Search - Ambrosia :: Road Island

"Road Island"...At Last!

Jeff T. Jesmorh | Mexico City. | 12/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In the ROAD ISLAND recording (1982), Ambrosia really shows a compositional maturity (music & lyrics) that express an artistic emotional peak, different from their previous efforts. Passing through the Hard & Jazzy Rock formats to Progressive relative tracks: the performed songs are arranged with great vocal textures and amazing hypnotic fast rhythms like the fantastic "Still Not Satisfied" or the Oriental percussive "Kid No More", both tracks sang by the bass player Joe Puerta. Into another songs, we can listen the talented guitarist singer David Pack, singing great tracks like the heavy-Prog relative "For Openers", or the rhythmic Pop single "How Can You Love Me", the Progressive relative theme "Ice Age" and the romantic ballad "Endings", as the sucesor theme for "How Much I feel" (from the LIFE BEYOND L.A. album). Without a doubt, ROAD ISLAND and ONE EIGHTY, are the best recordings of the band ever, so don't lose this new opportunity to listen this underrated recording. A must for the Ambrosia fans...Good Luck!

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Was This Too Little, Too Late?

Mr. Music Critic | Georgia | 02/12/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Prior to buying this CD I had only heard one song from it... Still Not Satisfied. This appears on the Ambrosia Anthology CD release in 1997. It's a great song! I was a BIG fan of Ambrosia when they first came out, but felt abandoned when they turned to pop rock. I never bought anymore of their records after Life Beyond L.A. It was a disappointment too! The first song For Openers (Welcome Home) has drums in it that remind me of the Eagles song Those Shoes. Overall, it's a good song. It also has guitar sounds and special effects that remind me of many bands in the 80's. Kid No More is a catchy rock n' roll style song. I could have done without the screaming in the middle of it. Feelin' Alive Again...a pop love ballad sang by David Pack. How Can You Love Me is another lively pop song, but may be one of the best songs on this one. Fool Like Me appears to be an attempt that borders on a Contemporary Christian song. It has some odd lyrics..that even kind of reminds me of early Kansas. Ice Age is definitely a progressive-rock song with strange electronics and sounds in it. Try listening to this one with headphones. Endings is a beautiful song and is probably my favorite on this CD. This really is a good CD that is virtually unknown to many Ambrosia fans. I was glad to see that the price had dropped down to $13.99. But, I must ask myself was this recording too little, too late for most fans who were alienated by previous albums???"

They saved the best for last

Jennifer S. Munsel | 10/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Many Ambrosia critics would say "One Eighty" is the best album because of the several hits that made the Billboard charts. I say...WHO CARES? Even though "Road Island" is the least known of Ambrosia's 5 albums, I think that it's the best one they ever did. It has a little bit harder feel than the previous 4, but that's what makes it so great. It still retains that old Ambrosia sound throughout the whole album. My favorite track is "Endings..." because it's sooooo beautiful (for an Ambrosia song.) I think it was fitting for the last song of the last album. I'm sure that many other fans could agree and say "Why in the heck did they break up after 'Road Island'?" I've heard it was because "Road Island" wasn't as successful as "One Eighty", but I say...who cares? I'm sure there was more going on than any of us know. Overall, I'd say that "Road Island", regardless of critic reviews or its popularity, is a great album to finish your Ambrosia collection. I just hope that one day Pack, Puerta, Drummond, and North can set aside their differences and release another album together."