Sunday 15 August 2010

White Lion - Mane Attraction (1991)


The clutch of White Lion albums released in the late '80s and early '90s were fantastic. Lush, melodic and catchy as hell, and beefed up by Vito Bratta's fret work, laced with the calm cosy tones of Mr Tramp. 'Mane Attraction' is simply another bombastic record of epic ballads, moving anthem's and the occasional ballsy rocker. Unfair to be labelled hair metal, there was so much more to White Lion than met the ear, mind you, so many bands back then were lumped in a restrictive category and yet offered so much more. 'Broken Heart' and 'Farewell To You' are beautiful songs, well crafted and exist among the fluff of cascading tears. 'Leave Me Alone' has a joyous funky edge and the seven-minute 'She's Got Everything' lodges itself in the brain to be hummed time and time again. Sure, people mocked this type of rock but you still have to give respect to any band who can craft an album full of quality tunes. There's nothing throwaway here, just check out the mood on another seven-minute epic, being 'Warsong', to realise this is no hair metal gimmick. Many bands were more successful than White Lion, but it doesn't mean they were more talented. White Lion were a cracking band.

8/10

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