KANE ROBERTS - ST [Yesterrock remaster] (1987-2012)

For some KANE ROBERTS may be best known as probably one of the most identifiable members of Alice Cooper’s band, the hulk-like guitarist with an arsenal of machine gun guitars during Alice’s mid '80s Raise Your Fist And Yell and Constrictor era.
Kane co-wrote the majority of the songs with Alice on these albums, turning into a more commercial hard rock with big production.

However, for Roberts as a solo performer, it all started with this, Kane’s self titled album that was initially released in 1987, now reissued and digitially remastered here in 2012 by German label Yesterrock.
Far more muscular (pardon the pun) and metallic than his awesome 2nd CD Saints and Sinners, this album delivers everything you would expect from an album featuring a Rambo-like guitarist with a machine gun guitar.
There’s loads of gargantuan guitar work, some massive fist pumping anthems, and it's drenched in true '80s hard rock stylings, cliched if you like, but charming as hell.
Catchy rockers such as "Rock Doll", "Triple X", "Outlaw", "Full Pull" (written by A. Cooper) and "Out For Blood", deliver everything you would expect from song titles such as those, it's all about over the top rock excess with these tracks. Really eighties.

But revisiting the album again here in 2012, the true treasures of this album lie in the more melodic, keyboard ladden tracks.
The uptempo melodic hard / AOR of "Women On The Edge Of Love" is a winner, with punchy guitars and strong keys all over. It's the more rocking song ever written by Robbie Dupree, a man more known for his L.A. WestCoast soft style.
The marching AORish "If This Is Heaven" slays you with its pre-chorus, crowned by the massive gang vocals of the main chorus. You can never, ever resist those.
"Too Much (For Anyone To Touch)" comes across like a Rick Springfield or even mid '80s Michael Bolton track, and also resembles one of Alice Cooper's most commercial tracks ever: Poison.
"Tears Of Fire" is the first of two tracks to feature the songwriting talents of Kip Winger; a melodious midtempo with strong keyboard presence and a Foreigner-like structure.
"A Strong Arm Needs A Stronger Heart" is the other penned tune with Winger and mixer/producer Michael Wagener, one of the album best tracks sporting terrific harmony vocals.

Whilst Saints and Sinners is THE essential album as far as Kane Roberts goes, sitting somewhere in between that album and his work with Alice Cooper this self titled release is a really great recording all these years later, particularly in this stupendous 2012 digitally remastered format.
The original CD flat sound shape has been enhanced with a crisp treatment (not saturated at all) and cleaned for an enjoyable pristine listen.
Great One.

01 - Rock Doll
02 - Women On The Edge Of Love
03 - Triple X
04 - Gorilla
05 - Outlaw
06 - If This Is Heaven
07 - Out For Blood
08 - Full Pull
09 - Too Much (For Anyone To Touch)
10 - Tears Of Fire
11 - A Strong Arm Needs A Stronger Heart

Kane Roberts - lead vocals, guitar and keyboards
Steve Steele - bass and vocals
Victor Ruzzo - drums and vocals
Brad Buxer, Paul Horowitz - synthesizer
Kip Winger, Michael Perry, Rob Trow, Tom Grantham - backing vocals

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