After disbanding over sixteen years ago, the original members of Unruly Child have reunited to produce a brand new album entitled “Worlds Collide”. Marcie Michelle Free (vocalist - King Kobra, Signal), Bruce Gowdy (guitarist – Stone Fury, World Trade), Guy Allison (keyboardist – Lodgic, World Trade, Doobie Brothers), Jay Schellen (drummer - Hurricane, World Trade, Asia), and Larry Antonino (bassist - Pablo Cruise). This is the team that crafted the self-titled debut from 1992, which has become an underground classic among fans of melodic hard rock.
The rebirth of Unruly Child in 2010 is going to take a lot of people by surprise. On “Worlds Collide”, the band springs to life with all the excitement and energy of a newborn. The first two tracks did little to excite me, but then “When We Were Young” kicks off a six song string that 1990 radio would have been all over. “When We Were Young” has a nostalgic theme perfect for a reunion of this kind and is surely going to relate to older fans. “Love Is Blind” is another great tune that fuses the classic Unruly Child sound with that of contemporary hard rock, all helped by a huge sing-a-long chorus with great backing vocals – reminds me a lot of the new Foreigner record. “When Worlds Collide” is an engaging tune with interesting time changes and another memorable chorus. Things stay strong as we move into the final stretch of the album with terrific AOR candy like “Read My Mind” (very modern Bon Jovi) and the rugged cry to be forever young in “Neverland”. The first single is “Very First Time” (video below) – an excellent choice with one of the most instantly enjoyable choruses on the album. If power ballads are your thing, there are a couple of winners such as “Tell Another Lie” and “Talk To Me”, the latter featuring one of the more chill-inducing vocal performances by the great Marcie Michelle Free.
Undoubtedly one of the most thrilling comebacks for a melodic hard rock band this year, “Worlds Collide” is essential for new and old fans alike. The band has brought their sound to the 2010s without alienating loyal fans. Don’t miss them if you like Foreigner, Journey, or Bon Jovi.
iPOD-worthy: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11
Unruly Child - Official site.
Check out the video for “Very First Time”:
