Customer Reviews

Under the Influence

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

 

 

Rossi and Parfitt were ( I believe) quoted in a pre-release interview as saying that the album ROCKED. Well I don't believe this - the "old duffers" were right!

Status Quo have killed two birds with one stone: not only is there a massive improvement in their melodies (Keep Em Coming and Little White Lies are quite different to anything else they've done) but at the same time they have ditched the limp country/pop style found on many of their 80s/90s releases and gone "back to basics." The Way It Goes and Under the Influence rock the house down and could easily fit into the Blue For You or Hello sets.

This isn't quite as radical as Piledriver (Roll the Dice has a great verse but a weedy, predictable chorus and Not Fade Away doesn't really fit in with the rest of the album) but it's MILES ahead of their other recent releases. Worth more than just a listen whether you like Status Quo or not.

Whoa!A rather good later day effort for a band that's been putting out lp's for nearly forty years now.You might want to keep something in mind.Previously,the only other Status Quo release I've heard is their 2-CD compilation 'Singles Collection 1966-73'(see my review).'Under...' is basically twelve well written tracks of straight-ahead rock&roll.Most of the tunes here are very good,like the somewhat Irish-sounding "Twenty Wild Horses"(features Irish riffs,anyway),the party-like "Round And Round","Keep 'Em Coming","Blessed Are The Meek" and "Roll The Dice".Line-up:Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt-guitar&vocals,Andrew Brown-keyboards&harmonica,John Edwards-bass and Jeff Rich-drums.Comes with a keen 12-page booklet with song lyrics and photos.Might appeal to fans of Slade,Spinal Tap,early Sweet and Mott The Hoople.

Most of the songs sounds effectively like "on the level" and "Blue for you" albums. However, Quo's boogie style comes with great melodies. Leading "Under the influence" to be listened to by fans and more. Definitively QUO.

Every time Status Quo release a new album some people say that this time they've returned to their roots. Most of us know it just ain't true even if we would like it to be that way. The main problem with Quo these days is that the production is so slick and polished - it washes away every single trace of the rawness you can hear on the early 1970's album like "Quo", "Hello" or "Piledriver". If you live in Sweden or Norway, you know about a genre called "Dance-Band music". The best way to describe that kind of music is that it's a crossover between the cheesiest Eagles' songs ever and so called Elevator Music, often with really pathetic lyrics of love. The purpose of this kind of music is for middle aged people to get out and dance - it's not the kind you mainly listen to at home. You might ask why on earth do I tell you this! The answer is that it's produced in the same fashion (i.e. to upset as few people as possible), and this is not good for Status Quo - it makes them sound more or less like a "Dance-Band". "Under the influence" is not a lousy album but it is not especially good either with the exception of a couple of tracks like "Twenty wild horses", "Under the influence", and "Round and round". I think you've learned what to expect from Quo these days, and if you don't believe you'll hear another "Hello", you might not be so disappointed.