Shane’s Rock Challenge: FOREIGNER – 2009 – Can’t Slow Down

Shane’s Music Challenge: FOREIGNER – 2009 – Can’t Slow Down
6/10

In 2004 Mick Jones made the decision to reform Foreigner without Lou Gramm on the mike. He’d done it before – Gramm had been in and out around first replacement Johnny Edwards for almost a decade. This time though, he had Kelly Hanson (ex-Hurricane) centre stage, who brought with him not only a killer voice that was very capable of emulating Gramm’s on the back catalogue of mega hits, but also a fine songwriter.

The title track and Living In A Dream perfectly mine the soft rock formula that the original band struck gold with, as does As Long As I Live and Give Me A Sign. Fool For You Anyway, however, is a transparent attempt at a hit and the only song produced by hipster Mark Ronson. It’s no accident it is tacked on at the very end of the album (before bonus like track I Want To Know What Love Is, on this edition), as it’s nothing like the rest of the album.

The bummer here is that this is the only studio album they’ve made with Hanson. C’mon slackers – lively up yourselfs!

By Shane Pinnegar

Category: Shane's Rock Challenge