Customer Reviews

IV

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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!

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!!!!!

I own all Winger releases, and they all contain great musicianship and songwriting. This album has more of a darker feel like his solo albums, so don't expect any bombastic pop hits like "Madelaine" or awesomely produced ballads like "Miles Away". Just expect solid mid-tempo, introspective well-written tunes, and you'll enjoy this album. Hopefully they'll tour and we'll get to hear the "classics" again.

I've listened to this CD several dozen times, but it took me a while to warm up to IV. I wasn't expecting something so thought-provoking and progressive. Winger has always been more complex and more musically sound than its peers, but I was expecting this CD to rock like 80s Winger with maybe a slight pull to their 90s style. (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Even as a die-hard Winger fan, at first I was almost annoyed that the band tried to tackle a thematic topic as serious and controversial as Iraq.

But like most progressive rock/metal discs (think Queensryche or Dream Theater), this one really grows on you with each listen. The political commentary is creative and right on the mark. The tribute to our troops and the mind's-eye view of what our soldiers must be experiencing is quite moving. There are a few weaknesses and a few risks that didn't pan out in my opinion. (What's up with saying "Uh-oh, is it too hot?" right before track 5?? Say "cheese!") So I don't think this is quite a 5-star effort.

But it's not fair or accurate for reviewers to give this a knee-jerk 2 star review after listening to it once or twice. (See some of the Amazon reviews in the [IMPORT] version of this CD.) On the other hand, David Johnson's January 5 review describes "Disappear" and "Can't Take it Back" perfectly. "Disappear" is dark, brooding, and a little twisted. It's a window into the mind of a soldier desperate for a connection. "Can't Take it Back" serves as an open letter to the President of the United States. (Despite how unfairly smeared Winger's reputation was in the Beavis & Butthead era, even Winger's loudest critics would take this track seriously.) Overall "Disappear" and "Can't Take it Back" are two of Winger's best tracks of all-time, regardless of whether you preferred Winger's radio hits or hidden gems like "Rainbow in the Rose" and "Blind Revolution Mad." These 2 tracks alone are worth the purchase price and then some.

I will see the band on tour in Florida next weekend -- can't wait! I might even have to travel across the state to see a few shows back to back. Because who knows when we'll have a chance to relive our youth again with a serious but fun, underrated band in an intimate venue? It's great to have you guys back -- an unexpected gift for us Winger fans of old, and the first step in building a cult fan base in the MySpace generation!

I've waited a long time for a new Winger album and, believe me, I was hesitant to get my hopes up. There are a lot of 80's comeback albums as of late and usually the new music lets you down. Winger has always been a different breed of 80's metal, going from an a rockin' debut album to a cheesier(albeit, more adventurous)second album. "Pull" their highly ignored 90's album is a rock masterpiece and this is where "IV" begins. This album is NOT for fans expecting "Seventeen" or "Miles Away". Let's talk about the ok 1st half of the album and the great 2nd Half:

1. Right Up Ahead-nice experiment, failed effort. Should have rocked more.

2. Blue Suede Shoes-I tried listening to this a dozen times and could not get into it.

3. Four Leaf Clover-good return to form, nice guitar by Reb.

4. M16-They are trying too hard.

5. Your Great Escape-This is one of the albums highlights-a return to the roots of "Pull".

6. Disappear-Might be the best song on the album-a moody masterpiece!

7. On a Day Like Today-not quite as good of a ballad as the last song on the album.

8, 9, 10-My favorites on the album. "Livin Just to Die" has a killer groove, "Short Flight to Mexico" is a guitar player's dream and Kip's voice is in fine form. "Generica" is a grand experiment{a song with no chorus) that actually works! I heard they are playing this in concert over in Europe right now. Great song with a slow jam tacked on to the end.

11. Can't Take it Back-solid end to the album.

All I can say to Winger fans is give this album a couple of listens and you will enjoy it. The music is complex, maybe a little progressive at times, but Kip, Reb, Rod, and the boys ROCK!

A welcome surprise from the reformed Winger (at least for one studio record), this album retains the signature Winger melody and trademark guitar sound of Reb Beach while still sounding like a contemporary rock record.

Kip Winger's production is first rate and each song stands on its own merit, with tracks such as "Your Great Escape" (a straight ahead melodic rocker) and "On a Day Like Today" (a mid-tempo ballad a la "Miles Away") reaffirming Winger's status as one of the true under-rated bands to come from the late 1980s.

Highly recommended!

To set the record straight: this is a harder version of Kip Winger's brilliant solo work "Songs from the Ocean Floor" (2000, Frontiers), one of the best releases of that year. This is NOT Winger from 1988, or even 1993. The album verges on the realms of contemporary rock and it would be successful in the U.S. if the band had a different name and was backed by a serious label. Mid-tempo rockers, a few melodies, words about war, a pessimistic feel, excellent vocals, true musicianship - all combined into a fine release for those who sometimes wish to overcome the boundaries of hard rock music and listen to something different, yet equally enjoyable.
For the rest who still remember the good old days, pull out your copy of "Sahara" and crank up the volume while "Madelaine" and "Time to Surrender" are playing, because you are not going to find anything like these in "IV".
What's comforting is that I saw the band recently in Athens, Greece (while on their current tour) and the songs of "IV" sound much better live than in record. Winger perform all songs as a true hard rock band. Don't miss them!
What Kip has to do is drop the name "Winger" for his band and start all over again. As long as his band goes by the name "Winger", people will ridicule him and never take him seriously. That's a pity, because he is a talented musician and has a lot to offer. While his fans are still in the late 80s - early 90s era, he is not there anymore. Time to change plan.

Hey!!! Eddie How could you say things like that about this master piece? You must get their 1993 album PULL, 'cause this IV album is to me the second part of it! Well, to the real fans of great Rock and Roll this guys are Masters!! This album is a hard-metal-progressive jewel! yes my friends, Winger is back with a nice sound ( not trying to copy those new awfull bands from today), with great lyrics, the instrumentation is really good. The album is is amazing, every song is great. You must buy this one. Not only if you are a Winger fan,Buy it, you will experience a sense of fine art work on rock.I'm sure that Winger was not intended to catch the attention of kids under 17 years..not, not the case, 'cause an album like this must be to mature rockers. Kip Winger and company it's here!!!!

After many years hoping for a new Winger release, I was chomping at the bit when the announcment came. When I finally received it I played it numerous times hoping that the music would get better. While there are a couple of shining moments there are just a couple of songs that are OK. The rest I feel is sub par for one of my favorite rock bands of all time.
It seems as if they have sacrificed the melodic continuity that kicked butt on the first 3 LP's for the experimental, alternative direction that IV has taken and that has disappointed me. The live shows in 2006 and 2007 are however Brilliant and I encourage anyone to experience Winger Live, just phenomanal !!