Customer Reviews

Spread Eagle

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have to say, this album takes me back to a time and place. NYC early 90's, before Nirvana, before Pearl Jam, when rock was raw, crotch grabbing music. This album is in my top ten metal albums of all time. Ray West has an incredible voice and I think they should have been wildly successful had they been better promoted. Every song is great. A must-have!!!

"I'm in a stripper bar, ready for my T&A" - Spread Eagle

Wordsmiths they're not - but late 80's NYC glam band Spread Eagle made no apologies and put out this blistering, sleazy hard rock eponymous debut that has been woefully overlooked. After being long out-of-print it is now remastered and available by Lovember Records.

From the opening strains of "Broken City" to the dulcet tones of "Switchblade Serenade" this is about as sleazy a release to come out of the 80s glam era. Spread Eagle were a cut above other outfits of the day and the musicianship, vocals and production are top notch and exude sleaze!

Typical cornball 80s lyrics in songs like "Scratch Like A Cat" and "Suzy Suicide" aside, this is an outstanding glam gem and I'm glad to see it reissued.

I picked this up so I could let the rest of the band I'm in hear it....they thought it was pretty awesome!!!! I got the guys in the band by 10 years so I am slowly introducing them to some great stuff from the late 80's early 90's. This is a gem...a must have.

I can't believe this record has been reissued!! Thank God for the people at Lovember Records. The remastering on this cd blows the original away. Spread Eagle's debut is one of the best records I've ever heard. The guitar player shreds like the best of them, the singer has a very unique voice but most of all their songs are "real". They had everything a rock band should have: LOTS OF ATTITUDE!

The lyrics for "Thru These Eyes" are incredible. "Suzy Suicide" reminds me a bit of Motorhead. "Switchblade Serenade" use to get played on rock radio non-stop and MTV's Headbanger Ball. If you like your rock loud and raw then buy this record. You WON'T be disappointed.

NYC-based hard rockers Spread Eagle released their self-titled debut album in 1990, just as the "hair metal" scene was enjoying its last burst of popularity. Spread Eagle never really made it big, but with their loud, snarling approach to the Hollywood hair metal style, they probably should have.

Spread Eagle - at least on this album - reminds me a lot of bands like L.A. Guns, Junkyard and early Guns n' Roses and Skid Row. They weren't interested in being pretty boys or singing sappy ballads. This is raw, aggressive barroom rock with just enough of a bluesy edge. The rhythms in particular hit like a sledgehammer, and the hooks are addictive without getting too poppy. This is just a good, hard-hitting rock n' roll album, and you can't have too many of those.

Spread Eagle released one more album (1992's Open to the Public) before grunge came in and ended the party. They're still playing some shows, but so far there's no sign of a new studio album. If you're a fan of loud, nasty `80s hard rock, this album is well worth tracking down, especially now that it has been reissued. Grab a copy, turn it up and get the party started!

Edition Notes: Spread Eagle was reissued by Lovember Records in 2006. It doesn't have any bonus material, but the digital remastering is very impressive. Hopefully a remastered version of Open to the Public will follow.

GREAT CD ! ROCKS THROUGHOUT. YES IT REMINDS ME SOMEWHAT OF SKIDROW MUSICALY BUT THEN AGAIN THE VOCALS REMIND ME OF BUZZ SHERMAN OF MOXY AND THATS NOT BAD

CONSIDERING EARY MOXY WAS ROCKING IT IN THE SEVENTIES AND SHERMAN WAS A CHOICE

TO REPLACE BON SCOTT IN ACDC.

THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD FIND GRAB IT WHILE ITS AVAILABLE !!

One would never know this is a debut album based on the delivery of the material. It's well engineered, well mixed and features a diversified song selection as well. I'd rank this between Welcome to the Jungle and the Sea Hags' first. It's that good and every bit as powerful as the Nirvana album (Nevermind) that left it in the dust. Had the band worn flannel instead of leather and lived in L.A. or Seattle instead of New York at that time, they'd probably still be here.

When Spread Eagle hit the hard rock scene in 1990, the musical landscape was shifting drasticly from party-rock bands like Poison, Ratt, Warrant, Motley Crue and Skid Row, to more alternative bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Spread Eagle's debut record, was tragicly overlooked due in large part to this massive shift in public appeal.

From the first riff of Broken City, you can tell these guys are no glam band. Spread Eagle, takes more from bands like Skid Row and Anthrax, than from Poison or Bon Jovi. Their music is heavy, and laced with sexual innuendos that could put a smile on any 13 year old boys face. I would'nt say these guys rival John Lennon with song writing, but they certainly entertain, with the over-the-top sexual lyrics.

I will definitely reccomend buying this album, just as soon as you read this review. One note though, Spread Eagle, was re-released and remastered in 2006 on lovebomber records. What you get with the remastered record, is better sound quality than the original, however the song Switchblade Serenade, is an alternate version. While the alternate is not awful, it is definitely not the original. That's just a caution to any first time buyers.

3.5 out of 5 stars. I agree with another review where I seen someone say this reminds them of Skid Row's Slave to the Grind. It has that heavy sound that you hear on that album. There is nothing here that I think would have been really radio friendly which I don't mind myself but I can see how that would have made them fly under the radar. This is definitely worth picking up.

At times, New York metal bands from the period of this release seemed to have a harder edge to their music relative to LA metal (except for Guns n Roses). So if you like the old Skid Row (and Gunners) you'll probably enjoy SpreadEagle's debut from 1990.

But beware. For those of you who want to buy this CD because you used to have the 1990 release, you could be dissapointed if Switchblade Serenade was your favourite song back then.

I don't know what is going on (probably a contract thing) but the original Switchblade Seranade is not on this re-released version of the album. The 'new' Switchblade is not as killer as the old one. This 'new' out-take Switchblade is good, but it doesn't punch as hard as the original in the vocals or riffing, especially the intro to the song relative to 1990 release which was more dangerous sounding. All the other tracks are the same, so overall it's still great as a psycho-sounding album of great riffs and angry screams from the gutters of New York City!