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Youngblood: No Retreat
Youngblood No Retreat Review

Youngblood: No Retreat

Melodic Hard Rock/Metal
4.0/5.0

Website (Label)
Eonian Records
by Craig Hartranft,  09.27.2012

Looking for their latest archival release, Eonian Records found it close to home. Youngblood was founded in 1989 by Jeff Diehl, who has re-mastered many of the label's releases, along with Bobby Sisk on vocals and Danny Willams on keyboards. The recordings found on No Retreat were developed after Sony/Epic Records were pitched the demo for Don't Play with My Head, and offered the trio a contract. The band spent nine months working and generated 45 tracks. While they were professionally recorded, mixed, and mastered the songs never saw the light of day, at least until now.

Youngblood Photo

Youngblood: big hair.

No Retreat offer the listener 16 of those 45 tracks. This is quinessential Eighties melodic hard rock touched with metal. You can apply other appellations like glam rock, hair metal, or cock rock, if you wish. No Retreat is pretty much a audio picture of the period.

You'll find some appealing familiarity to Youngblood's sound echoing peers like Slaughter, Warrant, or Firehouse. The music is rambunctious and rocking, the lyrics pushing typical Eighties excess with tongue-in-cheek flair. Underneath it all, however, is some real talent and some very good tunes.

For the Eighties party rock spirit look to Pump It Up, Sock It To Me, Get Down To It, or Taste of Your Lovin. What's Eighties hair band without those songs for ladies, if only to create the mood to get in their pants. Youngblood offers Coming Home, My One and Only, and I Love You. The latter song displays the band's excellent vocal harmonies. Also of interest is the subtle blues infusion in many of there tunes, with the blues piano of Save Your Lies a tasty feature. Some songs are simply unexpected like the swirling keyboards in Back in My Life or the bouncy swagger of You Gotta Go.

Youngblood's No Retreat is another fine example of late Eighties big hair melodic hard rock, thanks to good songwriting, talented musicianship, and solid production. And it's whole lot of fun. Recommended.

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In Short

Youngblood's No Retreat is another fine example of late Eighties big hair melodic hard rock, thanks to good songwriting, talented musicianship, and solid production. And it's whole lot of fun. Recommended.

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