Tough it out --- FM --- 1989 (Epic)
Not to be confused with the Canadian progressive rock band of the same name (or indeed, the modulation frequency on radios!) FM have released eleven albums to date, but are mostly famous for their first two, of which this is the second. One of the main proponents of the late eighties AOR attack on radio and stage, FM had some minor chart success but are more revered and remembered for being like the Journey of the UK. Or something.
The album opens on tinkly keyboards and then thumping drums as the title track gets underway with a typical chorus of
”Whoa-oh-oh-oh!” and then the guitars cut in and we're into the sort of territory prowled by the likes of Survivor and Night Ranger in the US. Singer Steve Overland has the sort of voice you expect to hear at a Bon Jovi concert, while keysman Didge Digital (what a great name: not his real one, of course!) certainly knows how to pepper the melody laid down by Steve's brother Chris on guitar. It's typical American rock, though with an English flavour.
Most of the songs are written by the Overland brothers (at least, I assume they're brothers, otherwise that's a hell of a coincidence. I mean, it's not like their surname is Smith or anything...) with some input on one or two by star songwriter and producer Desmond Child, who was mostly responsible for the mega-success of Bon Jovi's third album, which broke them commercially and finally established them as a force in rock, and a bankable commodity. Here, however, he doesn't seem to have had the same magic touch that he had with “Slippery when wet”, and the album comes across as pretty generic really.
“Don't stop” is another hard rocker, but with the tagline
”Don't stop, I'm lovin' every minute!” it comes too close for me to Loverboy's song of the same name from four years previous, and it's a little hard to take it seriously, even though the melody is nothing near the same. Child adds his midas touch to the next track, and “Bad luck” shows it, with a very Bon Jovi-style melody and close-harmony singing from the Overlands, squealing guitars and a rising keyboard line not a million miles removed from “Livin' on a prayer.” It is a much better track than the previous too, though, with a cool little solo from Chris Overland. But can it last through the album?
Well, Child has no input into the next two tracks, nor do any of the band members, so they could very well be covers, but I don't recognise any of the writers, nor the songs themselves. But “Someday (you'll come running)” has a great hook and some powerful backing vocals from The Abrasive Brothers (don't ask!) and Robin Beck, of all people. It's a strong, gutsy AOR anthem, and whether it's a good choice of a cover or it's a song written for them, this is far better than at any rate the opening two tracks, a lot more cohesive and with much more heart. If things continue on like this, I may change my opinion about this album indeed.
And to be fair, “Everytime I think of you” continues this resurgence in quality, with a big booming drum opening and bright keyboards before it settles down into a mid-paced ballad with Steve Overland in fine form on vocals. This is great AOR, and I can begin to see now why this album is so highly regarded among aficionados of this era. Child has his hand again in the hard-rockin' “Burning down my heart” --- and if there was ever a title for a Bon Jovi track, there it is! --- with screeching guitars, close chorus vocals and a real down-and-dirty rhythm. Oh yeah, we're back on track for sure. Great keyboard stabs
a la Huey Lewis just add to the appeal of this song.
And it only gets better. “The dream that died” is another great pomp rocker, with twinkly (I know, I know: I keep making up words. So sue me...) keyboards and gnarly (that one's real, well, as real as it gets) guitars while Overland has a real rasp in his voice, but it's the vocal harmonies allied to the powerful keyboard melody that really makes this song, one of the best so far on the album in my opinion. Slight dip in quality then for “Obsession”, a no-frills rocker, the second penned by the other three members of FM, without the input pf Child or either of the Overlands. In fairness, it's miles better than the other effort by Merv Goldsworthy, Pete Jupp and Didge Digital, the derivative “Don't stop”, but it does show that the finesse and craft on FM's songs comes from the two brothers.
Speaking of the Overlands, they take control of the last three tracks on the album, and doesn't it show? “Can you hear me calling” is a lovely little rock ballad, with organ and crunchy guitar, sparkly keyboards with good vocal harmonies and a hook any butcher would be proud to call their own. “Does it feel like love” gets things rocking again with a great stomper with yet another great hook in the chorus, and some really impressive keyboard work from our man Didge, the album closing on a powerful, triumphant flourish with “Feels so good”, more fluid keys from Mr. Digital, great snappy guitars from Overland C and passionate, raunchy vocals from Overland S to take the album to an air-punching finale.
I must admit, I had my doubts, but after the first two tracks were behind me, this album really came alive and it never really looked back after that. Whether it was the influence of Desmond Child or not --- he only helped write two of the eleven songs here, but did he have any effect on the others? --- the album shifted totally and changed from a fairly mediocre, by-the-numbers AOR effort into something really quite special. I guess the rewards really are worth it if you tough it out to the end!
TRACKLISTING
1. Tough it out
2. Don't stop
3. Bad luck
4. Someday (you'll come running)
5. Everytime I think of you
6. Burning down my heart
7. The dream that died
8. Obsession
9. Can you hear me calling?
10. Does it feel like love
11. Feels so good