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Post by Horacewimp on Mar 15, 2015 9:43:24 GMT
It really doesn’t get much bigger than this and I expect it might divide opinion on its quality or lack of it. Ladies and Gentlemen I bring you MEAT LOAF: BAT OUT OF HELL. Until two weeks ago I didn’t actually own the album and so with CD of the Week in mind I purchased it from Amazon. For me it brings back happy memories listening to it endlessly with a particular girlfriend back in the 70s. The title song is epic and the best on the album. There are some not so good tracks and other classics such as You Took the Words Right Out of My mouth and Two Out of Three Aint' Bad. Track Listing: 1. Bat out of hell 2. You took the words right out of my mouth (Hot summer night 3. Heaven can wait 4. All revved up with no place to go 5. Two out of three aint’ bad 6. Paradise by the dashboard light 7. For crying out loud Information from Wikipedia: Bat Out of Hell is the second album and major-label debut by American rock musician Meat Loaf, as well as being his first collaboration with composer Jim Steinman, released in October 1977. It is one of the best-selling albums in the history of recorded music, having sold over 43 million copies worldwide. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it at number 343 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003. Bat Out of Hell has been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America as a platinum album, fourteen times over. The album went on to become one of the most influential and iconic albums of all time and its songs have remained classic rock staples. The YouTube below is a playlist so you might be better clicking on this link YouTube
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Post by jefflynnenut on Mar 15, 2015 12:00:36 GMT
I'm so sorry to be negative. ...but this is one album I just couldn't get into. ..but you gotta admire the talent of Jim and Meat!
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Post by Helmut83 on Mar 15, 2015 18:11:28 GMT
Not familiar with it. Let's see what's it about.
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Post by BSJ on Mar 15, 2015 21:52:58 GMT
Paradise by the dashboard light is mine and tk6 song. Don't ask
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Post by unomusette on Mar 15, 2015 22:26:43 GMT
ABSOLUTE CLASSIC! Can you guess I'm going to be reviewing this favourably? Brilliant choice
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Post by Chippa on Mar 16, 2015 6:14:51 GMT
Oh man. This is an album I owned once upon a time, recorded from vinyl onto a cassette. I'm talking 25 years ago, maybe? Jesus, I feel ancient.
Anyways, my review (and you kids get off my damn lawn!!)
Bat Out Of Hell – The Springsteen-esque bombast is very evident on this track. Pretty good melody and a fun production. The one thing I could do without is the female backing vocalists. Like most Meat Loaf songs, it’s a good idea that gets run into the ground. Also, cut the song by a couple of minutes. Waaaay too long.
You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth – A laughably bad spoken word segment, but the rest of the song isn’t bad. The Phil Spector Wall Of Sound obviously influenced this album, and this track in particular. A bit over the top, but with Meat Loaf, that’s sort of his forte. He makes Jeff Lynne’s most excessive moments seem subtle, by comparison.
Heaven Can Wait- Probably my favorite song on the album. Gorgeous ballad, without much bombast (for Meat Loaf, that is). Love the strings and Meat’s vocals in the closing moments of the song.
All Revved up with No Place to Go – Some promising moments, but mostly a bland song. Sounds like generic soundtrack music.
Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad- I’m guessing a lot 70’s teenagers spent a lot of time in backseats of cars, with this song playing in the background. Hah. Classic tune, though. Overblown, but hard not to like.
Paradise By The Dashboard Light – Some clever lyrics on this classic 70’s cock-rocker. I sang plenty of drunken karaoke versions of this song back in the day, so it holds a weird little soft place in my heart. Just a bit of trivia for you baseball fans, former Yankees announcer Phil Rizzuto is the voice you hear during the baseball segment.
For Crying Out Loud – Syrupy, dramatic balladry that just goes on and on and on….At 8:45, it lasts about 6 minutes too long.
Great Boleros of Fire – Reminds me a lot of something from Eldorado-era ELO. Interesting stuff.
Bat Out Of Hell (Live version)- Longer than the studio version, which is not a good thing.
Overall, I give this album about a 6/10. Some epic songs, but most of the tracks are just overly long, to the detriment of the album. It's still a classic, though.
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Post by nickheynes on Mar 16, 2015 9:06:03 GMT
Love it,love it. However the one thing I don't like very much is the production. Despite seemingly throwing everything but the kitchen sink at it, and then going and getting the kitchen sink and chucking that in too, it lacks oomph, there's not much bass and some of the timing is off (particularly the piano in the title track.) Having said all that it brings back great memories of my teens in Sussex and nights spent with the foreign exchange students at the youth club in Bexhill
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Post by Horacewimp on Mar 16, 2015 9:40:00 GMT
The album seems to be the soundtrack of many a persons misspent youth
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Post by nickheynes on Mar 16, 2015 13:38:07 GMT
The album seems to be the soundtrack of many a persons misspent youth Well spent in my case Horace!!
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Post by jrmugz on Mar 16, 2015 17:22:11 GMT
NEVER actually heard that album HW, but always wanted to know what the fuss was, so i'm sure its great! Can't wait to play it this week, look for my feedback by week's end, hopefully sooner!
Jim
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Post by Horacewimp on Mar 16, 2015 17:47:01 GMT
NEVER actually heard that album HW, but always wanted to know what the fuss was, so i'm sure its great! Can't wait to play it this week, look for my feedback by week's end, hopefully sooner! Jim Just be careful Jim, reading the other posts it may make you irresistible to people of the opposite sex
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Post by Helmut83 on Mar 16, 2015 18:52:08 GMT
NEVER actually heard that album HW, but always wanted to know what the fuss was, so i'm sure its great! Can't wait to play it this week, look for my feedback by week's end, hopefully sooner! Jim Just be careful Jim, reading the other posts it may make you irresistible to people of the opposite sex Jim already is so it shouldn't be a problem for him.
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Post by jrmugz on Mar 16, 2015 23:55:17 GMT
Just be careful Jim, reading the other posts it may make you irresistible to people of the opposite sex Jim already is so it shouldn't be a problem for him. Yeah, ever since "Kennedy Drive" made the top 40 and gave us a top 10 album, we all better go incognito now. Jim
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Post by queenofthehours on Mar 17, 2015 17:02:45 GMT
Bat Out Of Hell? Now this is an album I never thought I'd listen to! I love how this forum constantly pushes ELO fans to explore new things .
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Post by 88keys on Mar 19, 2015 19:52:51 GMT
There are two really good songs on this album: 2 Out Of 3 Ain't Bad, and Bat Out Of Hell. The rest of the songs make me want to reach for the Extra Strength Tylenol and hide in a dark room.
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