KIDD BLUE - Big Trouble Expanded Edition (2012)

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Reports say that KIDD BLUE, originated from San Francisco, used to be a hot rockin' live act in the Californian scene back in the late '80s.
Listening their album 'Big Trouble' I have no doubt about it.
The band recorded several songs during those years but never got signed. Indie label Metal Mayhem resurrected some of these tapes some years ago as 'Big Trouble', but now it's the band main singer who is releasing "Big Trouble Expanded Edition", including a bunch of tracks previously unheard.

Kidd Blue should have been huge.
Their perfectly executed late '80s commercial American Hard Rock / Hair Metal has all the elements which made the genre so great, in this case, infusing the typical melodic sound with razor guitars and some kind of powerful attack.
Think Icon (Phoenix, Arizona band), Dokken, Hurricane, mid-'80s Ozzy and the first Warrant blended with the commerciality of Ratt, Blind Date or Aldo Nova.
Opener "Big Trouble" takes you back to the days when Ratt used to rock good, with shouting choruses and an arena-hymn song structure.
It's followed by the extremely catchy melodic hard rocker "Crimes Of The Heart", a pure pop-metal bliss, but probably the highlight of the disc comes next with awesome semi-midtempo "Crystal Tears".

"Restless Eyes" has all the fire of the first Icon, "Hold Me" embraces you with a melodious line, while "Rocket Roulette" rocks hard again recalling the commercial Ozzy. It is easy to listen that axeman Steve Barton is a disciple of the late great Randy Rhoads, and a good one.
"Midnight Train" blends Dokken with XTZ in a groovy rocker, and next "Affection" is really the band's official ballad yet not a syruped one, it's the kind of slow songs that still has its edge, again, in the Icon vein.
"Feel Your Touch" is a pure hair metal affair, while "Fatal Attraction" adds some AOR touches with the infussion of keyboards and acute arrangements.
The bonus, previously unreleased tracks were recorded during different sessions. On "All I Do" the band explores a more relaxed ground adding acoustics, "Touch" is a dark rocker and "Come In From The Rain" is a power ballad in the classic L.A. Sunsest Blvd mould.
"No Rest For The Wicked" rocks again over a fat bass in a Warrant style, and the melodic "Mama Don't" has a catchy hair metal chorus, same as "Bye Bye Baby" with its harmonized backing vocals ala Black 'N Blue.

"Big Trouble Expanded Edition" is pure arena American Melodic Hard Rock / Hair Metal, very melodic and edgy at the same time. Regarding these genres, if you're a fan you'll love this album. There's no weak songs here, indeed, Kidd Blue were musically superior than many bands who achieved stardom.
Keep in mind this material was culled from analog tapes but the sound quality is pretty good. In fact, considering these tracks were recorded without label support more than twenty years ago, listening songs of this quality in 2012 makes you realise just how poor some of the current crop of Melodic Hard Rock acts actually are.
Kidd Blue gives you very good songs with great melodies & hooks, catchy choruses and terrific guitar playing... do you need more?
Highly Recommended.


01 - Big Trouble
02 - Crime Of The Heart
03 - Crystal Tears
04 - Restless Eyes
05 - Hold Me
06 - Rocket Roulette
07 - Midnight Train
08 - Affection
09 - Feel Your Touch
10 - Fatal Attraction
11 - All I Do (bonus track)
12 - Tough (bonus track)
13 - Come In From The Rain (bonus track)
14 - No Rest For The Wicked (bonus track)
15 - Mama Don't (bonus track)
16 - Bye Bye Baby (bonus track)


Bobby Blue - Lead & Backing Vocals
Steve Barton - All Guitars, Backing Vocals
Robert 'Sox' Canchola - Bass
Mark Dubin - Drums
Jesse Bradman - Keyboards, Synths, Backing Vocals



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