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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better With Age, January 5, 2007
Divide those who speak of Winger into two groups: a)Those who appreciate good songwriting and musicianship -regardless of genre and b)those who stereotype artists based on current trends choose music based on the radio. If you are in group a, read on. If you are in group b, here's hoping you can enjoy yet another Disturbed/Creed/Godsmack/Fillintheblank album.
Winger and Beach return 10 years after 'Pull' with possibly their strongest effort to date. If you've been following Kip's solo career, or Beach's solo efforts, The Mob, etc. you know where this album stands. It is pure, unadulterated Winger, minus the hairspray of Heart of Young, and minus the grunge pressure of 'Pull' (not that the band subscribed to either of those movements except in image). Songwriting and musicianship has always been the issue with these guys. Even their quintessential hair metal offering 'In the Heart of the Young' featured radio-absent cuts like 'Rainbow in the Rose' and 'The Day We'll Never See'. Take all the maturity of Pull's 'Who's the One' and 'Down Incognito'- add ten years and a little prog-rock flavor and you have Winger IV.
Don't be put off by the plodding, strung out pace of the first two tracks, the album picks up with 'Four Leaf Clover' and doesn't stop. Possibly the strongest Winger song ever - 'Disappear'- is an example of the Winger/Beach writing team in it's prime. Lyrically, I don't hesitate to say that this album offers the most intellectual and passionate statement about the war in Iraq from every possible angle. Beyond the finger-pointing posture of Green Day, or the emotional pandering of Springsteen, Kip has really captured the guts of the soldiers, the Iraqi people, and even directs a condemning, yet empathetic discourse to GW Bush on 'Can't Take it Back.'
For those who are forever recalling 'Seventeen' as a snapshot of what Winger is all about, you'll find very little of that band here except the shockingly brilliant guitar virtuosity of Reb Beach. These guys have grown up, musically, lyrically, and sonically. Great for returning fans, great for skeptics.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is it! , October 26, 2006
I've been a Winger fan for ages. And here I stand, announcing this fact to the world. I even went to the Poison/Cinderella/Winger concert in 2002 to get the chance to see Reb, Kip, Rod, Paul, and John play and open up for Cinderella. You bet they put on a great show, and it looked like they had so much fun together on stage.
For years I felt some comfort knowing that they 'finished' their run on such a strong note. They didn't fade away like so many groups from the era. All of the fans knew that Pull was their greatest effort, and they finished on top of their game, with a powerful statement of vindication. The stereotypes that Winger was subjected to over the years of their popularity were wiped away with that final musical statement. At least they left us with such a masterful work of Rock before saying goodbye and going their separate ways.
When I heard that Reb and Kip were working together (The Mob, etc) over the years, I felt a flicker of hope that the guys would pull together and produce a proper studio album, and something that would come close to Pull. I didn't let my hopes up too high, but I kept my eyes on Kip's and Reb's web sites. When I saw IV's annoucement, I nearly fell out of my chair and practically counted down the weeks until I could get my hands on it.
It's been a long, long time since I felt the type of excitement about a new album coming out. I was like a child on Christmas day when IV arrived in the mail. As I was holding the unopened album in my hand I realized how long I've wanted that moment to come. Would I be disappointed? There's only one way to find out... I've been listening repeatedly since first unwrapping it.
In short, it's an incredible work. This is not the candy pop early Winger, but how could it be? This is the heavy, darker introspective Winger.. the Winger with exceptional production and song writing. Quite complex harmonically and with catchy hooks and melodic lines. Reb's guitar sounds meaner than ever (great tone!) and Kip's voice sounds even better than it did 14 years ago. Rod's drumming is tighter than ever. In short, if you liked Pull you will love IV. It is more than a worthy successor, and quite possibly BETTER than Pull. Time will tell, but you must buy this album!
If Reb/Kip/Rod/etc see this, THANK YOU FOR GIVING THIS TO YOUR FANS! It is a gift!
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER!!!!!!, November 24, 2006
WOW!!!!!! "IV" picks up where "IN The Heart Of The Young" left off. Don't get me wrong, "Pull" was good, but "IV" is amazing. It sounds like a heavier version of one of the first two albums. Another cool note, this album is dedicated to our troops. "IV" delivers some hard riffs. WINGER is their heaviest on this album. Best song on the album is "Disappear." This is a must own, for WINGER fans, and hard rockers. Great metal album. This is probably the last good rock album that will come out for 2006. BUY IT, IT'S AWSOME!!!!!
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