Satisfying comeback album - Comeback albums from bands whose heyday came in the 1980 s are always a risky venture. The band has to tread a fine line between appeasing the loyal fans who expect a certain degree of familiarity and trying for a more modern and relevant sound that could capture new fans. The direction Kansas City melodic rock heroes Shooting Star went with their 2000 comeback album Leap of Faith was a return to their classic 80 s sound, with just enough subtle differences to showcase a wiser, more mature band.At its core, Leap of Faith is exactly the kind of AOR/melodic rock album you expect from Shooting Star. Obviously the mainstream music climate has long since moved past this kind of style, but that doesn t seem to bother Shooting Star. Leadoff track I Just Wanna Rock sets the tone for this upbeat album, but beyond some party like it s 1985 rock anthems there are some surprisingly powerful love songs on this album. The title track in particular stands out, with its laid back, almost country sound. Like recent releases from Loverboy and Honeymoon Suite, Leap of Faith sounds and feels like the work of a band that is comfortable with where it was, but not desperate to relive the past.If you re already a Shooting Star fan, then this is a must-have album. It should also satisfy fans of both old school AOR mainstays like Journey, Foreigner, and REO Speedwagon as well as modern melodic rock acts Harem Scarem, Lost Weekend, and Emerald Rain.
Rock n Roll - Another great recording by these guys, which will not get any radio airplay as usual. I highly recommend this. Keith Mitchells vocals are great, along with the musicianship of the band.
welcome back - It was a long time ago when my brother played me a song called Hollywood by Shooting Star. It was off of a K-Tel compelation which i cannot remember the title of. But the song stuck with me for years. Eventually i bought all of the LP s and got to realize how good of a band Shooting Star was. From their Kansas-sounding first hit Last Chance , to the surprise MTV hit of Touch Me Tonight , the band never hit the mainstream like the fans would have wanted. Shooting Star s new album Leap of Faith is a throwback to albums such as 1985 s Burning. The older Shooting Star fans will be happy to see that four of the tracks are written by Van McLain and Gary West. ( Gary West being the former lead vocalist/songwriter of the band). The best addition for this album was that of Christian Howes on violin. The classic Shooting Star sound would be nothing without the violin. When listening to the cd, one can t help but wonder if the band was trying too hard to stick to hard to the 80 s sound. The first song I Just Wanna Rock is interesting considering the verses are nothing more than the titles of 70 s rock anthems, but the song is bogged down by the generic 80 s-type chorus. That is the burden on this cd. There are some really good songs on it, such as If You Want It or Promises . This album isn t as good as the original bands last effort Silent Scream but it is light years ahead of the independant album It s Not Over .Fans of Shooting Star will find this album way too long in coming.
welcome back - It was a long time ago when my brother played me a song called Hollywood by Shooting Star. It was off of a K-Tel compelation which i cannot remember the title of. But the song stuck with me for years. Eventually i bought all of the LP s and got to realize how good of a band Shooting Star was. From their Kansas-sounding first hit Last Chance , to the surprise MTV hit of Touch Me Tonight , the band never hit the mainstream like the fans would have wanted. Shooting Star s new album Leap of Faith is a throwback to albums such as 1985 s Burning. The older Shooting Star fans will be happy to see that four of the tracks are written by Van McLain and Gary West. ( Gary West being the former lead vocalist/songwriter of the band). The best addition for this album was that of Christian Howes on violin. The classic Shooting Star sound would be nothing without the violin. When listening to the cd, one can t help but wonder if the band was trying too hard to stick to hard to the 80 s sound. The first song I Just Wanna Rock is interesting considering the verses are nothing more than the titles of 70 s rock anthems, but the song is bogged down by the generic 80 s-type chorus. That is the burden on this cd. There are some really good songs on it, such as If You Want It or Promises . This album isn t as good as the original bands last effort Silent Scream but it is light years ahead of the independant album It s Not Over .Fans of Shooting Star will find this album way too long in coming.