FIREHOUSE – 3 [Japan Metal Masters Series remastered +3]

As requested, here’s more from the Sony Music Japan ‘The Metal Masters Series’ of FIREHOUSE albums remastered and including bonus tracks. “3“, the lovely Firehouse third record, feature among the bonuses the really hard to find ‘Christmas With You’ and the hit ‘I Live My Life For You (More Acoustic)’.

Firehouse are one band that no one can say was a ‘sellout’ act. They have stuck to their musical guns despite the changing landscape of hard rock in the early ’90s.
Having said that, “3” was a slight departure from the pure party rock sound of the first two studio albums, but only in terms of sound. In the bones, these are the same ’80s melodic hard rock kind of tunes just a with a different skin.

Yes, these are more acoustic driven songs, but that was a logical move.
The glammy hard rock sound was out of the radio in 1995, but there was some kind of ‘unplugged’ fever, with several acoustic albums from classic artists / bands selling very well.
Take as example Tesla’s Five Man Acoustical Jam, and Kiss were recording the MTV Unplugged at the same time Firehouse released this “3”.

So basically, on “3” Firehouse remain faithful to their melodic hard recipe, yet more stripped down and adding acoustics to the mix.
To craft this type of sound, my favorite producer was called by the band: Mr. Ron Nevison, who provided a pristine, uber-polished patina.

The album starts off with a few hard rock songs with a strong rhythm sense to them. ‘Somethin’ bout Your Body’ in particular has a bit of a bump and grind feel to it.
I can imagine the excellent pair of ‘Love Is a Dangerous Thing’ and ‘Try To Make A Living’ wrapped by a 1989 production sound with big electric guitars, but here, according to times, are mostly acoustically (yet strongly) driven.
Had any of these songs been released in 1988 and all would have become MTV / rock radio hits.

‘Here For You’ is one of those sticky sweet, acoustic ballads that sold millions years before. If this song hasn’t been used for someone’s wedding song, I’d be surprised.
‘No One At All’ is a similar acoustic guitar driven semi-ballad, but more lively and a really love the bridge-chorus.
‘Temptation’ has a funky hard rock vibe to it, while album closer ‘I Live My Life For You’ is yet another acoustic guitar ballad that provided to Firehouse a unexpected Top 40 hit, in many countries reaching the #1 in the charts.

This Japanese remastered reissue is excellent, including the much sought after ‘I Live My Life For You’ purely acoustic version (no percussion), the Japan-only single ‘Christmas With You’, and a rare live version of ‘Reach For The Sky’ recorded in Japan 23 Sept. 1995.
I love Firehouse “3”, from its songwriting to the polished melodious production.
HIGHLY Recommended

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

Sony Music Japan ~ EICP-980
『 Ｆ Ｉ Ｒ Ｅ Ｈ Ｏ Ｕ Ｓ Ｅ 』

01 – Love Is a Dangerous Thing
02 – What’s Wrong
03 – Somethin’ ‘Bout Yor Body
04 – Try To Make A Living
05 – Here For You
06 – Get a Life
07 – Two Sides
08 – No One At All
09 – Temptation
10 – I Live My Life For You
JAPANESE BONUS TRACKS:
11 – I Live My Life For You (More Acoustic)
12 – Reach For The Sky (Live in Japan)
13 – Christmas With You

C.J. Snare – vocals, keyboards, additional bass
Bill Leverty – guitars
Perry Richardson – bass
Michael Foster – drums
Produced & Engineered By Ron Nevison

BUY IT !
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/EICP-980
.