Meat Loaf has been a longtime favorite of mine. I actually had some trouble finding a copy of this album around here when it was first released–but I finally got around to getting myself a copy.
In all honesty, I can’t rate this as one of his best outings, but it’s quite respectable all the same. (Any new Meat Loaf album has a lot to live up to–it’s automatically in company with albums like Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II–which is august company indeed.)
This album has a distinctly different sound from some of his earlier work, most likely attributable to the absence of Jim Steinman. However, it’s definitely not a bad thing. The songs here are less operatic that Steinman’s work tends to be, but are mostly all still decently well-written songs with good hooks.
My immediate favorite tracks included ‘Los Angeloser’, ‘Like a Rose’, ‘Running Away From Me’, ‘Let’s Be In Love’, ‘If It Rains’ and ‘Elvis in Vegas’.
For me, at least, ‘Los Angeloser’ is where Hang Cool Teddy Bear really hits its stride. This song opens fire, pretty much right away, dealing with classic rock and roll subject material.
Lyrically speaking, ‘Like a Rose’ is classic sleaze rock–which you know I like. But this one comes served up with a side order of Meat Loaf’s style, and it comes out a unique entity. The production here is also excellent–there’s just enough layers mixed into it to make it sound full, but it doesn’t overpower the vocals. This particular song just oozes attitude–and Meat Loaf is one of the few artists with enough swagger to really pull of a song like this.
‘Running Away From Me’ and ‘Let’s Be In Love’ are actually the songs from this album that remind me most of some of Meat Loaf’s earlier work. This probably the most operatic that this album gets. And Meat Loaf is always at his best when presented with material that veers toward the operatic. (I think that’s why his partnership with Steinman was always so fruitful.) ‘Let’s Be In Love’ especially has that expansive sound that I tend to associate with Meat Loaf.
‘If It Rains’ has a little bit more of a pop sound to it. But then again, a lot of Meat Loaf’s work doesn’t veer too far from pop radio, and he brings his distinct voice to bear here. Mix that up with a good hook and it all works out.
I think one of the things that I really like best about this album is that it mixes things up a little more than some of Meat Loaf’s other releases.
I’ll dive a little deeper into ‘Elvis in Vegas’ on Friday.
Related posts:
- Review: Elvis in Vegas
- Album Review: Scream
- Album Review: Bon Jovi
- ‘Bon Jovi’ album review wrap-up
- Random Song: Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress
Tags: Hang Cool Teddy Bear, Meat Loaf