Customer Reviews

Soldiers of Fortune

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

 

 

Henry Paul returns to the Outlaws . His sound and style helps bring the sound of this band back to the triumphant sounds of the early days of songs like Hurry Sundown and There Goes Another Love Song . Cold Harbor is a great tune that sends chills down your spine recalling this battle of the civil war . The title cut as well as Whatcha Don't Do showcase the bands rocking side as well . It's a shame that rock radio never gave this album the time of day . But sadly by the mid 80's , rock radio was not giving the time of day to southern rock anyway and killed record sales for this type of music . If you love this band's early stuff , then buy this CD .

Henry Paul returned to the Outlaws for SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE, but the sound did not return to the long guitar jams of the early years. Instead, the Outlaws introduced new elements, like synthesizers and drum machines, to create a sound rooted in the Old South but suited for 1986. This album is not on the level of the band's 1975-1982 heyday, but it's still worth five stars for successfully compromising the 70s Southern boogie style with the new sounds that were then taking over the airwaves. Besides, even slicked-up Outlaws is more real and soulful than, say, the very best material by Duran Duran or Firefall.

I have been a fan of The Outlaws since their I first heard their music back in '77. Their first three albums still stand as some of my all time favorites. After Playing to Win I kind of lost my interest in their music and I suspected it might have been the loss of Henry Paul that caused such a drastic change in their sound. After picking up their greatest hits CD I found I loved their rendition of Ghost Riders and thought I would see if any of their post Playing to Win albums were rated highly by Outlaws fans. Since this CD showcases the return of Henry Paul I thought this could be the ticket, especially after reading some of the reviews posted.

Nope.

This is such a far cry from what they were that it could be almost any other band. Granted, there are two songs that I find somewhat enjoyable (hence the TWO star rating) but they are still not "Outlaws" songs. I know the 80's were a rough time for 70's bands as they struggled to embrace the electronic revolution (and subsequent over use) of the music industry but they simply didn't need to stray this far. I know The Outlaws are going to release a new album soon and I hope it harkens back to those early days when the guitar jam was an art form. Green grass and high tides forever!

This is probably the most solid effort by the Outlaws since their debut album. Ever since their first album, the Outlaws put out albums that were strong on side one and weak on side two.
"Soliders of Fortune" is solid throughout. The band remains true to their southern rock roots with songs such as "Whatcha Don't Do","Soliders of Fortune" and "Lady Luck." Songs such as "One Last Ride" and the "Night Cries" show the band expanding into ballads highlighted with keyboards and synthesizers. Henry Paul's "Cold Harbor" is the best song on the album. Paul provides a history lesson in this song. It took a long time for this album to become available on cd. It has been worth the wait.
If your an Outlaws fan, you probably have this one in your collection. If your not familiar with this band buy this disc, you won't be disapointed

Originally released in 1986, Soldiers of Fortune is the eighth studio album from long-running Southern rockers The Outlaws. Like a lot of other Southern rock bands in the mid `80s, The Outlaws found their original sound out of favor and attempted a more polished, radio-friendly AOR sound on Soldiers of Fortune.

What worked so well for bands like Van Zant and 38 Special just didn't feel right for The Outlaws. The synths sound awkward, the musicians sound like they're holding back from rocking too hard, and unlike 38 Special these guys don't sound like they're having any fun. There are a couple of tracks where the band's grit comes through, like the rocking "The Outlaw," and "Cold Harbor" sounds like something they could have released years earlier, but for the most part this is a forgettable, "AOR by numbers" album.

I can absolutely see how long-time Outlaws fans would be left cold by Soldiers of Fortune, as the band's Southern rock roots are nowhere to be found. And as AOR albums go, it's nowhere near as impressive as Van Zant or Johnny Van Zant's Brickyard Road. It has its moments, but in the end it seems like the band members' hearts just weren't in this one.

Edition Notes: Wounded Bird reissued Soldiers of Fortune in 2004. The album was not remastered, nor is there any bonus material. It did, however briefly, put this long out of print album back on store shelves.

I went to see the band live in Milwaukee a few months before the original LP came out. I was estatic to see that Henry Paul had rejoined the band! The music was tight and well produced, even if synthesizers had snuck in. Soldiers of Fortune and One Last Ride actually got some local airplay. An excellent mix of southern Rock with a somewhat smoother, more contemporary sound. Several of the cuts still play well today, including the two mentioned above, as well as Cold Harbor, The Night Cries, Watcha Don't Do, and Saved By The Bell. Technically much better than the band's 2 previous efforts, which were saturated, clipped, overdriven mud. Well worth adding to your collection if you're a fan of Southern Rock.

It's the mid-80s and the Outlaws get swept up in synths and drums that sound like drum machines. The songs are so lackluster I doubt that the original lineup could have saved them. This may be the absolute nadir of the Florida Guitar Army; there must have been a thousand bar bands pumping out better stuff than this in 1986.

"Cold Harbor" is a decent track, but it sounds like it should be on a CSNY album.