SONIC WAVES……Ratt/Dancing Undercover

So fall time 1986 as the leafs are changing colour and here comes a new Ratt album,Dancing Undercover and upon first listen it sounds like they rushed it out and I remember Tbone saying those exact words to me at the time in our hallowed halls of Lakeview High School. Who knows maybe Tbone still feels that way but for me I think out of all the Ratt albums I think over time this one has become a sleeper hit,one that flies under the radar as everyone focuses on especially Out Of The Cellar. Too bad but hey if your reading this thanks and check this one out If want some Raunch N Roll!

Lets hop on the Ratt tour bus and listen to what’s cooking!

DANCE- first impression of the lead single is man Ratt is stripping down the sound. Gone is the high gloss of the two previous Atlantic releases (Out Of The Cellar & Invasion Of Your Privacy) and the ladies are boarding the Greyhound bus towards the Ratt show. Warren DeMartini like he always does plays some blistering rock guitar and carries the tune as he usually does. This is a good leadoff number and Ratt N Roll is alive and well…..

ONE GOOD LOVER-Dance barely ends and it’s into One Good Lover and that’s the thing with this album the songs are coming at ya fast and furious as there is hardly any space between em. The guitars are mixed raw and I can honestly say here and I might be setting myself up for some debate this may be Ratts record version of Aerosmiths Done With Mirrors! Track two and this record is dripping with sleazeball Rock .

DRIVE ME CRAZY- is a straight ahead no nonsense rocker and features the late Robbin Crosby on lead guitar and such. This record is starting to feel like there’s gonna be no ballads I mean if there is its gonna be a raunched out love song! Whatever the hell that means!

SLIP OF THE LIP-real cool song it kinda does have that old school Aerosmith feel to it.” Slip Slip,Slip of the Lip “bellows Pearcy and sidekick Warren delivers the tune on his painted up Charvel guitar. Man you feel the sleaze dripping with grease from this tune as it slips and slide all over the map and why wouldn’t it? There from LA !

BODY TALK-yep another single and this was on the Eddie Murphy movie that flopped (Golden Child) but this song is not a flopper as it rocks! Bobby Blotzer steamrolls his drums in double bass fashion and hahaha he looks like he’s about to code blue at any moment! Another ripping solo and that seems to be the deal with Ratt as long as Dimartini is writing guitar riffs Ratt is safe…some what….

LOOKING FOR LOVE- side 2 begins with Stephen Pearcy slinking around Looking For Love and with any Ratt record yep it’s the guitars that carry the tune but also bassist and backing vocalist Juan Croucier who you can hear in all the Ratt tracks and his voice blends well with Pearcys (ahem) vocal style!

7th AVENUE- for me this is one of the highlights from  Ratt. It’s a slower tune but with all those 80s elements of more sleazeball LA rhythms from the original Ratt Bastards. This song for me oooooozes cool!

IT DOESNT MATTER- this song bounces along at a Ratt like style and well this another one of those albums that the songs are still snappy towards the end and for me that’s always a gauge of good Rockin coolness! Croucier is cranked up with his backing vocals and man thats  always a good thing

TAKE A CHANCE- Steve-o is staggering around the local Holiday Inn bar circa 1986 scoring chicks and would you the lady reader here take a chance? Hahaha….the song fits in nicely and if we’re keeping score there’s no snoozer like power ballads here so far! And hey even after all these years later (2014) I can honestly say I can listen to this album front to back no probs…no probs whatsoever!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH- Pearcy and Demartini start of the final track on Dancing Undercover and man it’s a great number cuz Emough is Enough is it love is it love cuz enough  is enough..Hahahaha …sometimes goofy cornholio lyrics but I’m ok with that! It’s all about the Rock!

IN CONCLUSION-I would have to say as some of you may be snickering at this review don’t judge a 80s hair metal Rock act by there look! Listen with your ears people! Ratt for me was not rocket science just straight ahead good time rock n roll! Ratt didn’t care either. Look at the cover ( the picture for the vid of 7th Avenue is the cover)for this record they don’t give a shit it’s just there mugs and the packaging to this record was pathetic but man the grooves inside rocked and for me that’s all that matters!

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