Search - Sweet :: Sweet Fanny Adams

The Template for 80's Metal

GLW | Dallas, TX | 10/05/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can't say enough about Sweet and this amazing CD. These guys were definitely trailblazers in the heavy metal/hard rock genre. Upon listening to 'Sweet Fanny Adams' (1974), the discerning music fan quickly realizes that Sweet's influence on modern 80's metal is undeniable. Anyone dismisses this band as just a 'bubblegum' act ought to be smacked upside the head. Here they crank out some of the earliest true metal tunes found anywhere on record....check out 'Set Me Free', 'Sweet F.A.', 'Into the Night', 'Restless', 'Burn on the Flame' & 'No You Don't'. Also, other great rock tracks included here are 'Heartbreak Today'(not sure why this wasn't a single--it's super), 'Rebel Rouser'(should have been single---it's similar to Sweet's 'Hellraiser' & sounds just like Motley Crue). Really the only tunes that don't measure up to the rest are 'Peppermint Twist' and 'ACDC'....they're fun and cute but one could live without them. The bonus tracks 'Burn on the Flame' (one of Sweet's best ever tracks) and 'Own Up and Take a Look at Yourself' (Bow Wow Wow later [borrowed] the opening vocal melody line in 'I Want Candy') are excellent. Many of you may know that the US release of 'Desolation Boulevard' was merely compilation of tracks taken from the UK 'Sweet Fanny Adams', the UK 'Desolation Boulevard' and the UK 'Strung Up' (and single B-sides). The record executive eggheads who compiled 'Desolation Boulevard' ought to be [reprimanded] for the tunes they left off that record. Don't get me wrong---they pick some great ones, but they left off many great ones. Some of the best Sweet tunes ever, didn't make it to the album. However, 'Burn on the Flame' did later become the US B-side of 'Fox on the Run' and 'Restless' became the US B-side of 'Ballroom Blitz'. Including 'Heartbreak Today', 'Rebel Rouser' and 'Burn on the Flame' could have made 'Desolation Boulevard a landmark release. That being said----do yourself a favor and buy 'Sweet Fanny Adams' and the UK version of 'Desolation Boulevard' (contains great tunes like 'Medussa, 'Turn it Down', 'Breakdown' etc...)..........if you are a fan of hard rock and/or metal, you will not be sorry."

It only took 'em 25 @#%! years...

D. Hartley | Seattle, WA USA | 07/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...to FINALLY make this masterpiece available again! Even at the time of its initial release in 1974, you had to be a dedicated record geek (guilty!) to track down a British-import vinyl copy of "Sweet Fanny Adams". While over half the songs on this album were pasted onto the U.S. version of "Desolation Boulevard" and the rest scattered onto various compilations over the years, you have to enjoy this one in its original sequence to truly appreciate its significance in the Rock Pantheon. An almost supernatural mix of crunching rock,unforgettable melodies and angelic harmonies, this set never lets up from start to finish. The re-issue also features two outstanding bonus tracks. Glam-rock's "Revolver"!"

Rock's pinnacle

Mark Gordon | Tasmania, Australia | 01/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The earlier reviewers of this album are on the ball as this album is truly great and was constructed with incredible precision.
Its brilliance has not gone completely unnoticed either. To the music, and the track 'Sweet F.A. is a super heavy rock song with a super beat and a great groaning guitar solo to finish off. Truly one of the great rock songs in my view. Set me Free is similarly good in this mode with lots of crunching chords and guitar runs. Rebel Rouser is a more commercial effort but still has a heavy rock base to it. Then there's the beautiful "Heartbreak Today", a lovely mix of harmonies and melodic guitar. "Into the Night" and "Restless" are more laid back, but still with lots of good drum and guitar work.
Probably the best thing about this album is the professional way the musicians work together. They are all completely in sync with each other. Mick Tucker's drumming is as tight as the drums he used. Steve Priest's base keeps and changes the rhythm like a clock, Andy Scott's guitar work makes it what it is and Brian Connolly's vocals have a richness of tone yet he is still more than capable of singing the hard stuff.
Then there's the harmonies. >One of the beauties of the band was they were able to produce great albums that were so different. "Off the Record" and Give us a Wink" are substantively different from this album yet masterpieces in their own right. There is no doubt in my mind that Sweet Fanny Adams is one of the great Sweet albums and one of the great albums full stop. Its also probably one of the most accessible albums the Sweet produced. I would therefore recommend that those considering the purchase of a Sweet album buy this one first. If you love it as much myself and all the other reviewers here, then I suggest you buy most if not all the other Sweet albums as well."