They are legendary. No doubt…and I’m a huge fan of their music. HUGE! Especially the releases Agent Provocateur, Inside Information (very underrated), Unusual Heat (with Johnny Edwards), the monster AOR classic Mr. Moonlight (from 1994), plus of course the band’s most recent album with Kelly Hansen fronting the band, 2009’s Can't Slow Down.
So with my fan credentials established, I feel I am qualified to say “Foreigner…WTF guys?’
Believe it or not, the band has recorded just 9 studio albums in 37 years. Ok, I can live with that as they’ve all been notable releases.
But add to that, as of right now there are 5 live releases, at least 7 DVDs and no less than 16 compilations. Yes…16.
So do we need another live/compilation? Not really. But if you really insist upon it, The Best Of Foreigner 4 And More is ok.
Issues aside, taking a look at this album leaves you with the reaffirmation that Kelly Hansen is an absolute monster vocalist and this band is a really tight outfit.
Of course the songs are already legendary, but the whole spirit of this release is just off kilter for me. The songs are recorded over 2 nights in October, where 15 tracks were performed in a different order to what has been put together here. Double Vision, Head Games and the legendary Dirty White Boy are omitted.
There are 7 Foreigner 4 tracks, which weren’t played in chronological order anyway, but are again re-arranged here still not in the original album’s sequence.
It may sound picky, but if you are going to do a live release based on paying tribute to one album, then play the full album in order like so many other artists have done.
Otherwise it’s just another live album – which is exactly what this is.
Awfully good of course…well recorded, perfectly performed and fill with classic songs, but based on the prior number of live and compilation releases, I imagine the fan base is beginning to feel as if it is being fleeced.
This is a great live recording, but the re-arranged order and the fade in/outs between tracks is a distraction and to be honest, the whole concept is only half-executed, so this will remain a really die-hard only purchase. I’d buy any studio album from Foreigner without any hesitation, but as a consumer, I’d pass on this, that is unless you don't have any other of the band's recent live albums. If that's the case, start here.
