Rainbow – Straight Between the Eyes – 1982
The first that struck me on Rainbow’s Straight Between the Eyes is that, while it’s very energetic and all, it’s not a very…cohesive record. The opener, “Death Valley Driver”, a cross between “Communication Breakdown” and “Radar Love” is marred by sloppy lead guitar work. Not something I would have expected and it might even be on purpose, but Blackmore seems less assured and more lackadaisical on the entire album. The mid-tempo “Stone Cold” feels like it fell off a Foreigner record and that’s how I feel about the entire experience: I’ve heard this before. Now, there’s not a helluva lot that can be done in this milieu that hasn’t already been done, let’s face it. The entire Purple Sabbath experience sort of culminated with AC/DC’s Back in Black. After that, everyone is trying to attain the gold, right? Or the platinum.
The driving skiff-shred of “Bring on the Night” and anthem of “Power” might actually be good if they didn’t sound like Michael Parr’s soundtrack for St. Elmo’s Fire. Sure, that music came out 3 years later but it’s all nostalgia now and if it sounds like that and calls that middle of the road metal to mind, it’s just not trying hard enough. In the era of Leppard/Osbourne a ballad like “Tearin’ Out My Heart” needs to be a LOT better than it is.
This is an era when every band seemed to have one song with “Rock” in the title, extolling the majesty of the idiom. “Rock Fever” is this album’s entry. And it’s sucky.
Rainbow is never great and never awful. They’re just average. But at least they’re consistent.
Grade: C
ASide: Death Valley Driver
BlindSide: MISS Mistreated
DownSide: Rock Fever, Eyes of Fire
