Shane’s Rock Challenge: KEEL – 2010 – Streets Of Rock n’ Roll

Shane’s Rock Challenge: KEEL – 2010 – Streets Of Rock n’ Roll
By Shane Pinnegar
6/10

Ron Keel was there in ‘82-83 when metal returned to America, standing loud n’ proud alongside Quiet Riot as one of the bands who built the bridge from British metal to hair metal. Neither of them remained a force to be reckoned with in that Brave New World though, and Ron faded away, last seen (before this record) with an acoustic guitar and a country twang.

Streets Of Rock n’ Roll sees him back on a rock footing – with guitarist Marc Ferrari in blistering form, and the entire Right To Rock line-up reunited, apart from bassist Kenny Chaisson – and it’s a pretty good album, in a sub-Bon Jovi kind of way.

That’s not meant as an insult by the way – this sort of stadium-friendly rock-with-a-touch-of-country is JBJ’s main currency nowadays, and whilst Keel has some good songs here (No More Lonely Nights, Does Anybody Believe, The Devil May Care) his style just isn’t individual enough to have enticed radio to lap them up. This is rockier than BJ though, so for me it’s actually better by far, but despite the quality on offer, there’s still something just a tiny bit off the boil about the whole thing.

Category: Shane's Rock Challenge