Album Review: Metallica - Kill 'Em All (1983)

I should've written a review for this album a long, long time ago.  Along with the "black" album, this album not only introduced me to Metallica, but it really got me into heavy metal music in a big way.  All the ingredients were there - that guitar tone, that hallmark thrash tempo, the denim and leather.  I was a changed person after I'd finished playing this album - "Whiplash" and "Metal Militia" remain two of my favorite Metallica songs.  This and Megadeth's debut album Killing Is My Business...And Business Is Good! rank high among my favorite debut heavy metal albums.  "The Four Horsemen" shares its origins with the song "The Mechanix", which would end up on the previously mentioned Megadeth record, although from my perspective at least it's better than the Megadeth variant.  "Hit the Lights", "Phantom Lord", "Jump in the Fire" - add those three to the aforementioned tracks (as well as a few others of course) and you've got thrash metal gold.  A-

Album Review: Toto - Toto IV (1982)

One of the better known session muso super groups out there, and named after a fictional canine character of L. Frank Baum authorship, you might know Toto for their best known hit, "Africa."  Of course it wasn't their only hit - "Hold The Line", "Georgy Porgy" and "Rosanna", among a number of others, also lay claim to be the more successful end products of the collaborative efforts of Paich, Pocaro & Co.  Toto IV is home to three of these hits - "Africa", "Rosanna" and "I Won't Hold You Back."  Good songs all of them, but the rest of the album isn't quite filler material either.  "It's A Feeling", "Make Believe" and "Waiting For Your Love" aren't bad, but still, none of them can hold a candle to "Africa."  You won't be missing anything essential by not listening to this record, but nonetheless I recommend you check it out anyway if you liked Toto's aforementioned hits.  Definitely give it a spin.  A-

Album Review: The Cars - Heartbeat City (1984)

I picked this album out expecting an album of great songs and well, I was sort of right.  All the great songs here could be found on any of their greatest hits compilations - other than that, there were only two or three "good" songs - "Stranger Eyes", "Heartbeat City" and "I Refuse."  "It's Not The Night" is okay.  I've always liked The Cars' music - I have had for a long time now one of their greatest hits compilations in my CD collection, and it is invaluable.  I would be mad to NOT own a copy - they put out some brilliant songs, including "Drive", "Magic", "Why Can't I Have You" and "You Might Think", all of which can be found here.  Not too bad an album, but I was expecting a little bit better.  B+