Landslide: ‘Is Hard Rock + Bad Reputation + More’

LANDSLIDE
IS HARD ROCK + BAD REPUTATION + MORE
Released in November 2017 (FnA Records)

Review:
The new Landslide re-issue from FnA Records is definitely a pure ’80/ ’90s nostalgia release.

On the initial listen, with the first group of songs, they were not what I was expecting from the band, just by looking at the guys’  cover picture. I was hearing very keyboard driven rock — a kind of Bon Jovi sound with some Styx like influences. I will admit the predominance of keyboards and the keyboard “ soloing”  is not my type of sound and I found it a bit distracting.

Originally hailing from Denver, Colorado, the band decided to make the move to the heart of hair metal — Los Angeles, California — but in doing so lost their keyboard player Thrills. Those first songs  (tracks 1-7 ) consist of the first album Landslide Is Hard Rock. The best of this bunch is “Spiked Heel Love” which really foreshadows the L.A. sound they were looking to adopt at a later point and a great sleaze anthem in its own right.

So with the move to the Sunset Strip, the later songs really begin to ratchet up the heavy rock factor and I found myself more drawn into this grouping of tunes. These are from the Bad Reputation album and it’s like the guys realized they needed to adjust and step up their game. All the songs are more party anthem rockers and heavier but catchy just the same. I like how the bass player, Haze, is a bit more prominent in the songs and more of a standout player. Much like Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), he doesn’t just sit in the background. The same can be said for drummer “Filthy Rich.”

As with some of the bands and songs of this era, some songs can be a bit dated and lyrically can also be a tad cringe-worthy but those were the days then, and most of our ears have matured a bit from those hallowed days of yore — ha, ha — but that’s not to say some songs are any less of pure rockers. “Gang Drinking Brother” is a standout here.

This is a good release and an interesting trip to see the band progress through the years and I feel the band could be grouped with and sit nicely besides bands like Jones St, Wildside, Hardline, etc, not quite glam — not full on AOR but part of the hair metal daze. This release fits nicely with FnA’s more AOR oriented (well mostly but not completely) band repertoire.

Track List:
Landslide Is Hard Rock album (1987):
01. Landslide
02. I Had A Dream
03. Streets Cry Lonely Again
04. Spiked Heel Love
05. I Need You Baby
06. My Love Is Taken
07. Rad Chicks Dancing
Bad Reputation album (1989):
08. Bad Reputation
09. Love Aint Pretty
10. Hands Up
11. I Dare You To Love Me
12. I Cant Remember
13. Lets Dance
Cassette Demos (1989-1991):
14. Tommy No One Wants Your Roses
15. Accidental Suicide
16. Whisper
17. Gang Drinkin Brother
18. Kissin The Lips Of A Stranger
19. Full Blown Alcoholic
20. Whisper Acoustic Version

Band Members:
Streek – vocals
Keith QQik – guitars
Haze – bass
“Filthy Ritch” Petras – drums
Thrills – synths

Band Websites:
FnA Records

Reviewed by Will “Lee” Bones for Sleaze Roxx, December 2017

Landslide‘s album teaser:

Landslide: “Is Hard Rock + Bad Reputation + More” Album Teaser

Pick up this album and more at www.fnarecords.netLandslide Is: Streek – Vocals Keith QQik – Guitars Haze – Bass “Filthy Ritch” Petras – Drums Thrills – Synth…