FM
Tough It Out

Absolute masterpiece, a classic example of one of the five albums to take to a desert island, 'Tough It Out' is an album worthy of mention, and one that all hard rockers should at least reconsider, also because the creators of this absolute album, the English FM, a big band that more than any other, with the exception of the indomitable Shy, managed to reconstruct, and with some success, the American sound in the land of Albion, releasing a handful of excellent platters that only the relentless work of fate managed to consign among the faded memories of many tireless romantics.

Indeed, this 'Tough it Out' from 1989, represents without a doubt the maximum financial effort that Epic/CBS was able to put in place to push the band into the American market, an album which, on paper, had everything it needed to climb the sales and appreciation charts, boasting a dazzling production by the wizard Neil Kernon, mixing by Nigel Green (Def Leppard), as well as songwriting contributions from the good Desmond Child, the duo Judith and Robin Randall (Starship), and the work of the wise lyricist Jess Harms (Eddie Money), but which, in hindsight, failed irretrievably in its intent.

And yet FM weren't novices at the time, but a well-respected band composed mainly of veterans from the British Hard'n Heavy scene like the Overland brothers, both ex-Wildlife, bassist Merv Goldsworthy (ex-Diamond Head and Samson) and the flamboyant drummer Pete Jupp (Samson), musicians who knew how to attract the sympathies of melodic rock lovers, thanks to performances always above average, managing to convince even the most skeptical, in an album that strings together an impressive number of standout anthems. Indeed, the AOR tinged with melodic rock tendencies of 'Tough it Out', links back to the sound of true pioneers like Asia, Night Ranger, or even better Foreigner and Journey, partially redefining new expressive horizons, highlighted by a splendid American school songwriting work, naturally, and arrangements never too redundant, where both the guitars of the good Chris Overland and the chrome keys of keyboardist Didge Digital carve out the same space.

These elements lead to the formation of little natural gems as in the case of the sparkling Obsession, the chrome mid-tempo of Bad Luck which recalls Boston's Third, or the same splendid title track, a song quite oriented towards high tech sounds, the classic hit Someday, later covered by none other than Mark Free for his solo album, reminiscent of the more rock Michael Bolton, thanks to the warm and expressive voice of Steve Overland, who despite always moving on a very aseptic vocal register, always manages to be emotionally stirring as in the case of the seductive ballad Everytime I Think of You, very evocative and captivating.

In short, a must for all lovers of the melodic genre, which for years was unavailable in its first major release, also because it was out of print, has recently become available again in remastered version with the addition of some bonus tracks, so what better opportunity to try to be moved by being cradled by the chrome notes of this classic example of contemporary art transposed on a musical staff?