Customer Reviews

Road Island

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're like me and owned this cd on vinyl way back when and never had the chance to get it on cd or tried to get it and then realized it was out of print and, maybe, you might be able to get one on cassette for a mere $100.00; well; here's your chance to pick it up at a bargin. Finally, after years of being out of print it's back. This would have to be Ambrosia's most underrated effort in their career. Whether or not, this spawned their break-up is anybody's guess. The reason would have to be that Ambrosia decided to follow a little bit of a different track on this release, a little more on the progressive side (just listen to the opening track) and the critics didn't like it. But who cares about the critics and what do they know anyway. Yes, they still put in their ballad for the pop 40 audience, but this album wasn't what one was expecting after their commercial success of One-Eighty. David Pack has appeared on numerous outings and some solo efforts over the years but none can match what Ambrosia accomplished here on their farewell album. Get it today before it's out of print again.

I may be in the minority here, even the band itself doesn't like this album as much as their earlier output, but I was THRILLED when this became availeable on CD. I consider it their BEST album HANDS DOWN! They began expanding their sound, using much more personal lyrics, and showing off how masterful they were in pop songwriting, experimental musical exploration (when's the last time you heard a xylophone solo in a rock song? ), and incredibly tight musicianship. I push this album on EVERYONE I KNOW. Saleswise it bombed, but I have played it on a regular basis ever since it was first released. In short, BUY THIS ALBUM, IT IS A MASTERPIECE!

Ambrosia returns to their Rock and Prog roots on this album. The
song Ice Age is a classic Prog rock song. This is a great rock
album produced by James Guthrie who produced and engineered The
Wall by Pink Floyd. A must have for Ambrosia fans that felt
betrayed on the previous 2 releases!

I remember the first time I heard "How Can You Love Me" on the radio and the DJ saying "that was Ambrosia". I think I fell over, I was used to a MUCH more subdued "soft rock" approach from these guys. I went out and bought the cassette (now own the CD-Japanese import version) and it immediately became one of my favorites. From the opening bombast of "For Openers (Welcome Home)" it grabbed me and never let up. So many strong songs with muscle flexing percussion that is really what separates this set from their other offerings (not to mention some true rock-howling in "Kid No More"). There are cuts meant to appeal to established fans ("Feelin' Alive Again" and "Fool Like Me") but even they are harder driving than the typical Ambrosia effort.

This album is a rock and roll nugget lost to most simply because Ambrosia didn't have a true RnR audience, and because it's fans likely felt betrayed by the driving style held within.

Simply consider this CD as that of a power-pop group and you will love it... FIVE enthusiastic thumbs-up!

In the ROAD ISLAND recording (1982), Ambrosia really shows a compositional maturity (music & lyrics) that express an artistic emotional peak, different from their previous efforts. Passing through the Hard & Jazzy Rock formats to Progressive relative tracks: the performed songs are arranged with great vocal textures and amazing hypnotic fast rhythms like the fantastic "Still Not Satisfied" or the Oriental percussive "Kid No More", both tracks sang by the bass player Joe Puerta. Into another songs, we can listen the talented guitarist singer David Pack, singing great tracks like the heavy-Prog relative "For Openers", or the rhythmic Pop single "How Can You Love Me", the Progressive relative theme "Ice Age" and the romantic ballad "Endings", as the sucesor theme for "How Much I feel" (from the LIFE BEYOND L.A. album). Without a doubt, ROAD ISLAND and ONE EIGHTY, are the best recordings of the band ever, so don't lose this new opportunity to listen this underrated recording. A must for the Ambrosia fans...Good Luck!

Ambrosia must certainly be the most underrated group ever!!A stronger but still distinctly Ambrosia sound. David Pack has one of the most amazing voices ever.Although expensive it's worth every cent and more.! This CD must rate as my most precious piece of music yet. The quality of both musicians and the recording is superlative. The cut " Still not satisfied" is one of the best I have ever heard.
As Curtiss Manly said - A MASTERPIECE

Prior to buying this CD I had only heard one song from it... Still Not Satisfied. This appears on the Ambrosia Anthology CD release in 1997. It's a great song! I was a BIG fan of Ambrosia when they first came out, but felt abandoned when they turned to pop rock. I never bought anymore of their records after Life Beyond L.A. It was a disappointment too! The first song For Openers (Welcome Home) has drums in it that remind me of the Eagles song Those Shoes. Overall, it's a good song. It also has guitar sounds and special effects that remind me of many bands in the 80's. Kid No More is a catchy rock n' roll style song. I could have done without the screaming in the middle of it. Feelin' Alive Again...a pop love ballad sang by David Pack. How Can You Love Me is another lively pop song, but may be one of the best songs on this one. Fool Like Me appears to be an attempt that borders on a Contemporary Christian song. It has some odd lyrics..that even kind of reminds me of early Kansas. Ice Age is definitely a progressive-rock song with strange electronics and sounds in it. Try listening to this one with headphones. Endings is a beautiful song and is probably my favorite on this CD. This really is a good CD that is virtually unknown to many Ambrosia fans. I was glad to see that the price had dropped down to $13.99. But, I must ask myself was this recording too little, too late for most fans who were alienated by previous albums???

Many Ambrosia critics would say "One Eighty" is the best album because of the several hits that made the Billboard charts. I say...WHO CARES? Even though "Road Island" is the least known of Ambrosia's 5 albums, I think that it's the best one they ever did. It has a little bit harder feel than the previous 4, but that's what makes it so great. It still retains that old Ambrosia sound throughout the whole album. My favorite track is "Endings..." because it's sooooo beautiful (for an Ambrosia song.) I think it was fitting for the last song of the last album. I'm sure that many other fans could agree and say "Why in the heck did they break up after 'Road Island'?" I've heard it was because "Road Island" wasn't as successful as "One Eighty", but I say...who cares? I'm sure there was more going on than any of us know. Overall, I'd say that "Road Island", regardless of critic reviews or its popularity, is a great album to finish your Ambrosia collection. I just hope that one day Pack, Puerta, Drummond, and North can set aside their differences and release another album together.

After their first two albums, Ambrosia seemed to shift gear and move towards soft R&B and pop fluff. Life Beyond LA, apart from its singles, seemed morose and bland. One Eighty was a bit more energetic but still lightweight and starting to get silly. Buying this CD, I was expecting to hear more of the same, and find a just a few tracks that I liked on this album. But they actually gave it their all for this! Every song is good, and most are EXCELLENT! The lyrics give away the fact the band knew they were recording their last album.

The opening song sounds very much like Pink Floyd (probably because the album is produced by Pink Floyd engineer James Guthrie). A tiny bit bland compared to the rest of the album, but it's an acceptable opener to this album. Very heavy song.

Still Not Satisfied is a very good song, just prog rock enough to make it interesting. Good harmonies and awesome groove.

Not A Kid Anymore is a bit 80s huey lewis style cheesey, but the manic marimba solo (and top notch playing) redeems it. If they had made this a bit heavier or something it might have sounded better. It's still better than most of the stuff off the previous two albums. The screaming parts in the middle would work better if the whole thing was more heartfelt, instead it just comes off as silly.

Feeling Alive Again is a beautiful McCartneyish ballad. Outstanding vocals by David Pack. When this song is fading out it sounds absolutely majestic. This is what music is about.

How Can You Love Me is an good song, not particularly original but with good harmonies and playing. A bit dated sounding, the 80s crept into this track too.

Fool Like Me is an achingly beautiful song that sounds vaguely like Genesis on Then There Were Three, with a soaring guitar and a wistful, noodling keyboard solo, and some of the most reflective lyrics Joe Puerta has written.

Ice Age is a very creative prog rock song with innovative (for the time) use of technology. Synchronized echoing vocal lines and a very heavy drum sound, and of course time signature changes.

Endings is a good song to close the album with, a bit of a Beach Boys sound to the vocals and a haunting electric piano break.

If you liked their first few albums but wondered what happened after that, you'll definitely like this album!

I've loved this album for 20 years now, burning through 2 lp and 2 cassette copies. It is one of the few albums that is constantly in playing rotation on my turntable.(now in my cd player!). I hadn't purchased the cd because of the significanly higher price of the import and only 39 min. of music, ... An outstanding price for this import. The recording quality is superb. Being an early 80's recording, I was affraid it may not have been re-mastered for the CD market. Those fears were put to rest when I played it. I was surprised to hear the marimba arpeggios on "Feelin' Alive Again". Something I've never heard in the many times I played the lp. The sound is great and the music even better.
If your an Ambrosia fan and were put off by the harder edge sound of Road Island, don't be. Buy this album. You won't regret it!