Bat Out of Hell II
You know even before you buy it that it's never going to approach the original Bat Out of Hell for greatness. Meatloaf definitely comes into that category of artists that I 'like quite a lot' but have never got into bigstyle. Apparently he's lost it - my manager went to see him just before Christmas and walked out it was so dire. And he had been really looking forward to it.
There's a very characteristic Meatloaf - strictly speaking Jim Steinman - style which appeals to me: the way each songs builds up to a climax and subsides. All of the songs on this album are good, but most are fairly forgettable. Except for I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That), which is one of the great Meatloaf tracks, as is Objects In the Rearview Mirror May Appear closer Than They Are. And the non-musical track, about when he murdered a Fender Stradocaster.
The Very Best of Meatloaf
One of those Double CD compilations it was mandatory to buy. Containing very many tracks that are, arguably, contenders for greatness. Or at least, classics. I started listing them, then thought, this is silly. there is not a track I dislike. Most of them I like very much, and taken together, are very very enjoyable.
Shamefully, Ihave to admit that my absolute favourite on the whole album is Home by Now/No Matter What. Shameful, because the music is by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Still, the lovely words are by Jim Steinman. My other favourite Meatloaf song is Dead Ringer for Love, but there's so many choose, it's difficult.
I remember when I was in third year at school, he was on Parkinson. The next day my middle-aged, Irish, devout Catholic English teacher was raving about him. I wondered to myself "Does she know that he sings about sex?" At the age of thirteen I'm not sure what was more shocking - the knowledge that a middle-aged devout Catholic teacher was into rock 'n' roll, or that she was into sex. At that age, teachers are like parents - you really don't want to think about it!
To conclude, I like Meatloaf 'quite a lot'.
Next up alphabetically, a colossal Double CD from, arguably, Britain's Greatest Singer Songwriter of the last twenty years. You will get this. I would wager you almost certainly have this in your collection. Anf if not, why not?
