Customer Reviews

Michael Bolton

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

 

 

Pop (no pun intended) in Michael Bolton's 1983 album - his first for Columbia - and the husbands of those middle-aged, die-hard housewives may look up from their newspaper. This is NOT recognizable Michael Bolton, for the most part. It is NOT for the adult contemporary market. It is a metal-tinged rock album that should have made Bryan Adams and Journey quiver in their spandex. Critics argue that each song on this album is identically produced. While I agree that the overall concept rarely strayed from guitar-driven, drum-pounding, angelic chorus laden rock tunes, I believe it works for the style. Every song maintains its own identity, with Bolton belting out arguably his best vocals ever. "Fool's Game", the leadoff track, was a hit on AOR playlists around the world. Why don't we remember? Because it was AOR, and it didn't catch on for another couple of years. Bolton was ahead of his time, to put it simply. There are other highlights on the album - the mellower but no-less-rocking "She Did the Same Thing," "Hometown Hero" - which I feel is the album's strongest point - the fast-paced and melodic "Paradise," and even the slightly softer "Carrie," with its enticing chorus that stays in your head for hours on end. So while he was churning out songs for established artists, Michael Bolton was making waves in the AOR world. This album is every indication of this, with a strong set of material and a great performance by an all-too-often criticized artist.

This may seem hard to believe (or downright absurd), but there was a time when skullet-wearing crooner Michael Bolton was considered a hard rock singer. Shocking but true, a few years ago I came across a heavy metal sampler album (and I mean a vinyl album) from the early 80's that featured one or two of his songs. I'd never go so far as to call him metal (the universe might implode), but I'll admit that his self-titled 1983 album was much more rocking than I expected.

The album is essentially an AOR album along the lines of Survivor or Loverboy, though nowhere near as good as those bands. Bolton and a competent crew of session musicians and songwriters (including Bob and Bruce Kulick and Aldo Nova) served up nine fairly solid rock songs, complete with catchy guitar hooks, solos, and a liberal use of keyboards. And to be quite honest, Bolton's voice is pretty well suited for this kind of music.

The rock phase wouldn't last, and Bolton soon became renowned for crooning sappy ballads to millions of housewives. I suppose he laughed all the way to the bank though. Still, if you're a fan of 80's AOR, this is an album worth checking out.

This was Bolton's 3rd album ever and it is certainly a breath of fresh air from that Bolton all those old chicks talk about!So listen up all you Aor listeners this is the Bolton that should have been.Hard rock/Aor.Bolton belts out some pretty good rockers on this release.
1.Fools Game(9/10)This song really grows on you.A great Aor metal gem.The guitars and keyborads sound great!You should see the video,you wouldn't even know it's Bolton!Big Hair,Guitar Leather and all!
2.She did the Same Thing(9/10)Another solid ballad rocker under Bolton's belt.Kicks the crap out of his adult contemporary stuff!
3.Hometown Hero(7/10)Not bad,Solid rocker with more guitar solos from Bolton!
4.Can't Hold on,Can't let Go(8/10)Cool song.More great guitar work!
5.Fighting for My Life(8/10)Another solid rockin song!
6.Paradise(7/10)Pretty good upbeat song,more guitar work from Bolton!
7.Back in my Arms Again(6/10)Little below par.Still a fun song though.Better than today's music by miles!
8.Carrie(10/10)One of the catchiest songs.The chorus is great and so is everything else on this track.If you love the 80's this will appeal to you largely!Suberb song, you can't help but sing a long with it!
9.I Almost believed You(4/10)This is the worst song on here.A very slow ballad!
I will say in the end this cd is worth owning.80's melodic metal fans and Aor fans should like this.It's very cool to hear Bolton before he became Bolton.

Yeah, Michael Bolton's 1983 album for Columbia records rocks! This is not the same music most people know Bolton for. On here, he sounds like an arena rocker that would appeal to fans of groups such as Foreigner, Journey, Loverboy, Bryan Adams, etc, more than the soft rock crowd. Fools Game, the albums lead off track is a great song. Really only one of the many great songs on this album. It's too bad, that the people who would enjoy this album, would be the same people, who probably wouldn't go near a Michael Bolton cd.

This is a fantastic album by a dude who decided to abandon his roots, his fans, and make money singing wussy ballads.

Every single song on this album is fantastic, including "I Almost Believed You" which, although a ballad, is your typical 80s metal ballad which surprisingly rocks pretty good. "Fools Game" is the shining moment and the catchiest song on here, with Michael himself playing Lead Guitar. Pretty much every song on here has a catchy, rockin' guitar riff that will have you turning up the volume on your stereo.

Some of the notable musicians who played on this album are Aldo Nova, Bob and Bruce Kulick (who both worked with KISS), and Chuck Burgi (who worked with Rainbow and Blue Oyster Cult).

If you love 80s metal and classic rock, do yourself a favor and pick up this album. You won't be disappointed!

I have to say first off that I would never have bought this CD unless it would have been for VH1 showing a clip of it on the least metal moments. I have to say that Bolton reminds me of Journey, Sammy Hagar's solo pre-Van Halen stuff and even to some point the Van Hagar Van Halen in a strange way. The dude can sing it's just ashame that he wimped out and did this adult contemp. garbage he has been doing for almost 20 years. This is a good CD if you like rock and a pop metal sound. Why Fool's Game didn't become a huge hit is beyond me. So, check this CD out some people hate it others don't like it. I like it and I hate his wimpy stuff that he has been doing. I just wish the guy would come out with a hard rock CD because he has a good voice and one that really reminds me of Sammy Hagar.

Michael Bolton's debut album in 1983 is so-so enjoyable but is not so strikingly impressive as his later works such as Hunger.

FOOL'S GAME is a nice rocker showing that Bolton used to be a hard rocker. That track ironically represents the album's flaw as well. Bolton has strong voice of his own that does not need strong backing music so there must be the delicate balance between the vocal and back music. On this track he must have restrained his voice to take the balance, that is hard for him to accept. SHE DID THE SAME THING TO ME did this really better. 4th track CAN'T HOLD ON, CAN'T LET GO. and the last track I ALMOST BELIEVED YOU have the ideal balance.

Another problem here is this is nearly self-produced and lacks professional assistance, his later work let other great songwriters make songs and Bolton could concentrate on his vocals which was the secret of his later success.

Overall, this is the hardest effort for Bolton as a solo singer and for Michael Bolton fans who like his earlier hard rock days.

Verdict: Transition from a hard rocker to an adult rocker.
Rating: 64 out of 100, Enjoyable but not well produced.
Recommended for: Michael Bolton fans who want to get the brief picture of him as a hard rocker.

I am listening Michael Bolton for two years and I can easily say this is the Boltons first hopefully rock album (from his old rock'n roll days) If you really want to hear some 80's pop-rock sound with Michaels growling voice this will be great.

Why?
Because album also icludes a few nice slow rock ballad and some kinetic rock'n roll energy, however recording is not that good they had to record and mix it again because you can not hear the other sounds which stand near the main melody

I like this guy....really I do. and the record would have been okay, if the second side (for all you L.P. fans) wasn't completely unlistenable. Terrible, Terrible, Terrible. Meaningless claptrap like "Paradise" and "Carrie" are tunes that I'm GLAD I forgot the words to, and "I Almost Believed You" makes you glad this piece of garbage is finally Over. And then what do you do? Flip back to Side One for a Repeat Play Session? No Way. Toss That puppy in the garbagiola, cause that's where it belongs. Utterly useless bathetic crap. Nice Try Mike.

In this early effort by Michael Bolton, we get to hear Michael
belt out some hard rockers. Unfortunately, the material isn't
up to par. I guess nobody wanted to waste good material on
a relative unknown. Should Bryan Adams be worried based on
this effort? Not really. I think even Eddie Money is safe.