Description

Kick Axe: George Criston, Larry Gillstrom, Brian Gillstrom, Victor Langen, Raymond Arthur Harvey.
Originally released on Pasha/Epic Records (40095). Includes liner notes by Jaime Vernon.
Digitally remastered by Cliff Maag.
Welcome to the Club ranks a cut below Vices, with a cleaner production and performances that push Kick Axe into more radio-friendly territory, but also tend to mute some of the exuberance of the debut. Lead singer George Criston sounds a bit more reigned in, and, while he continues to deliver uniformly strong performances, his over-the-top personality is slightly less dominant than before. But even if Welcome to the Club doesn’t quite capture the essence of Kick Axe the way Vices did, that’s not to say it isn’t a good record. The title cut is one of several strong rockers, and tracks like “Comin’ After You” help broaden the band’s sonic palette. The album closes with a surprisingly serious rendition of “With a Little Help From My Friends,” done as a bombastic “We Are the World”-style charity single. ~ Steve Huey