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Rating: In 1986, Europe climbed the global charts with the single "The Final Countdown," preceded by "Rock the Night." By then, Europe was known worldwide, and in 1988, they set out to record another album that, however, was less successful than "The Final Countdown." Indeed, Europe, or rather, Joey Tempest, avoided continuing with the same sound as the previous album (besides, Europe never repeats themselves in any album), partly due to the departure of guitar hero John Norum, replaced by the super-fast and clean Kee Marcello, due to musical differences. Anyway, in my opinion, the main reason for Europe's musical shift was keyboardist Mic Michaeli, who was already playing with the band during the "Wings of Tomorrow" tour: the following year (1985), we see him as an official member of the band. But that's another story.
Let's move on to the album, where we see Tempest in great shape and Marcello who doesn't make us miss the old guitarist at all. A very clean, catchy hard rock, even bordering on AOR melodies: this is precisely the strong point of this record. The album opens with "Superstitious," an excellent and very worthy single, and note the stunning solo by Kee Marcello. It is followed by "Let the Good Times Rock," in full Europe style, appealing even on the first listen. A track that is definitely one of the most appreciated by Europe fans is "Open Your Heart"; in this album, we find a revisited version (decidedly more beautiful with better production) of the one from "Wings of Tomorrow." It starts with a dreamy acoustic guitar, later accompanied by Tempest's moving vocal lines, eventually exploding into a heavy riff that serves as the chorus. "More Than Meets the Eye" is one of the album's peaks, with keyboards and guitar perfectly in sync, featuring a memorable and very enjoyable chorus. The following "Coast to Coast" is a simple ballad, very slow, but also the most useless of the album. It lacks that "something" that would make it better; in my opinion, it pales a bit compared to the other tracks. With the next track "Ready Or Not," the adrenaline rises to the brain. It's the most hard-hitting track of the album, just listen to the first few seconds (with pounding drums and a "scream" from the guitar), even here, despite the heaviness of the song, the keyboards fit in well, in the chorus, they are essential, indeed contributing to making this magnificent song even more beautiful. The next one is a noteworthy track, the beautiful "Sign of the Time," a very atmospheric piece with a consistently brilliant and well-sung chorus by the talented Joey. "Just the Beginning" is a well-structured song; the keyboards form the main melody, and the song always stands out among the others. Marcello's quick solo is great, and the choice to incorporate the motif of "Superstitious" into the song's "bridge," or rather, as a base for the solo, is excellent. The next track accentuates the album's AOR stamp ("Lights and Shadows"), the song proceeds slowly, but with a main guitar riff that makes it heavy at the same time. "Tower's Callin'" is a good song, with a nice and very heavy verse riff; the song sits a level lower than the others. The ballad of the album is "Tomorrow," with a very inspired Tempest (and in this song, he plays the piano), quite moving and certainly not comparable to "Coast to Coast."
Now, the rating. I've negatively evaluated only one song on the album, so just 1/12 of the entire album, obviously not worthy of a single star, which is worth 1/5. So, 5 stars are just fine. But still, this doesn't matter much. An album that, in my opinion, should not be missing in a good rocker's collection; it's a very original album, as are all of Europe's records, moral of the story, the ENTIRE discography of Europe should not be missing for "good" music listeners (at most the first album by Europe).
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Superstitious (04:35)
(chorus)
Keep on walking that road and I'll follow
Keep on calling my name I'll be there
And if a mirror should break
It's easy to take
Deep down I know that you care
Well I'm not superstitious - No
I'm not superstitious, I have no doubt
That there's a reason how things turn out
While things are changing from day to day
Well I keep this feeling with me all the way
And I want you to know that you're on my mind
Everyday and all of the time
(chorus)
It might be times of wonder when I'm on my own
Trying to find out if love is gone
It might make a difference, it might bring me down
But no superstition is gonna turn things around
And I want you to know that you're on my mind
Everyday and all of the time
(chorus)
So keep on walking, and we'll make things right
Yeah - Keep on dreaming, each and every night
We're gonna make it, that's what we'll do
Right to the end girl, we're gonna walk on walk on through
(chorus) - twice
03 Open Your Heart (04:05)
Days filled with joy and days filled with sorrow
I don't know just what to do
Am I happy today, am I lonely tomorrow
Everything depends on you
And I've been waitin'
For the angels to knock on my door
I've been hopin'
That everything could be like before
Open your heart and tell me what's wrong
Why can't you talk like you used to do before
I don't know if I'm weak, I don't know if I'm strong
Hey girl I can't cope anymore
And I've been waitin'...
Open your heart, let me hear you
Make up your mind, I want to hear you call
Open your heart, want to come near you
Make up your mind, before we lose it all
Maybe that time has its own way of healin'
Maybe it dries the tears in your eyes
But never changes the way that I'm feelin'
Only you can answer my cries
And I've been waitin'...
Open your heart, let me hear you...
05 Coast to Coast (04:01)
You look out that window
For someone you know
But it all looks the same and time and again
It hurts you so
You wonder if always
You'll stand on your own
But bear in your mind, you'll get through this time
You're not alone
When time seems so lonely
And your day seems too long
You wonder if you will ever get through
And still be strong
With eyes full of sadness
You stand on your own
It tears you apart, but you know in your heart
You're not alone
Coast to coast and land to land
We're together hand in hand
Coast to coast and land to land...
06 Ready or Not (04:04)
Ready or not but I waste no time
I'm headin' out with some friends of mine
Holdin' on to what we've got
Oh even if we're ready or not
Ready or not but they're back in town
The word is out that this time around
They'll be lettin' go with all they've got
Oh even if we're ready or not
Rock me til I hit that floor
Rock me til I take no more
Roch this hungry heart of mine
Rock me down right to the ground
Rock me like you never done before
Then rock me just a little more
Ready or not but for all I know
We'll be hangin' on til it's time to go
We're always there with all we've got
Oh even if we're ready or not
Ready or not but i waste no time...
Rock me til I hit that floor...
08 Just the Beginning (04:32)
I can walk on fire, it ain't stoppin' me
It's just showin' me the way
Come thunder, lightning all over me
I'd still be on my way
You can put me through loads of trouble
But in anyway
It's just the beginnin' and not the end
No use in pretendin' cause you can't win
It's just the beginnin', the beginnin'
Not the end
It's not a stange behavior, it's the way I am
Nothin' puts me down
And if a situation would get out of hand
I'd still be back around
You can put me through loads of trouble
But never bring me down
It's just the beginnin' and not the end...
I can walk on fire, it ain't stoppin' me...
You can put me through loads of trouble
But in any way
It's just the beginnin'
It's just the beginnin'
It's just the beginnin'
It's just the beginnin'
It's just the beginnin', and not the end...
09 Never Say Die (04:01)
Oh who took that shot
Well I couldn't say, I was already down
Oh who set me up
Well I couldn't say cause I saw no one around
Now I'm lyin' here in desperation
I had it all worked out
Everything I hear is consolation
I've got this feelin' youshould never say die
In my fantasy
There were days to come that I wanted so bad
Someone sold me out then it all was done
That dream was all that I had
Now I'm lyin' here in desperation...
Oh who took that shot...
Now I'm lyin' here in desperation...
10 Lights and Shadows (04:03)
One night she cam, in from the cold
Like a long lost friend, someone to hold
She said, don't ask me now
Cause what's in a name
But when I'm gone you'll never be the same
So won't you hold me now
Can't you see what I came here for
Save me now, cause I now
We'll keep on headin' through
Lights and shadows
We're talkin' lights and shadows
She came from far, with so much to tell
Cause when you're lookin' for love
You can walk through hell
Just like a ricochet, she might come and go
And one look can say more than you'll ever know
So won't you hold me now...
Oh lights and shadows
We're talkin' lights and shadows
So won't you hold me now...
Oh lights and shadows...
We keep on headin' through
Lights and shadows
11 Tower's Callin' (03:50)
All set ready to go, but little does he know
He ain't comin' back no more
All set ready to fly, into that deep blue sky
Like so many times before
Now the tower's callin', there's no reply
And there's nothin' they can do
Now the night is fallin' before their eyes
Still no one's comin through, callin'
Somewhere out in time, God knows what's on his mind
Is there a reason for his doubt
Somehow unaware just like he didn't care
There must be ways of gettin' out
Now the tower's callin', there's no reply...
12 Tomorrow (03:04)
Will you be there beside me if the world falls apart
And will all of our moments remain in your heart
Will you be there to guide me all the way through,
I wonder will you walk by my side and follow my dreams
And bear with my pride, as strong as it seems
Will you be there tomorrow
Will you be there beside me as time goes on by
And be there to hold me whenever I cry
Will you be there to guide me all the way through
I wonder will you walk by my side and follow my dreams
And bear with my pride, as strong as it seems
Will you be there
Will you be there
Will you be there tomorrow
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Other reviews
By cliff
I want to 'un-review' an album that I had always underestimated, but now I understand that it is a good album.
Sign of the Times... blends the power of Marcello and Leven well with Michaeli’s beautiful keyboard part at the beginning.
By Abraham
"'Out Of This World' barely manages to consolidate the band at the levels of its predecessor."
"It is a tired projection into the present while winking at the past until it blinds itself."
