Solid hard rock album
Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 03/15/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I wasn't terribly impressed with Tora Tora's debut album Surprise Attack, but it was good enough to get me to try out their 1992 follow-up Wild America. I'm still not the band's biggest fan, but they definitely took a big step forward with this album.
The band's own mix of melodic hard rock with a Memphis kick is still intact on Wild America, but the album as a whole seems more polished and mature. They sound like a Southern fried Tesla this time around, and that's high praise from me. The title track is far and away the best song on the album. It's a powerhouse rock anthem that's guaranteed to get you pumped up. The ballad As Time Goes By is another highlight. It almost sounds like something accidentally left off Tesla's Psychotic Supper album.
Overall, Wild America comes across as a smarter, but no less fun, version of Surprise Attack. Fans of late 80's and early (pre-grunge) 90's hard rock should find this album well worth checking out.
PS - There's a recorded - but unreleased - third Tora Tora album out there somewhere. The recordings from those sessions sold recently on ebay. Hopefully the album will get a proper CD release someday.
"
Music like this NEVER GETS OLD
gooup | Louisiana | 06/29/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The raw emotions, the quintesential guitar work ... the scorching vocals ... a band this good should NOT go un-listened to. This album shows a mellowing, but not a softening, of Tora Tora's sound. One can feel the band's tightening sound, and their maturity is evident in every track. Truly, a must have for all music fans. How i wish the record moguls would release "Revolution Day", the yet-to-be-released third album."