TWISTER SISTER – Love Is For Suckers [Remastered] (2011)

No album divides Twisted Sister’s fan base (or even the band itself) more than its final album of all-new material “Love Is For Suckers”.
First released in 1987, this CD was intended to be a Dee Snider solo project. The record label refused to release it unless it was branded as a Twisted Sister release though and the album and tour were a failure, with Snider leaving the band shortly after the tour’s completion.

The truth is: this a great commercial hair / pop-metal album, with very good songs, excellent polished production by Beau Hill and great musicianship.
In fact, none of TS members play here except Dee Snider.
Guitars are handled by the brilliant Reb Beach,bass & harmony vocals by Kip Winger, Joey Franco on drums and Beau Hill and some session men on everything else.

The first half of the album follows the classic TS tradition, and it is incomprehensible why some fans and critics blame on this recording.
The album kicks off with the powerful “Wake Up (The Sleeping Giant)”, that recalls past glories with it’s driving rhythm and powerhouse vocals.
The single for this disc was the cool toe-tapper, harmonious commercial rocker “Hot Love”, a statement of what american hair metal is.
The title track “Love Is For Suckers” is another highly catchy tune, a barburner hard rocker where Reb Beach shines.
“I’m So Hot For You” is more melodic but typically TS, while “Tonight” returns to the band’s earlier heavier, anthemic sound.

The second half is pure melodic, commercial pop-metal, and here is where some people feel some harsh. Well, not my case. This is top stuff in this genre.
Snider bucket loads of eighties feel on the Warrant-like instant track “Me And The Boys” and the cheesy brotherly catchy anthem “One Bad Habit”.
On the melodic “I Want This Night (To Last Forever)” and the power ballad “You Are All That I Need” is where Beau Hill’s hands are more evident. Both crafted in the Winger mould, these tracks are very melodic and ear-candy.
“Yeah Right” is a beat fueled anthem with gang vocals and a driving bass line. Again, Winger comes to mind.
This remastered reissue features four great bonus tracks that for whatever reason didn’t make the final cut for ‘Love Is For Suckers’, ranging from the straight-ahead rocker “Feel Appeal”, the crass but catchy “Statutory Date”, the hot “If That’s What You Want”, to the classy “I Will Win”.

I don’t care if this is a ‘real’ Twisted Sister album or not, it surely delivers good, solid and enjoyable typical ’80s melodic american hard rock with a polished production.
Beach’s guitar sound is all over this album with his arpeggiated licks and two-handed tapping, and that’s great for me.
If you love the real feel of commercial, melodic american rock from the eighties, this is a must have recording.

01. Wake Up (The Sleeping Giant)
02. Hot Love
03. Love Is For Suckers
04. I’m So Hot For You
05. Tonight
06. Me And The Boys
07. One Bad Habit
08. I Want This Night (To Last Forever)
09. You Are All That I Need
10. Yeah Right!
11. Feel Appeal [Bonus Track]
12. Statutory Date [Bonus Track]
13. If That’s What You Want [Bonus Track]
14. I Will Win [Bonus Track]

Dee Snider – Vocals, Guitar
Reb Beach – Guitars
Kip Winger – Bass, Background Vocals
Beau Hill – Keyboards, Programming, Background Vocals
Joey “Seven” Franco – Drums
The New West Horns – Horns
Steve Whiteman, Jimmy Chalfant (KIX, Funny Money) – Background Vocals

Produced by Beau Hill

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