JOE LYNN TURNER
"Live in Germany" (Blistering Records;
2008)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
There's no denying that the songs included on this live recording are true hard rock classics. I mean, we're talking "Stone Cold," "Can't Happen Here," "Street of Dreams" and "Burn" for crying out loud. Nor can it be denied that Joe Lynn Turner is a truly great hard rock vocalist.
That being said, "Live in Germany" plays more like a greatest hits collection than a live album. The performances contained herein are pretty dead on, but there's little indication throughout the CD that this is a live recording. Except for Turner's between song banter (which is often a little flat) and the occasional crowd noise, the music here doesn't sound all that different from the studio recordings we've heard so often before, making for a serviceable but less than dynamic concert recording.
The music is played solidly throughout and Turner can still belt out the tunes (he may not be the Joe Lynn Turner of the 80s, but his voice is still strong today), but "Live in Germany" is missing that certain spark that would make it a great live album.
For more information, check out http://www.joelynnturner.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2008 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised:
12 Aug 2024 14:33:57 -0400.
