SONIC WAVES….Andy Taylor/Thunder

This ones a shout out to Mr 1537! This notes for you!

Whoah whoah…Yep this is Andy Taylor he formerly of Duran Duran and guess what peeps? Andy put out a decent  rock record and if your looking for Rio,Girls On Film,Hungry Like A (do a do do a do do do do) Wolf it ain’t here…not close!

So I guess how I read it the Kerrangs  of the world back in the mid 80s Andy and John Taylor from Duran did that real cool album with Robert Palmer and Tony Thompson (Powerstation) and it made me take notice Shit these two Durannies could play and they weren’t mixed way down on the studio Duran albums under Nick Rhodes fucking mountains of keyboards instead they were cranked up on the Powerstation album.

So myself and Tbone bought Powerstation….check!

In 1987 Andy Taylor releases Thunder,myself and Tbone each buy Thunder ….Check! Check!

Andy was smart he got Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols to co produce,co write and play guitar. Also he hired Mickey Curry of Bryan Adams to play drums and Tbones favourite keyboard player Bret  Tuggle from David Lee Roths solo band to slam the keys….

Basically Thunder is more Bryan Adams rock than Duran Duran dribble so sign me up as I love a good slab of AOR Rock now and again.

Get it on …Bang A Gong or 2!

I MIGHT LIE- bunch of guitar feedback begins this song and it’s a shot of  adrenaline fast and easy! Taylor has a good rock voice which I never knew well I kinda did from that tune he did a few years earlier called Take It Easy so the cat had some chops on the guitar and a decent rock vocal! So when this album dropped in 1987 I scooped it pretty quick! So yeah back to I Might Lie which is a good opener! Good on Andy and plus he has sidekick Jonesy on guitar as well! Man there as probably some good parties off of the recording console for this record! Ha!

DONT LET ME DIE YOUNG- kinda some punchy drumming followed along with some echoey guitar starts with what is my favourite tune from Thunder. I love it when the crazed ass piano kicks in and check  out the vid posted! Andys voice suits this tune! Just a simple rocker no flash just a kick in the ass! Don’t Let Me Die Young…I’m Begging You sings Mr Taylor and I think he’s kinda getting autobiographical here!  Bottom line great tune! Crank the video and enjoy the fine selection of music here at Arena Rock!

LIFE GOES ON- this tune is dripping AOR all over the place this tune totally reminds me of a Bryan Adams tune kinda could have fit on Adams Into The Fire side 2 right before Hearts On Fire! Kinda that kind of vibe some nice guitaring on this track but the thing is the chorus of Life Goes On repeated over and over gets a little redundant after a while!

THUNDER- is the title track its just  a straight ahead rocker and it amazes me that Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols is riding shot gun on this album but i guess a pay cheque is a pay cheque! Thunder is nothing fancy but it’s a simple rocker witha great solo by Taylor and Jones. Mickey Curry pushes the drums fast forward while a total 80s sounding keyboard aides the chorus which I really could do without!

NIGHT TRAIN- is another mid tempo rocker. Taylor’s singing carries this tune and its a different kind of rock. Regular piano helps this tune along and I love the clean sound of the geetar on this track! Video number 2 posted just for You!

TREMBLIN- Wowzers this should have been a single! It squeaks 80s delight think Robert Plants Now And  Zen! This song is heavily accented with that 80s Synthy sound! The song is not great not bad just there! Like i said if your looking to order a 80s cheesecake check this one out! BUT Taylor even though he’s 80s thru an thru his solos are short precise and to the point! Look folks he’s Tremblin!

BRINGIN ME DOWN- some pickity pickity guitar and boom some mid tempo rock is ordered and he sings a chill vocal! Pretty good I suppose!

BROKEN WINDOW-hmmm to me sounds like Curry took the day off and Mr Drum Machine showed up but it has that cool groove like this could have been on a episode of Miami Vice! Tubs! Crockett! You guys there? What saves this song is Taylor’s solo once again the dude can play but I wish he would have really let himself loose on this album!

FRENCH GUITAR-is a musical man when I hear it  feel like I’m flying! Flying High Again! Hahaha….no this tune is super chill laid back kinda  like lying on the grass staring up at the sun on a hot warm August afternoo  and and spacing out!

IN CONCLUSION- Andy Taylor drops Thunder on the public and the public mmmm doesnt really go for it! For me at Arena Rock though this is a album that had to be reviewed for all intent and purposes and it doesn’t fall into 3/4’s Filler Area but it doesn’t rage supreme either! I will say  that Don’t Let Me Die Young is a great rock track and Andy was on the right path (in my book ) anyways with that song but he shifts gears and doubles back into Bryan Adams ville even though Taylors material at times falls a little short in some serious rock but Andys guitaring  is standout on Thunder!

In other words if you come across it in your music journeys pick up Thunder and check it out!