Often people who write to me wonder how I choose which albums I
review for “The Daily Vault,” and often my answer is the same:
Random pull. I just wander through the Pierce Archives, and look
for titles that stand out in my mind for one reason or another.
On one such walk through the Archives recently, the debut effort
from Winger caught my eye. It had been a long time since I had
listened to this album (actually, I think I hadn’t touched it since
college), and I wanted to re-discover why some people reacted so
violently against this band, a la Stuart on “Beavis &
Butt-Head”.
And despite some metal fans painting these guys in a negative
light, their music really wasn’t that bad – but this tape leaves a
lot of expectations unfulfilled.
For starters, guitarist Reb Beach was quite a showman on his
axe, though sometimes it seemed like he was pumping too much flash
into his playing when it didn’t seem appropriate. (There are only
two guitarists whom I could listen to non-stop flash – Dave Uhrich
and Joe Satriani.) Lead singer/bassist Kip Winger had a decent set
of pipes, but more often than not he seemed to embrace a bit of a
cock-rock style that belied the band’s wholesome sound. Keyboardist
Paul Taylor and drummer Rod Morgenstein almost sound like their
talents are being underutilized with Winger.
As for the music, things start off great with “Madalaine,” a
song that pushes the limits of what was once described as “metal”.
(I’ve been wathcing some poor souls get into a discussion-cum-flame
war about what is metal and what isn’t. Three words: Get a hobby.)
The vocal harmonies and guitar work are what power this track as
one you’ll remember for some time.
But the problems creep in on the other well-known hit
“Seventeen,” a tale of young lust. (I don’t get it – The Knack get
pissed on, and this one goes without any comment?) One has to
wonder why Winger took a successful songwriting style and cluttered
it with tales about doin’ the nasty with the prom queen. I’m no
prude, but it did ruin the mood for me.
For that matter, I question the includion of Jimi Hendrix’s
“Purple Haze” – what, they didn’t have enough originals to pad out
the album? (Or maybe this track was recorded in the hopes of
getting it on the
Stone Free tribute album… I don’t know.) Even guest
guitarist Dweezil Zappa can’t help this track.
After all the strengths the music put forth on the first side of
the tape, the second half of the album – save maybe for “Heading
For A Heartbreak” – is formula hard rock. All flash, no substance –
no interest. Too bad.
The biggest problem with
Winger was that this band had the songwriting skill and the
chops to really become something special – possibly a hair band
with some musical bite to it. Unfortunately, the lyrics (and, on
side two, the singwriting itself) proves to be Winger’s downfall –
they never again attained the glory they had with their two initial
hits.
Kip Winger is now recording solo, and Rod Morgenstein is busy
with Jordan Rudess on their side project. What we’re left with is a
debut album that could have been something great – but ended up to
be a stereotypical early ’90s metal album.
