Music Banter - View Single Post - AOR: Anteater's Guide To The Best Of 80's Melodic Rock

Anteater · 12-16-2010, 09:37 AM

7.

Dan Reed Network – S/T (1988)

1. World Has A Heart Too (1:17)
2. Get To You (4:17)
3. Ritual (4:24)
4. Forget To Make Her Mine (4:08)
5. Tamin' the Wild Nights (4:14)
6. I'm So Sorry (4:27)
7. Resurrect (5:42)
8. Baby Don't Fade (4:55)
9. Human (3:40)
10. Halfway Around The World (4:36)
11. Rock You All Night Long (5:45)
12. Tatiana (2:47)

One of the more interesting crossover bands from the 1980's, Dan Reed Network are often considered to be a 80's rock/hair-metal fan's interpretation of early Faith No More, RHCP, or even Living Colour -- in other words, funk rock mixed with AOR. Tight, punchy basslines lead songs that get either weird or anthemic depending on the track itself, and the whole shebang is more eclectic and interesting in retrospect today than people might understood back when these guys debuted.

History-wise, the band is interesting too: formed in Portland, Oregon, they were signed AND initially produced by Derek Shulman, who is perhaps better known for his lead vocals and guitar work for Gentle Giant back in the 70's. Furthermore, this was one of those rare arena rock albums that Rolling Stone magazine awarded 4 stars to upon release. Guess it got ol' Robert Christgau's blood pumping or something?

Understandable of course - these songs are all quite good, with a few even bordering outright genius in places. Initial highlights to a new listener will be the Mike Patton-esque swaggerfest 'Get To You' and the New Wave blitz of 'Ritual', both of which were singles that catapulted this self-titled to success in the first place. Still, there were plenty of rock albums from the 80's that had a great single or two, but you won't see most of those albums making this list. So what makes Dan Reed and his big-haired compadres so special?

For one thing, the funk elements infest everything here to at least some degree, even the sappiest ballads. The titular Dan Reed is factor numero dos that really works here: he sounds like a cross betwee Prince and Axl Rose, with a tighter baritone than the former and a bit more laugh than the latter. His charisma is such that even the formulaic becomes entertaining, and the usual cynics of 80's everything can be converted without too much trepidation due to his presence.

So therefore, as potentially cringeworthy as a funk rock/metal - AOR hybrid sounds, Dan Reed Network really made it work back in 1988, and in my humble opinion it still sounds utterly fantastic today.