
Style: New Wave/Power Pop Rock
Similar Bands: Cars
One Word Review: "Rock-Pop-Dictionary-Definition"
Based Out Of: Florida
Label: RCA, Victor
The Call of the Wild - Cover & Lyrics
The Call of the Wild - Back & Sleeve
The Call Of the Wild - Record
The Call of the Wild (1980)
- Bundle A Nerves - 3:51
- Terminal Man - 3:50
- Is There Anybody In There - 3:10
- The Call of the Wild - 3:40
- Slip Away - 3:50 /
- The Best of Me - 4:17
- Brainchild - 2:58
- Suzanne - 2:00
- Born Senile - 3:50
-
(click song for the link to the track. songs @ grooveshark.com)
Album Rating: 8.0
Members & Other Bands:
Paul Rose - Guitar, Vox
Jim LeFevre - Kays, Guitar, Vox
Dan Howe - Keys, Vox
Kirt Pennebaker - Bass, Tubular Bells, Vox
Fofi Lancha - Drums, Percussion
Al Garrison - Producer
Larry Osterman - Producer
Pat "Mad Dog" Martin - Engineer
Clyde Pinder - Asst. Engineer
Nancy Parisi - LP Coordinator
David Jarvis - Cover Art
Nick Sangiamo - Back Cover
J.J. Stelmach - Art Director
Paul Rose - Guitar, Vox
Jim LeFevre - Kays, Guitar, Vox
Dan Howe - Keys, Vox
Kirt Pennebaker - Bass, Tubular Bells, Vox
Fofi Lancha - Drums, Percussion
Al Garrison - Producer
Larry Osterman - Producer
Pat "Mad Dog" Martin - Engineer
Clyde Pinder - Asst. Engineer
Nancy Parisi - LP Coordinator
David Jarvis - Cover Art
Nick Sangiamo - Back Cover
J.J. Stelmach - Art Director
Unknown-ness: After posting the entry for their first album, "Take It To The Max" many of the fans and people who had a hand at crafting the album(s) began a conversation in the comments section and birthed a nostalgic community of sharing memories and life updates. Upon request and generous offering from Jim, I was given their follow-up album, this record, under the circumstances that I review the album and post its songs. So breaking format, I do know a bit about this band, their fans, and their sound, and I honestly like their music.
Album Review:
“Bundle A Nerves” begins with the promise of driving energy. The gentle keyboard is added for a segment and then nervous vocals begin. It is very Cars like down to the vocals and the synth effects. The jittery rhythm guitar drives the song along, and is accompanied at the same velocity by the bass. It is a solid opening track, and offers a lot of promise for the album.
“Terminal Man” features similar synth elements, but has a slower and more light rock feel.
“Is There Anybody in There” has a fun “good ole’ rock n’ roll,” Billy Joel piano pop feel to it. It’s fast, and rockin and rolling in a true, original sense. No apparent synth on this track. But the vocals are rushed and stressed in a good, over-heated way.
“The Call of the Wild” feels like a generic 80’s radio hit, like something I would have expected to see out of a montage scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. (perhaps a little bit of the Cars song “Let’s Go)
“Slip Away” has a lot of potential with the melody, where it combines aspects of Foreigner (verse) and the Kinks (bridge and chorus). And all the prog/synth elements that were famous for the time.
“The Best of Me” begins with a great prog synth, (think Genesis) paralleled with bass. Nervous, jittery vocals then start over a bouncy, driving melody. It comes off sounding British. The repetitive chorus is a bit of a let down, though: all the driving tempo is drained out by the time we reach the chorus.
“Brainchild” switches back from prog to lite rock/new wave: a bit slower and straightforward poppy. I could almost see this as the theme song to a sitcom like Family Ties or perhaps a bit earlier.
“Suzanne” brings back the neurotic flowing pop. With vocal flourishes akin to Bowie, the song is a short fast meld of rock with the speed & pace of punk.
“Born Senile” comes off as a speedy southern rock n’ roll bar room tune.
“Class of '84” is a longing ballad looking back at the subject’s self. The song changes tempo for a head-banging bridge of “Big Brother Is Watching” before slinking back into self-reflection ballad to end the song.
Album Review:
“Bundle A Nerves” begins with the promise of driving energy. The gentle keyboard is added for a segment and then nervous vocals begin. It is very Cars like down to the vocals and the synth effects. The jittery rhythm guitar drives the song along, and is accompanied at the same velocity by the bass. It is a solid opening track, and offers a lot of promise for the album.
“Terminal Man” features similar synth elements, but has a slower and more light rock feel.
“Is There Anybody in There” has a fun “good ole’ rock n’ roll,” Billy Joel piano pop feel to it. It’s fast, and rockin and rolling in a true, original sense. No apparent synth on this track. But the vocals are rushed and stressed in a good, over-heated way.
“The Call of the Wild” feels like a generic 80’s radio hit, like something I would have expected to see out of a montage scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. (perhaps a little bit of the Cars song “Let’s Go)
“Slip Away” has a lot of potential with the melody, where it combines aspects of Foreigner (verse) and the Kinks (bridge and chorus). And all the prog/synth elements that were famous for the time.
“The Best of Me” begins with a great prog synth, (think Genesis) paralleled with bass. Nervous, jittery vocals then start over a bouncy, driving melody. It comes off sounding British. The repetitive chorus is a bit of a let down, though: all the driving tempo is drained out by the time we reach the chorus.
“Brainchild” switches back from prog to lite rock/new wave: a bit slower and straightforward poppy. I could almost see this as the theme song to a sitcom like Family Ties or perhaps a bit earlier.
“Suzanne” brings back the neurotic flowing pop. With vocal flourishes akin to Bowie, the song is a short fast meld of rock with the speed & pace of punk.
“Born Senile” comes off as a speedy southern rock n’ roll bar room tune.
“Class of '84” is a longing ballad looking back at the subject’s self. The song changes tempo for a head-banging bridge of “Big Brother Is Watching” before slinking back into self-reflection ballad to end the song.
Stand-Out Track: Bundle of Nerves
Links:
Take it to the Max Review from this blog (other links here)
here is something about vinyl - you cant beat it! Great Blog
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