New England - s/t

Name: New England
Album: s/t
Year: 1979
Style: Hard Rock / Glam / PowerPop
Similar Bands: Journey, Ace, Rush, ELO, Max Demian Band
One-Word Review: Safety-Net Glam
Based Out Of: Boston, MA
Label: Infinity Records, MCA Distribution

Cover, Sleeve, & Record

Back, Lyrics, Record

New England (1979)

1. Hello, Hello, Hello 3:36
2. Don't Ever Wanna Lose Ya 5:22
3. P.U.N.K 3:24
4. Shall I Run Away 5:10
5. Alone Tonight 3:39 /
6. Nothing to Fear 5:04
7. Shoot 4:00
8. Turn Out the Light 3:26
9. The Last Show 3:51
10. Encore 3:13

Album Rating: 6.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Paul Stanley - Producer (Kiss)
• Mike Stone - Producer, Engineer (Queen, Asia)
• John Fannon - Guitars, Vox
• Jimmy Waldo - Keys, Vox (Alcatrazz, Graham Bonnet Band, Murderer's Row, Spirit Nation, The Sounds of Tyme, Warrior, Waterbone, Quiet Riot, Under Fire)
• Hirsh Gardner - Drums, Vox (Warrior)
• Gary Shea - Bass (Alcatrazz, Warrior)
• Patrick Van Wiegandg - Asst Engineer
• Chris Desmonde - Asst Engineer
• John Brand - Asst Mixing
• George Marino - Mastering
• Peter Corriston - Art Direction
• Andre Haluska - Photography
• Alen MaxWeeney  - Photography
• Hubert Kretzschmar - Photography
• Garrett Loube - Logo Design

Unknown-ness: I feel like many bands tried to go the prog route via artwork of freezing themselves inside a flat square, ala Superman, as cover art. This is not done as precisely as that, but the lightning in the background and big hair does suggest this will be typical prog/hard rock. And Paul Stanley of Kiss producing things...the sound *could* be interesting.

Album Review: So the sons straddle the sounds of typical, generic hard rock with power pop elements, and even a little glammy at times...sure those are all neighboring genres with hands in each other's pies. Nothing on this record is really too memorable or stands out...nice harmonies, heavy guitars, and the opening track is the most glam-rock of the bunch. And its kinda funny that they have a chugging, driving song called P.U.N.K. that is basically a "get off my lawn" anthem to punks...or "Puny Under Nourished Kids / Painfully Un-Natural Kids." It arranges video-game type music to what sounds like a fast version of Chuck Berry's "Never Can Tell." Early names were Carot Time Cornucopia, The Fossils, Newer England, and Newer England's Newest Hitmakers.

Stand Out Track: P.U.N.K

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