Artist: Vain
Title: All Those Strangers
Type: Album
Label: Jackie Rainbow Records

Remember ‘1000 Degrees’, ‘Who’s Watching You’, echoes of the past? A thorn in some folk’s side, as you either loved them or hated them. Vain are back, kind of, ‘All Those Strangers’ is in fact their “unreleased” second album that was recorded in 1991. From the outset, it’s definitely a step in the right direction unlike their third album ‘Move on it’ that thoroughly disappointed me way back when.

Its hard to think about this album in 2010, I am trying to conceive what it would have been like if I had heard this when it was intended to be released. A tour with Skid Row hijacked them into the limelight, yes it has a feel of ‘No Regret’, but I do feel that it just has not got that impact that that album had, with some of the tunes often copying themselves in relation to their debut albums melodies. ‘Freak Flag’ has all the hallmark sounds of Vain, Davy Vain’s voice is intact and causing mixed emotions amongst us all still. In fact opener ‘Love Drug’ does have a ‘Beat the Bullet’ feel, I just really want the sound recording to be boosted, thicker if you like, the production is just too quiet and thin in places (or maybe its these mp3 files). Guitar solo’s fit well into the verse, chorus, bridge, chorus formula, you know it’s funny, Vain still attach a certain affliction for me, for all their perceived failings and wants, I just cannot help just getting into this album. ‘Wake Up’ just sounds like a rebel rousing song that is begging a live audience to sing and chant along with Vain, intoxicating chorus lines, man they do it to me all the time!

So, is this a retrospective release or a current release, that still toy’s with me? But what I can say, that it is very much Vain. They infect you with their vocal melodies and bone chilling guitar sounds. If it had come out when it was intended, I am sure the bands fortunes would have been more favourable (even though their label at the time, Island records went under), I suppose until the horrid revolution of Grunge destroyed all things like this a little while later. For me, they had it back then, they have it now, but it’s not going to float everyone’s boat, you must also check out their last release ‘On the Line’ from the same record label.

http://www.myspace.com/vainkeepshiningon
http://www.davyvain.com/

Paul Maddison

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