Europe-Prisoners in Paradise
October 28th 2008 08:15
Europe- Prisoners In Paradise
Record Label: Epic
Year: 1991
Track Listing:
01. All Or Nothing
02. Halfway To Heaven
03. I’ll Cry For You
04. Little Bit Of Lovin’
05. Talk To Me
06. Seventh Sign
07. Prisoners In Paradise
08. Bad Blood
09. Homeland
10. Got Your Mind In The Gutter
11. ‘Til My Heart Beats Down Your Door
12. Girl From Lebanon
Europe gained international stardom in the 80’s with their third album, The Final Countdown, spawning a number of hits, and seeing the band reaching commercial success. One of the most successful rock bands of the 80’s, from 1986 to 1992 they sold over 20 million records worldwide.
For a while it seemed the band that the band were set to take the world on fire, but the
release of Prisoners In Paradise showed that this just wasn’t going to happen. Released in 1991 at the beginning of the grunge era, the radio-friendly band took a gamble and opted for a harder sound that was less commercial.
It was one that failed. Only spawning two hits ‘I’ll Cry For You’ and ‘Prisoners In Paradise’, Prisoners in Paradise saw the band fade into obscurity and eventually break up. (They’ve since reformed with a drastically different sound).
I’ve got to confess when I first heard this album in 1991 I hated it. I found that it sounded like they tried to hard to sound heavier, and it was nothing like the Europe I’d liked the first time around.
However, time has either changed me or mellowed me. Listening to Prisoners Of Paradise years later, I can hear a rawness to it that was not on any of their other earlier albums. There’s still the big ballad Europe were renown for ('I’ll Cry For You’) and the same energy and hooks they’re known for (‘Talk To Me’, ‘Little Bit Of Lovin’ and ‘All Or Nothing’.)
Produced by Beau Hill, the band wrote with many outside influences and recorded the album in Los Angeles, which is perhaps why the sound is still a step away from their earlier stuff and is so Americanised.
While Europe is probably considered a guilty pleasure by many these days, this is still an enjoyable album. Admittedly it’s not the first of their albums I will reach for, but if you’re into melodic rock and catchy hooks than this album is for you.
Tracks not to miss: ‘Talk To Me’ ‘Girl From Lebanon’ and ‘Got Your Mind In The Gutter’.
I give it 3/5
Buy Prisoners In Paradise
Official Site
Europe at Myspace
Record Label: Epic
Year: 1991
Track Listing:
01. All Or Nothing
02. Halfway To Heaven
03. I’ll Cry For You
04. Little Bit Of Lovin’
05. Talk To Me
06. Seventh Sign
07. Prisoners In Paradise
08. Bad Blood
09. Homeland
10. Got Your Mind In The Gutter
11. ‘Til My Heart Beats Down Your Door
12. Girl From Lebanon
Europe gained international stardom in the 80’s with their third album, The Final Countdown, spawning a number of hits, and seeing the band reaching commercial success. One of the most successful rock bands of the 80’s, from 1986 to 1992 they sold over 20 million records worldwide.
For a while it seemed the band that the band were set to take the world on fire, but the
It was one that failed. Only spawning two hits ‘I’ll Cry For You’ and ‘Prisoners In Paradise’, Prisoners in Paradise saw the band fade into obscurity and eventually break up. (They’ve since reformed with a drastically different sound).
I’ve got to confess when I first heard this album in 1991 I hated it. I found that it sounded like they tried to hard to sound heavier, and it was nothing like the Europe I’d liked the first time around.
However, time has either changed me or mellowed me. Listening to Prisoners Of Paradise years later, I can hear a rawness to it that was not on any of their other earlier albums. There’s still the big ballad Europe were renown for ('I’ll Cry For You’) and the same energy and hooks they’re known for (‘Talk To Me’, ‘Little Bit Of Lovin’ and ‘All Or Nothing’.)
Produced by Beau Hill, the band wrote with many outside influences and recorded the album in Los Angeles, which is perhaps why the sound is still a step away from their earlier stuff and is so Americanised.
While Europe is probably considered a guilty pleasure by many these days, this is still an enjoyable album. Admittedly it’s not the first of their albums I will reach for, but if you’re into melodic rock and catchy hooks than this album is for you.
Tracks not to miss: ‘Talk To Me’ ‘Girl From Lebanon’ and ‘Got Your Mind In The Gutter’.
I give it 3/5
Buy Prisoners In Paradise
Official Site
Europe at Myspace
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