stormbringer08 wrote:
Only the first four albums (through, duh, 4) were remastered (with bonus cuts) during the last round of remasterings (2002). About 8 years prior to that (circa 1994) the first five albums (through Agent Provacateur) (1984) were remastered, no bonus cuts. Inside Information (1987) has never been remastered, at least domestically, nor has Unusual Heat (1991) the only Foreigner album with vocalist Johnny Edwards—a VERY underrated album.
Ironically, one of the reasons Lou Gramm left Foreigner the first time around (circa 1989) was because he disapproved of what he saw as an overemphasis of focus on ballads at the expense of hard rock. I remember the Rolling Stone **** album review of Unusual Heat in the summer of 1991 and the opening sentence read something like "From the first note, Foreigner wants you to know there ain't nothing soft about its new songs" and it was true—the pulsing synths of the last 3 albums were mostly banished and Mick Jones played his heart out on the guitar. A combination of grunge taking over the market and the band re-emerging after a long layoff with a relatively unknown vocalist....the album didn't crack the Billboard Top 100 and both bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott abandoned ship soon after. Gramm rejoined in 1992 but the band never was a commercial force again, although they did a lot of touring on the classic rock circuit.
Unusual Heat has love from the fanbase.
It is a killer Hard Rock album and Johnny Edwards was a very good signer.
Terry Thomas, who had produced the Brian Howe-era bad Company albums knew how to produce an album like this.
Many fans at the time refused to accept a Foreigner without Lou Gramm which I get, but this is a strong album. Lou would've been great on it.
I hope these are all newly remastered but I highly doubt it.