Band : Unruly Child
Album title : Worlds Collide
Label :  Frontiers Records
Distributor : Rough Trade Benelux
Release date : 15/10/2010
Release : CD

Unruly Child disbanded 16 years ago, after releasing just 3 albums. They started in 1992, and immediately had a lot of success with their debut album, simply called Unruly Child.

For this album, the original 1992 line-up reunited, consisting of Marcie Michelle Free (King Kobra, Signal) on vocals, Bruce Gowdy (Stone Fury, World Trade) on guitars, and Guy Allison (Lodgic, World Trade, Doobie Brothers) on keyboard. You might be tempted to say : this is not the original line-up, since in 1992 the vocalist was Mark Free, but Mark and Marcie Michelle are one and the same person, the only difference being that he’s had a transgender operation and is now a women.
This operation however did have no effect on his voice, he still sounds the same as in 1992. Now with this comeback album they have delivered a very fine AOR album, very melodic, with a crisp and clear production.  I personally find the album as a whole a bit too mellow, and would have preferred some songs with a more ballsy structure.  But that’s a personal taste you don’t have to agree with.

Rumours are that they have already written some new tracks for a next album, but also that they might consider touring.  Most probably though the next release will be a remixed, re-mastered and updated version of ‘Tormented’, including bonus tracks and new material.

80/100

Erik Morren.