GIRLSCHOOL – Play Dirty [SHM-CD MiniLP +5] Out Of Print

One of you asked for the out of print, remastered Limited Edition Japanese miniLP of GIRLSCHOOL‘s most famous albums pressed on high quality SHM-CD. Here’s more.
“Play Dirty” is the fourth studio album by the British girls released on Bronze Records in 1983 and produced by Noddy Holder & Jim Lea both from the hard rock band SLADE.

“Play Dirty” was the first Girlschool record signalling an inclination towards a softer, commercial hard rock sound.
Indeed, the keyboard synth textures added into “Play Dirty” surprised many fans (I loved it) and rougher edges of Girlschool’s abrasive hard rock sound have been buffed smooth for a more radio friendly version of the band.

This would seem to be an overt attempt to remold the band into the sort of pop-metal act that would be more palatable to U.S. audiences.
“Breaking All The Rules” is proto hair metal fun, while with the title “Rock Me, Shock Me” you only can expect a party-ready glammy hard rocker.
Title track “Play Dirty” and “High and Dry” add more muscle but its commercialism and catchiness is evident via synth stabs.

“Burning In The Heat” mixes poppy verses with Kiss-like harmonies during the chorus while a fairly lively guitar provides a melodic solo.
There’a also a cover of T. Rex’s “20th Century Boy” dome with an 80s mega-produced sound, and I like it a lot.
The album is balanced with some raw rockers driven by the urgency of Girlschool earlier records, such as “Going Under”, a riff driven metal song – even factoring in the glossy production.

As bonus tracks, is nice to have 5 cuts which were previously only available on the band’s 12″ EP’s, including ‘1-2-3-4 Rock and Roll’. Its ‘Extended Version’ is my favorite from the bunch, a must for 80s collectors.

“Play Dirty” is a very good collection of US-styled melodic hard rockers with that 80s feel, utilising a sound that the likes of HEART or VIXEN would capitalize in the near future.
You know what I mean: catchy choruses, polished guitar riffs, synths and that typical reverb on the snare drum.
Melodic Hard Rock fans should give this album a proper listen, still unknown for many.

Very good release, as usual, with the superb Japanese SHM-CD quality.
0dayrox Team is always eager to fulfill everyone’s requests, if it’s out there, we’ll do our best. And here’s another one (more to come).
Highly Recommended piece of ’80s rock.

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

Universal Japan ～UICY-93881 (MiniLP CD)
【SHM(SuperHighMaterial)-CD】

01 – Going Under
02 – High ‘n’ Dry
03 – Play Dirty
04 – 20th Century Boy (T. Rex cover)
05 – Breaking All The Rules
06 – Burning In The Heat (Slade cover)
07 – Surrender
08 – Rock Me Shock Me
09 – Running For Cover
10 – Breakout (Knob In The Media)
BONUS TRACKS:
11 – 1-2-3-4 Rock ‘n’ Roll
12 – Don’t Call It Love (New Version)
13 – Tush (ZZ Top cover) (New Version)
14 – Like It Like That
15 – 1-2-3-4 Rock ‘n’ Roll (12″ Extended Version)

Kim McAuliffe – rhythm guitar, vocals
Kelly Johnson – lead guitar, vocals
Gil Weston – bass, backing vocals
Denise Dufort – drums
additional musicians:
Lemmy – backing vocals
Vicki Blue – backing vocals
Don Garbutt – keyboards and explosions
Mark Haircut – tambourine, backing vocals
Paul Samson – handclaps and general noise

Out Of Print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UICY-93881
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