Band : Foreigner
Album title : Can’t Slow Down
Label : Edel
Distributor : V2
Release date : 01/03/2010 (US= 02/10/2009)
Release : CD

Darn good news to know Foreigner is back! Well, actually they’ve been back for a couple of years already, with the only remaining original member (guitarist Mick Jones) starting the band up again in 2004 under the instigation of drummer Jason Bonham (yes, sone of the late and legendary John, but an appreciated drummer in his own right, and having replaced his father for the “re-union” show Led Zeppelin gave a few years back). The new line-up with which Jones returned to the live circuit on July 25 of that same year included keyboardist Jeff Jacobs, old rhythm guitarist Thom Gimbel (joined Foreigner in 1993), former Dokken bassist Jeff Pilson, and Bonham on the drums. To perform singing duties Chaz West was hired for one show only, then the job was handed over to former Hurricane singer Kelly Hansen!

March 2006 saw the release of the album Extended Versions through Sony, the album in actuallity a live recording with the cleanest, almost studio-like sound quality ever heard, and featuring all of the band’s hit songs.During 2007 Foreinger not only toured extensively as a headliner, but also joined Def Leppard (and fellow support band Styx) on tour. They also joined Pete Townsend, Bill Wyman And The Rhythm Kings, and Paolo Nutini as openers for the aforementioned one-night-only Led Zeppelin show in memory of the deceased Atlantic Records PR man Ahmet Ertegun, in December. In July 2008 Foreigner released a Greatest Hits compilation entitled No End In Sight: The Very Best Of Foreigner, adding new song (the first studio recording since the band’s 1994 album Mr. Moonlight) “Too Late” to the track-list as a teaser for the upcoming new studio album. 2008 also saw some shifts in the line-up of the band, keyboards being taken over by Michael Bluestein, and drums by Bryan Head (but the latter’s stay with the band would be rather short, Brian Tichy soon returning to the band – he’d been their drummer between 1998 and 2000).

Having already been out a couple of months in the US (distributed exclusively through the Wal-Mart chain of shops), I can tell you that it was received far more enthousiastically (went to #29 in the Billboard Album Charts), than its predecesssors Mr. Moonlight (1994, #136) and Unusual Heart (1991, #117). Which is hardly a surprise! Not only has the musical landscape evolved since the ‘90s Grunge days, but also the band’s material is simply great! Hansen is a wonderful singer, quite capable to replace Lou Gramm. In fact, while his slightly hoarse voice does wonders for the calmer songs, his slightly higher pitch brings an increased diversity (as compared to Gramm) to the more energetic tracks. The synergy between the music and vocals is most definitely due to the fact that while penning the songs with Marti Frederiksen, Jones invited Hansen to join in the process! The listener is drawn into Can’t Slow Down from the very first song on the album, and 13 songs (album closes with a re-make of the classic “Fool For You Anyway”, original on the self-titled debut album of 1977) and 50 minutes later, he probably can’t stop himself from pushing that “play” button again (that’s what happened with me, really, and not a single time either!). Because although these songs are new (except for “Too Late” of course, which appears on the album in the 2008 version) they have a timeless quality which sets ‘em apart quite immediately. And the fact that Gimbel occasionally plays a sax of flute (and an “ochestra” is added to the sound) not only adds to the musical diversity, but also makes the album’s material that touch more “special” overall!

You can listen to 4 (full-length) songs off the new album (and a couple of the band’s hit songs of the past) at myspace.com/foreignermusic. By the way, from April 10 to 18, Foreigner does a short European tour to play 4 a show in Switzerland, one in France, One in Italy, and 4 in  Germany. Closest to Belgium are karlsruhe and Frankfurt…just in case you’re a truly big fan of the band and don’t wanna miss out on seeing they on this tour. Whatever you think of the band though, in my book Can’t Slow Down gets a “Best Albums Of 2010” nomination (or should that actually be 2009…what do you think?)!

98/100

Tony.