LOVERBOY – Unfinished Business +4

Multi-platinum Canadian melodic rockers LOVERBOY first new album of all-original studio recordings in seven years – and their last since – “Unfinished Business” could not be more appropriately titled since some of the songs on the album come from writing sessions when Mike Reno & Co. started as a band.
As extras, we have as well all the singles Loverboy has released since ‘Unfinished Business’, including 2020’s “Gimme Back My Life”.

The album kicks off with “Fire Me Up” which features a classic Paul Dean guitar lick and sounds like it could have been included on their sophomore outing Get Lucky”. Next comes “Counting The Nights” with pure ’80s keyboard intro courtesy of Doug Johnson and only Mike Reno can make a line like ‘… open up your eyes, take a look around, do us both a favor, split town’ sound cool instead of cheesy.
“Ain’t Such A Bad Thing” chugs along with a great sing-a-long chorus that will have you tapping the dashboard and drumming on the steering wheel for sure.
After 3 rockers we get a nice mid-tempo ballad with “Come Undone” and then back to rocking as drummer Matt Frenette kicks “Slave” into high gear. His drumming coupled with Dean’s guitar work make this straight ahead rocker sound like a Van Halen outtake from their heyday.

“What Makes You So Special” is driven by a Loverboy trademark melodic line and a cool guitar riff, while “War Bride” brings some balladry recalling many Eighties soundtracks.
Not every song is a keeper, as “Doin’ It The Hard Way” is literally filled with cliched lyrics. However, musically is quite good.

The album closes out with two strong cuts. First, “You Play The Star” which opens with an Asia / Saga inspired proggy keyboard intro and then turns into a song that would have fit perfectly on the band’s self-titled debut album.
Last track “Crack Of The Whip” is yet another classic sounding Loverboy tune with a solid verse, keyboards all over and great vocals by Reno.

“Unfinished Business” is filled with big hooks, catchy choruses and a pumping instrumentation, and truly succeeds in doing exactly what it was meant to do… it gives the hardcore Loverboy / ’80s AOR fans some songs they have always wanted to hear while reminding everyone else why we loved these leather clad MTV darlings in the first place.
Highly Recommended

01 – Fire Me Up
02 – Countin’ The Nights
03 – Ain’t Such A Bad Thing
04 – Come Undone
05 – Slave
06 – What Makes You So Special
07 – War Bride
08 – Doin’ It The Hard Way
09 – You Play The Star
10 – Crack Of The Whip
0dayrox Extras:
11 – Some Like It Hot
12 – Hurtin’
13 – Stop the Rain
14 – Gimme Back My Life

Mike Reno (lead vocals)
Paul Dean (guitar, vocals)
Doug Johnson (keyboards)
Spider Sinneave (bass)
Matt Frenette (drums)

BUY IT
www.amazon.com/Unfinished-Business-Loverboy/dp/B00KRSFS5C