Fair Warning, born from the embers of
Zeno and V2, signed to a major label (WEA) on the strength of a half a dozen demos back in 1991. In itself, that maybe told us all we needed to know about the quality of the material.
Subsequently, the full album, produced by Rafe (Giant/Bad Company/Tesla) McKenna provided many a melodic rock fan with the soundtrack to the summer of 1992.
'
Fair Warning' was an album that took a North American template and convincingly redrew it in the shape of Western Europe. It discarded the star spangled theatrics and stunted emotional growth that was sounding the death knell of US Corporate rock, and instead gave us something that was carefully crafted, coherent and totally fresh.
At the same time it showed a deeply rooted love of the origins of melodic rock. Here was band who'd grasped the finer points as well as the essentials. Brimming over with clearcut guitar figures, tight harmonies and forceful, eminently tuneful rock songs,
'Fair Warning', the album, quickened the pulse and gladdened the heart.
Uli Ritgen delivered the bulk of the songs, but there's a couple of crackers from Helge Engelke - the epic, riff heavy
'One Step Closer' and the powerful, yet achingly romantic
'When Love Fails'.
Highlights are plenty and equally pleasing.
'Crazy's channel switching lead guitar; '
Call Of My Heart's dancing, prancing keyboard refrain, anticipating a vertiginous chorus; the drive, urgency and atmosphere of
'Out On The Run'; the beautifully sculpted, exquisitely arranged
'Long Gone'.
Zeno Roth's wonderful '
Heat Of Emotion', featured here, is sure in good company, and Heart's vocal proves he is well named. Only the ungracious would add the footnote that Michael Flexig's version on the '
Zenology' album probably just edges it.
Despite the critical acclaim,
'Fair Warning' didn't fare well commercially in Europe. But in the discerning Japanese market, the band were welcomed like returning prodigal sons.
Consequently, the follow up
'Rainmaker' sold upward of 140,000. No mean feat in a post Nirvana climate.
This second album was self produced and is unarguably the best studio job done by the band. On later albums they trowelled on the gloss and left no kitchen sink unturned.
There's less of a programmed feel to '
Rainmaker'. McKenna's emphatic underlining has been dispensed with and replaced with deft, light touches.
Many songs are a clever mix of acoustics and electrics, creating canvases of subtle shades and colours, most of which stay with you long after the lights go out.
Whether by design or accident, the three years between albums gave the band's songwriters - Ritgen and Engelke - adequate time to assemble another bunch of high calibre melodic rock songs.
There's fifteen of them, and each one deserves to be there. No fillers, and while every one may not be a killer cut, there are many truly outstanding compositions here.
'Burning Heart' is concise, punchy; '
Rain Song' is poised and sweetly pensive;
'Get A Little Closer's swarming guitarwork sits in contrast to the track's whispering harmonies and dynamic hook; the quasi religious '
Desert Song', full of barely controlled rock riffs and seamless time changes, ranges in scale from
Led Zeppelin grandness to mellow acoustics.
And so it goes on, charismatic track after charismatic track, and it's all so natural and unforced, radiating the feeling that the band have the confidence and the cool to hold plenty of power in reserve.
Unquestionably Fair Warning's best effort.
Ratings:
FW - 8.5/10
Rainmaker - 9/10
Written by
Brian Tuesday, August 8, 2006
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