"From The Madness Of The West" is worth having.
1
By BrianTristan
Although 1979's "Enlightened Rogues" did not set the world on fire, it was a solid album with several songs that were keepers, and could in no way prepared The ABB faithful for what would come next. That was this thing, 1980's Arista Records' "Reach For The Sky", that in all fairness should have been entitled, "Gonna Make You Cry".
Largely lighter fare, with the guiding hand of the record company pushing the band in more of a pop music direction, that was suppose to make them more accessible to the masses, and get the 'Holy Grail' of record companies, radio airplay. Aside from "Angeline", the single from the album, it did not work out very well.
If "Enlightened Rogues" and "Reach For The Sky" are played back to back, it is stunning what Arista Records was able to do to the band in short order. While it is true the band was floundering, they were still vital prior to this record. And that really is to say, vital in the studio, because on stage they have always had great players, put on excellent shows, and been a vital live act. Knowing that comparisons to the early 1970's line up, or even 1990's line up are inevitable, perfectly decent live recordings from the "Reach For The Sky"/Brothers Of The Road" era of the band exist, and are absolutely fine. Which just adds to the insult of the studio offerings made at the time. Certainly if just two things, the talent and the musicianship, are considered here, it is almost mind numbing what some heavy handed guidance by record company people can do to a legendary band.
Off of this album, "Angeline" is not great, but is okay, as far as cute little singles go, but not really a song in The ABB style at all. "Keep On Keepin' On" is demonstrative of the modern and commercial direction of his record. Furthermore, the song it is downright awful, and an indictment of what was being attempted here.
"From The Madness Of The West" is recognizable as being an ABB tune, and is indeed worth having. However, even the recording and arrangement of it is aimed more at the Jazz Fusion of the times, than say it being a 1980's 'Liz Reed' for ABB fans. Big mistake, for it is a decent ABB offering.
It is an age old thing, record companies getting a band that turn their backs on their fan base, to reach for pop stardom and the big money. More often than not, this approach is a epic disaster, and is a surprising blueprint still used to this day by people who run record companies. Thankfully, after "Reach For The Sky", The ABB recorded "Brothers Of The Road" in 1981, and called it a day, as far as recordings, until they could get their heads back together. Which they did in the 1990's, very much so. Thank God.
