L.A.’s Sue Saad and the Next offer up polished guitar rock—no synthesizers here—that shoots for the same mainstream space that Pat Benatar, Quarterflash, and Rick Springfield would shortly occupy. The band keeps things rocking and don’t bother with ballads, but there’s nothing punk about this. Its only real new wave moment is the reggae of “Young Girl”. It gets by on Sue Saad’s belting vocal style (a cross between Joan Jett and Patty Smyth) and the fine, car radio-ready choruses of “Gimme Love / Gimme Pain” and “Prisoner”.
Album Review: Sue Saad was one of the first new wave bands to be signed to Planet Records. This album was produced in less than 20 days and only cost $50,000 3x less than most albums at that time. Their second album was self produced, and just came out this year (2016) as a digital purchase. Toward the end of their career, they got involved with soundtracks and Sue Saad was even in the film Radioactive Dreams. Because of the film, Lance & Riparetti were hired to record more soundtracks on their own. Lance moved on, and Riparetti continued solo, at one point worked with the Beastie Boys, and eventually setting up his company Sound Logic to continue low budget soundtrack production.
“Your Lips-Hands-Kiss-Love” revs up with spoken, echoy female vocals over a pulsing riff, and then a power pop guitar spews its hook, and the song begins to take it’s staggering form. The chorus is a bit call and response, as each word in the title is sung with a bit of follow up. It is pretty fun. The song fades out with the vocals and the power riff playing off each other.
“I Want Him” is another driving, slightly dark melody, with jangley, jittery guitar notes buried under basic power pop chords. Not too special, but it still posesses a nice build and delivery. The vocals are a bit raspy as they gain energy, like a higher pitch Janis or Jefferson Airplane, or even 10 Wheel Drive or Cold Blood.
“Cold Night Rain” starts out quiet and meandering. The slow kick drum comes on about 45 seconds later, and it seems like a power ballad. The vocals are powerful, reminding me a little of the current Philly band Sheer Mag. The song just kind of ends without warning.
“Won’t Give It Up” has a fun, bouncy skiffle beat, and is playful from the get go. The chorus is also just as fun, pushed on with a fun bass line, with a little vocal and guitar call and response. It has a little of the Jam’s Motown inspired feel, like on Town Called Malice (but not nearly as catchy).
“Danger Love” at its base, is dark. There is some renegade guitar work that tries to stick it out on its own, and keeps the song interesting. But the rest of the song bounces along nicely. It is basically trying to be sleazy hard rock.
“Gimme Love / Gimme Pain” carries on with the raspy female vocals that feel very authentically emotional, like they are going to crack at any point, particularly in the chorus. The song is built up nicely, and delivers through a sturdy, building, bridge with a pleasant & catchy chorus.
“It’s Gotcha” starts off with an intense jittery guitar, and never lets up. This nervous, coked up, driving drum and guitar melody never lets up, and only releases a bit of the energy in the chorus. The nice thing about the song is that it could just be two dimensional, but they make efforts to keep the sections different and interesting. After two run throughs, there is a bit of a psychedelic breakdown and mocking melody, but the driving beat remains underneath, it finishes out with final flourishes and ends with some power chords.
“Prisoner” slows things down, with a slow, chugging head banger. The vocals carry lots of emotion, but the music lets her have full range without interference.
“Young Girl” adds a little sly ska rhythmic guitar under the brooding, reflective lyrics…thinking Elvis Costello Watching the Detectives. The chorus reminds me a little of the Fiddler on the Roof song “If I were a Rich Man,” with a very 80’s rock vibe.
“I I Me Me” ends the album on a rocking, near B-52s surf note. The song is straightforward, without any kitchy B-52’s elements, except the short surf hook. It a driving song, and the whole band shares in the chorus. There is an odd breakdown that reminds me a little of Devo, again minus their specific sound, perhaps just in melody progression.
Side A
A1. Gimme Love/Gimme Pain - 3:18
A2. It’s Gotcha - 3:05
A3. Prisoner - 3:40
A4. Young Girl - 3:57
A5. I I Me Me - 3:13
Side B
B1. Your Lips-Hands-Kiss-Love - 4:11
B2. I Want Him - 3:15
B3. Cold Night Rain - 2:46
B4. Won’t Give It Up - 3:33
B5. Danger Love - 4:10
Companies, etc.
- Manufactured By – WEA Records B.V.
- Distributed By – WEA Records B.V.
- Licensed Through – WEA International Inc.
- Recorded At – Studio 55, Los Angeles
- Mixed At – Studio 55, Los Angeles
- Mastered At – The Mastering Lab
- Marketed By – WEA Records B.V.
- Art Direction, Design – Johnny Lee, Ron Coro
- Bass – Bobby Manzer
- Coordinator [Production] – Kathleen Nelson, Michael Solomon
- Drums, Vocals – James Lance
- Engineer [Assistant] – Tim Dennen
- Guitar – Billy Anstatt
- Guitar, Vocals – Tony Riparetti
- Mastered By – Doug Sax
- Photography – Aaron Rapoport
- Producer – James Lance, Richard Perry
- Recorded By – Gebriel Veltri
- Remix – Bill Schnee
- Vocals – Sue Saad
Notes
Release: 1980
Format LP
Genre: Rock
Label: Planet Records
Catalog#
Prijs: €4,99
Vinyl: Very Good
Cover: Very Good
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