The Notes
Here is another one of those mysteriously appearing FMtitles that you thought you may not see again. This particular album was releases in 1986 and sounds musically like it was. Some may not know that White Sister actually changed their name later to Tattoo Rodeo, but the lineup was pretty well intact. Now I'm not exactly sure where this album sits with the fanbase, but it's another one of those albums fans of the 80's genre of hard rock will be happy to have especially after the poor picked on me 90's.
The Music
Now getting back to that sound I mentioned earlier. Yeah, it sounds a bit dated, but quite frankly I don't care because I loved this era of music. Most of the tunes have that keyboard sound that really sticks out. The title track 'Fashion by Passion' is a bit poppy and commercial, but will put a grin on your face anyway. It's nostalgic. Tracks like 'A place in the heart' and 'Dancin' on midnight' have a bit of bite to them, but still retain that commercial edge. If you are looking for power ballads, 'Save me tonight' is for you. How about a cover track?? 'Ticket to ride' by The Beatles is here with the White Sister stamp on it. I also like tracks like 'Troubleshooter' and 'Lonely teardrops'.
Overall
So how can tracks sound dated yet fresh. I really like to stick albums such as 'Fashion by Passion' in my player. You can sit back and remember a time when it was fun to be young and carefree. This album may even be funner now than it was back then. We took everything for granted only to have it disappear for the better part of a decade. So come on, get out and pick this one up. Remember, this one could vanish again and there is no time like the present!
The notes
Everyone will definitely remember the great Whitesnake days of the late 80's. After all, the band really took the world by storm with their self titled release in 1987. But what about the early version of the band. Hey, these guys made a lot of noise as well. Well, that is where The company of Snakes come in. After member changes became a part of Whitesnake history, some of those members including Bernie Marsden, Micky Moody, and Neil Murray formed the project we are talking about. The album is live and showcases many of the reasons early era Whitesnake was as popular as it was.
The Music
Let's get one thing out of the way first. David Coverdale is not a part of this project. I will admit, I was a bit sketchy about things. Some other guy singing some of my favorite tracks by the band. Well, he's not just some other guy. He's Stefan Bergren, a Swedish born vocalist who's vocal style is definitely in classic rock. He does one hell of a job if I do say so myself. He kind of reminds me of Paul Rodgers of Bad Company a bit. Now for fans of my era, you will definitely remember tracks like 'Slow and easy', 'Here I go again' which some may not realize was actually released on an earlier album by the band, and 'Is this Love?'. Let's educate you a bit. How about the classic track 'Trouble' or 'Ready and willing'. How about a Rainbow classic in 'Since you've been gone'?? There really is a lot to like on this live release.
Overall
This is a very worthy recording that not only showcases newer Whitesnake material, but revisits some of the finer classic moments. The sound is very good. Sounds quite polished and dynamic. Now don't just write this one off as some sort of live tribute or something like that. It is more of a revisitation by band members who used to play this stuff. This also isn't a one off. Watch for more from these guys in the future. There are some very high caliber musicians involved and it would be good to give them the attention that they deserve. Very cool release indeed!
