Rock, Metal

Fiona Flanagan - Beyond the Pale (1986)

2010-09-19T09:12:42Z

Fiona Flanagan - Beyond the Pale (1986)


1 "Tragedy"
2 "Hopelessly Love You"
3 "Living In a Boy's World"   play
4 "Thunder & Lightning"
5 "Tender Is the Heart"
6 "Running Out of Night"
7 "In My Blood"
8 "He's on My Side"
9 "You Better Wait"             play
10 "Keeper of the Flame"
Bonus:
11. Hearts of Fire
12. I’m In It For Love
13. Hair of The Dog
14. The Nights We Spent On Earth
15. Let The Good Times Roll

Personnel include:
Fiona Flanagan (vocals);
Bobby Messano (guitar);
Benjy King (keyboards);
Donnie Kisselbach (bass guitar);
Joe Franco (drums).

The second album from this sweetly histrionic singer, featuring '80s pop, gated drums, and synthesizer stabs punctuated with '80s metal guitar. With Fiona out front and then-lover Beau Hill twiddling knobs, most every cut transcends the cookie cutter even in small ways, as when "Tragedy" mocks itself with electronic basso profundo backing vocals or "Hopelessly Love You" opens with a keyboard stammer and an intro twisting the fair maiden's pitches into helium giggles. Side two offers her first sustained suite, including "Running out of Night," a warning to an aging miscreant to either stay in bed or keep running; "He's on My Side" is the record's most pristine melody over heartfelt, embarrassed goop that's perfect for the newlyweds' first dance, and "Keeper of the Flame" is a jilted lover's vow that, like the mole in the ground, she will root her ex's mountain down. Fiona co-wrote all three of the latter; it's evident she's gearing up for her high-water mark, Heart Like a Gun. ---Andrew Hamlin, AllMusic Review

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Fiona Flanagan - Fiona (1985)

2010-09-17T20:33:07Z

Fiona Flanagan - Fiona (1985)


1. Hang Your Heart On Me
2. Talk To Me     play
3. You're No Angel
4. Rescue You
5. James
6. Love Makes You Blind   play
7. Over Now
8. Na Na Song

Personnel: 
Fiona (vocals); 
Donnie Kisselbach (bass guitar); 
Bob Messano (guitar); 
Benjy King (keyboards, background vocals); 
Joe Franco (drums).

Fiona Flanagan’s debut album is pretty typical 80s female fronted AOR that hasn’t really stood the test of time that well. It can be pretty accurately dated within the first ten seconds. Something that can be said of many albums of this kind.Revisiting the album for the first time in many a long year I was initially surprised how many of the songs came back to me quickly. Sadly though most of them don’t really go anywhere beyond the hook.The limitations of Fiona’s voice are all too apparent in places with a tendency to be over aggressive which gets a little shouty especialy on ‘Rescue You’.The album does have its moments though. The opening track ‘Hang Your Heart On Me’ is faintly reminiscent of Ann Wilson whilst the track ‘James’ would not be out of place on a Lita Ford album.

The closing ‘Na Na Song’ despite its silly title is one of the better tracks but the stand out is ‘Talk To Me’ with its great frenzied sax. ---martinleedham.wordpress.com

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Fiona Flanagan - Squeeze (1992)

2010-09-19T20:40:20Z

Fiona Flanagan - Squeeze (1992)


1. Kiss The Boys Goodbye
2. Ain't That Just Like Love   play
3. Treat Me Right
4. All Over Now
5. The Best Is Yet To Come     play
6. Squeeze
7. Don't Come Cryin'
8. Nobody Dies Of A Broken Heart
9. Mystery Of Love
10. Life On The Moon

Personnel
Fiona Flanagan : vocals
Laura McDonald : bass, vocals
Dave Marshall : guitar, vocals
Jimmy DeGrasso : drums, vocal

This New Jersey-born rocker Fiona Flanagan first started in music business in 1985, making music for a movie and releasing her first album, Fiona. After that came Beyond The Pale in 86 and Heart Like A Gun in 89, which became well-known from its' single that included a duet with Kip Winger, called "Everything You Do (You're Sexing Me)". Squeeze followed, with the line-up of Jimmy DeGrasso-drums (ex-Y&T/White Lion), Laura McDonald-bass and Dave Marshall-guitars. This was the first album done without the help of Beau Hill, a producer/collaborator and by now ex-husband. Fiona even did some work acting, appearing in an episode of Miami Vice and in a movie called "Hearts Of Fire" and sang a few songs on it.

Fionas music has always stayed true to the hard rock and all the catchyness and some clichčs along the way. The songwriting credits on this album are quite interesting, especially Jani Lane (of Warrant fame), who wrote a rocking track Life On The Moon here. Its not the best track though, Treat Me Right (by Fiona/Marc Tanner/Mark Gable) and Nobody Dies Of A Broken Heart (by Bob Mitchell) are the ones that really wont stop playing in your head. The starting song Kiss The Boys Goodbye (by Harry Paress/Curt Cuomo) is a catchy one too, though a bit lame. And then theres Dont Come Cryin written by Diane Warren...now this must be one of Warrens not so glorious moments (eventhough still a great song) as shes written mega songs for artists such as Cher, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, Christina Aquilera, Alice Cooper, Bad English, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, Heart, Jeff Healey, Kiss, Ratt, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston...you name it! For instance Hearts Who Will You Run To was a winner without a doubt, and Braxtons Unbreak My Heart.

Fionas Squeeze is a sensual album, even the cover with all the four band members posing half naked, hugging each other. Might make some tough guys go puke themselves from the cuteness, but it fits the mood really well here and should attract the right audience for this kind of music. The songs are basic, straight hard rock/pop with hooks and some childish background vocals along the way, for instance on The Best Is Yet To Come. And some of the songs have a hint of disco to them with hard rock guitar added in. But these dont spoil the pleasure. Every track works and is really good hard rock. And the airy, ethereal ballad Mystery Of Love is beautiful, the other slower track along it being All Over Now, ia really touching. Too bad these are the only slower moments here. The title track is a jamming song with the guitar on top, an ok song. Fionas got a voice that youll recognize easily, its soft, clear and clean enough and even on the faster tracks it works. But shes out of the music business now, so well just have to stick to these four albums. Definitely one of those female rockers that well miss. ---Satu Reunanen, rockunited.com

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