Rainbow – Bent Out of Shape – 1983
(I couldn’t be more pleased to be done with Rainbow for a while…..)
1. Stranded – The radio friendliness continues. It’s not a good thing. It’s not a bad thing. If I had to choose, I would choose to listen to Martin Briley over this. The similarities abound. The Foreigner sound continues. Fortunately, it’s the 80s, so the song goes on for a full 2 minutes after it’s over. And it’s only 3:25 total.
2. Can’t Let You Go – I dig this chamber organ opening, however, it has almost absolutely nothing to do with the mid-tempo lover’s lament shit that follows.
3. Fool for the Night – Hey, it’s this album’s St. Elmo’s Fire song! Yep, if you like the theme to that movie, you’re gonna love the shit that Blackmore and Turner put out on this record. I, however, do not.
4. Fire Dance – Starts off with just terrific instrumentation. If this was 6 years earlier the song would have a LOT more teeth. As it stands it’s been softened but it’s not less as good anything else in the band’s past.
5. Anybody There – Suggesting some sort of otherworldly elegiac masterwork, this instrumental piece is just a piece of 80s metal indulgence. Blah.
6. Desperate Heart – Eye of the Tiger. At this point everyone’s got a track with this same chukka-chukka drive. This is one of the least interesting.
7. Street of Dreams – My dream is that this record would end.
8. Drinking with the Devil – Wow, you can’t get rocking until this far into the record? Blackmore’s problem is that he’s not a good lyricist and he leaves that work to the singer. Joe Turner isn’t a good lyricist but that’s his job and he falls short. The song is one of the better moments on the album, though.
9. Snowman – This dystopian mood piece is a cover of the theme to a british animated version of a children’s book, The Snowman. As a result it’s haunting, sad, industrial production is the best thing on this record.
10. Make Your Move – Why not open with this one? If ever there was a song that screamed “lead off” it’s this one. It should have been the title of the album as well. All of this just proves that Rainbow didn’t know nor care about what they were doing. This is a job. One that they’re not very good at.
The trouble is, there isn’t anything inherently awful about this record. And there’s very little to recommend it. But isn’t that the way with Rainbow? This is where the Ritchie Blackmore participation in Purple Sabbath Metal Saga ends for a while. I think he doesn’t figure for another 10 years. I gotta say, I’m not sure just how important he really is. At least, as far as I’m concerned, his contribution through Deep Purple and his work as Jon Lord’s guitar foil to Lord’s organ is seminal. As a leader of his own material he’s so hit or miss that it’s hard to take him seriously. There’s some great work in there, but it’s slogged down in mediocrity. Not trash, just middling averageness. For that I’m so glad to be done with Rainbow for a while.
Grade: D+
ASide: Fire Dance, Snowman
BlindSide: Drinking with the Devil
