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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dead Ringer, February 7, 2005
Jim Steinman's a pretty odd bloke. Let us not forget that this man - ne, genius - created a rock opera based on Peter Pan. Certainly plausible (the roots of many mythical tales are damn freaky), but clearly insane, Jim Steinman is a songwriter like no other. Certainly one of the best songwriters of our age, arguably of all time.
"Dead Ringer" was one of two albums Jim Steinman assembled in 1981, the other being the definitive "Bad For Good". Both were intended for Meat Loaf, but he stormed out of the "BFG" recordings, thus leaving him with "Dead Ringer". And though "BFG" clearly got more than it's fair share of the better material, the fact of the matter is that there's not a bad track on "Dead Ringer". This is one-hundred percent musical matery.
Jim Steinman seperates himself from most musical minds by being truly diverse. You don't normally get this much variety in songs from an album full of different songwriters, much less all on the one. "Dead Ringer" is a roller-coaster ride taking you from heavy rock through to beautiful love-drenched ballads and back again (often doing this across the course of each song) - seven stunning tracks that have to be heard to be believed.
Let's take, for example, the album's centrepiece (and original title-track) "I'll Kill You If You Don't Come Back". This track kicks off with a guitar riff of which most axe-gods would be proud (stunning considering it's written by a pianist), launching into a heavy-rock spectacular that could easily be the stage-standout of any rock act on the planet. But then, about halfway through, the song slides from being an angst-rock song into being a powerful piano-driven ballad. It's two songs - the same tagline, the same title, but two completely different tracks. And it works. This is an example of Steinman's mastery, completely unlike anything seen on "Bat Out Of Hell", but definitive in it's own, special way.
Not all the songs are so varied within themselves, however. "Read 'em and Weep" is one of the finest ballads that Steinman ever wrote, for example. Smacking a bit of "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad", to be blatantly honest, but doing it in it's own special way, "Read 'em and Weep" is as much of a classic as anything else that Meat has ever sung, including the stuff on the "Bat" albums. It's not a ballad in the most typical sense - not like "Heaven Can Wait" or "For Crying Out Loud" from the 1977 LP - it's got guitars and drums and the works, but it's still emotionally driven and quite touching.
The only other track that really qualifies as a ballad on this record is the closer, "Everything Is Permitted". This dark, sinister track, is sometimes not immediately obvious. It's not immediately brilliant, either, but give it time and it'll grow on you. This is probably the worst of Meat Loaf's closers (his albums are known for finishing on highs - "For Crying", "Where Angels Sing" being the most obvious standouts), but that said, it's still a pretty impressive song. "More Than You Deserve" is, of course, a part of Meat Loaf lore. The version found here was actually recorded (or so the liner notes suggest) in 1974, but I'm not so sure about that. At any rate, it's not a song that I ever really appreciated, and I remain with mixed feelings about it today. The version found on "Storytellers" is far superior.
For all these ballads and slower tracks, the album has it's share of explosive rock, as well. "Peel Out", the album opener, rips along at a rate of knots. People often confuse this song with having illusions of "Bat Out Of Hell", but it's nothing of the sort. They're two completely different songs, and there's no comparison between them. "Peel Out" never got much in the way of recognition, but that doesn't mean it's a bad song. The other, obvious, rock track on the album is, of course, "Dead Ringer For Love" itself. This track is a duet with Cher, and, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you that there's a reason that this was one of Meat Loaf's most successful singles until "I'd Do Anything...". The band gallop along at one hell of a pace as Meat and Cher exchange barbs and upleasantries in one of Steinman's better short efforts.
Which leaves just one song. A song that is...well, more or less indescribable. A song that has a bit of everything. A song that (and I better whisper this) is perhaps one of the three best songs that Meat Loaf ever sang. From it's dark and moody piano and bass opening, through to it's explosive heavy-guitar climax, "I'm Gonna Love Her" is not only musically diverse, but also lyrically stunning, as Meat pleads with his best friend to stop mistreating the woman they mutually love. He's "gonna love her for both of" them. And it's a good thing, too. Because if he wasn't so assertive, then we wouldn't have this song. It's got a bit of everything. It's epic, but it doesn't feel like it. A true Steinman masterwork.
So, where's the inevitable "Bat" comparison? It's not so inevitable after all. Sure, "Bat Out Of Hell" and "Dead Ringer" are both albums written by Jim Steinman, and sung by Meat Loaf, but in so many ways they're each their own, independent entities that it's unfair to compare them. "Dead Ringer" is every bit as good an album as "Bat". Enjoy it for what it is - don't criticise it for what it isn't.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
'Difficult Second Album' doesn't even begin to describe it.., July 26, 1999
By A Customer
When you take 4 years to follow up the biggest selling debut album of all time (forget Jagged Little Pill, Alanis had about 5 albums before that, Bat out of Hell REALLY holds that title) you're bound to experience a 'slight' sales drop-off. If selling 5 million albums is considered a dissapointment, then this is a dissapointment. Dead Ringer is a great album, worth 5 stars much like the two Bat albums... but 5 stars is too general. On a 10 star scale this album would be a 9 or an 8. The songwriting by Jim Steinman is top notch, amazing considering he did it in a month and a half. The production, however, is hit-or-miss. The music is great but the album sounds poor, thanks to Steinman's studio absence. Meat Loaf's voice didn't help any, either, he gives it his all but that isn't much considering his horrible vocal problems that almost left him without a voice at all (the very reason he didn't record Steinman's solo effort and the REAL Bat out of Hell II, Bad for Good). He records this album just as he is recovering from his problem and it shows in his inferior delivery (compared to his other work). Vocals aside, Dead Ringer contains some great songs like I'll Kill You if You Don't Come Back (album highlight) and I'm Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (which was actually a minor hit). Dead Ringer for Love is sex-inflected duet in the Paradise by the Dashboard Light style (featuring Cher as a lonley barfly, perectly cast). Peel Out kicks the album off almost as good as Bat out of Hell did, Everything Is Permitted has meaningful lyrics and crappy vocals. Read em and Weep is a great ballad, which was VERY suprisingly improved upon greatly by none other than (drum roll please...) BARRY MANILOW!... this shows what Steinman's production can do. Meat Loaf overshadowed by Manilow. Weaknessess aside (and there are only few) Dead Ringer is possibly the Loaf's most underrated work (next to Bad Attitude). It's definitley worth a pickup, even though it's not in the league of overall quality as the Bat albums. But then again, what is?
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dead Ringer ... Another Meatloaf Classic!, October 25, 2001
For those of you who are true Meatloaf fans, or those who have enjoyed his music in the past, the "Dead Ringer" C.D. is a must for your collection. Classic Meatloaf, especially on the slower tunes, and Jim Steinman does some great work on this project. There are many good ballad type songs, like "Read 'em & Weep", "Gonna Love Her For Both of Us", and "Everything is Permitted". Also on the album is classic rock, as Meatloaf does a great job on "Dead Ringer For Love" and "Peel Out".
On "Dead Ringer For Love", Meatloaf teams up with Cher in a great tune. How's this for classic Meatloaf lyrics ... "rock 'n roll and brew, they don't mean a thing when I compare them next you". This duet with Cher is worth the price of the C.D. itself!Don't let the fact that this album didn't get a lot of radio airtime fool you ... it is Meatloaf at his best and I strongly recommend it!
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