Fiona is back! Right on! Who? Well, ok, I don’t wanna be mean here, but the fact is, these days everybody and their mother has a
reunion on their hands!
Bands and artists who didn’t sell for shit back when are getting back together for a second try. With all due respect to them for still having it in them, who do they think will buy their music today when people didn’t give a crap when this kind of hard rock was huge?
Fiona was one of these artists – Her quality as a singer isn’t even under discussion because she really has a great voice, still. But what little celebrity appeal she once had was in the video she did with Kip Winger where they were all over each other and the fact that she used to be married to top producer Beau Hill (Winger, Warrant, Ratt, Europe, Twisted Sister). Oh yeah, she also starred in the movie ”Hearts Of Fire” with Joan Jett and Bob Dylan. She also released a bunch of records, that were really good but didn’t sell any copies, for some reason.
It has been quiet around Fiona for the last twenty something years, when she was at home being a mum and such. Now she’s in her early fifties and has decided to give it a go with a brand new album, produced by James Christian (House Of Lords). Which bodes well. ”Loved Along The Way” opens up in a good way, sounds like a more updated Fiona song. ”Broken” follows, pretty good song, ”I’ve Released You” is really catchy and the Pat Benatar cover ”Shadow Of The Night” is great. Sounds like a west coast take on Bruce Springsteen / Little Steven track. Both ”Wild One” and ”Salt On My Wings” are really good, sounds a lot like House Of Lords and on ”This Heart” she duets with Robin Beck who is married to James Christian – Could have been off one of Becks solo albums.
Best songs on this record though, are ”Get Your Kix” a rawer and rockier kind of AOR and ”I Love You But Shut Up”, melodic hard that reeks of both groove and catchiness. Unfortunately the one song that doesn’t work is the power ballad that finishes the album, ”Everything You Are”. It’s way too cheesy even for this kind of music and should have been replaced with, well just about anything.
This a good comeback, but it’s really nothing special to my ears at all. Good songs, good production, well played, great voice, good looks. But it doesn’t really move me. Me, I would probably put on a Robin Beck album instead.
Jon Wilmenius (6/10)
Tracklist:
01. Loved Along The Way
02. Broken
03. I’ve Released You
04. Shadows Of The Night
05. Badge Of Love
06. Wild One
07. This Heart (Duet with Robin Beck)
08. Get Yer Kix
09. Salt On My Wings
10. I Love You But Shut Up
11. Everything You Are
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