"Hello? That's an interesting sticker on my copy of this 3CD box set.
"Three never before released albums". Hmm. Someone had better tell my
record collection that there are imposters in their midst. However,
they didn't get a particularly widespread release first time out,
living under the cloud marked "Big In Japan". So having all three in a
box at a bargain price is fair enough. It's a no frills reissue of
"Mother’s Army" from , "Planet Earth" from , and "Fire On The Moon"
from.
 If you don't know, the band came about after ex Rainbow bass player
Bob Daisley worked with Night Ranger guitarist Jeff Watson on the
latters solo album. They brought in legendary drummer Carmine Appice
and ex Rainbow / Deep Purple vocalist Joe Lynn Turner (to replace
former Ted Nugent man, Derek St Holmes), and Mother's Army was born.
Ish. See, it was more of a project than a band, and on the first two
albums, Joe Lynn Turner was merely a singer for hire, something that
was rectified by the time "Fire On The Moon" appeared.
The first two albums are competent enough, but there isn't really a
killer song on either of the albums. The playing is straight out of
the top drawer, as you might expect with musicians of their calibre,
but the debut doesn't really seem to know what it wants to be, as they
experiment with sounds to little avail. However, when they crack on
and write a proper song, as they manage on 'Darkside' and 'By Your
Side', then you get a hint of what could have been. "Planet Earth" was
more of the same, but with added hippy, as they embarked upon an
almost concept album on the theme of ecology that satisfied no-one,
including Carmine Appice who quit, to be replaced by another drumming
legend, Aynsley Dunbar.
Which brings us to "Fire On The Moon", the ace in the pack. This time
around, Joe Lynn Turner took a hand in the songwriting process, and it
was no surprise when it turned into a more accessible, melodic rock
album. There are some really good songs on offer here, with 'Way Of
The World', 'The Code' and the title track falling into the category
of lost gems. It's a little bit rougher around the edges than most of
the records Turner has been involved with, and it's a record worth
owning for fans of his style.
The first two records are play once and file away, but the "Fire On
The Moon" release is worth the price of admission alone, especially at
a budget price."
review: Stuart A Hamilton (aka Mr H)
Links to stuff Mr H writes are at http://www.stuarthamilton.co.uk
See also our Joe Lynn Turner family tree |
