Masi -Downtown Dreamers (1988)

What the hell does opener 'God Promised A Paradise' remind me of ? Is it a metal version of Belinda Carlisle's '80s pop hit 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth' or some Bon Jovi-cum-Dave Lee Roth hair metal vomit ? It's all kind of mesmerisingly bad! Full throttle on the guitars - courtesy of said guitar wanker Mr Masi - vocally the chap named David doesn't have the beef as Bernie K who impressed on 'Fire In The Rain', but it's all still the same straight '80s metal evoking images of city lights and distant highways. 'Thunder & Lightning' - can it get more cheesy ? is enveloped in frazzling solos, a watered down Dio to some extent, and as Coverdale mimic Fefolt croons "I'm a lover...", and some sad decaying bimbo runs her fingers through his jungle of chest hair, we are reminded why this type of metal made the '80s so great but also why metal eventually got left behind when the serious grunge heads invaded. 'Foggy Day In Hollywood' showcases Masi's talent - just in case we'd forgotten, whilst 'hellraiser', 'State Of Rock' and 'Movin On' are token rockers perfect for every '80s metal pool party.

7/10