Hi folks

Hi folks--

Welcome to mike's retro record reviews blog, where I review stuff from my extensive collection of used records, tapes, CDs, and 8-tracks. As an amateur musician and music-o-philiac, I hope to share my insights on the music that is important to me and has made up such a large part of my life.

Also, since I'm no longer allowed to use my mp3 player while working, according to page such-and-such of the employee manual at my job, I figure that writing this blog from home will give me an excuse to listen to some music after I get home.

So, let's start with one of my 45 RPM singles. (Since it's almost 4AM and I just spent a half hour creating my profile, I don't have time tonight to listen to a full album anyway)


Survivor: Caught in the Game (1983, Scotti Bros. Records)

The cover art for the single--identical to the album-- seems to show the earth on the screen of a primitive console videogame (it was 1983 after all.)

This is the title track to the album of the same name, Caught In the Game, and the song immediately kicks off with a catchy guitar riff, and a steady, fairly upper mid-tempo beat.

They say Dave Bickler had voice problems around this time, which is why they had to replace him with Jimi Jamison on the subsequent tour, but to me the lead vocal sounds fine and every bit as good as on the previous album, Eye of the Tiger. It does seem a bit low in the mix, but maybe that's because of the reverb, (it was 1983 afer all) and I have had a bit of trouble picking up the lyrics, but overall it's a good song with decent energy.

I used to own the whole album on LP about 10 years ago, but for some reason it didn't grow on me and I got rid of it. I regretted that later since it got hard to find on vinyl, but at least I kept the single.