TORA TORA – The Best of the Rest (2024) *HQ*
Memphis, Tennessee rockin’ outfit TORA TORA have a knack for pairing chunky metal riffs with the bluesy swagger of groovy hard rock. Emerging in the late 1980s, they landed a trio of hits in 1989, one of which found its way onto the soundtrack for Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, succumbed to the onslaught of grunge in the early ’90s, called it quits, and then re-formed in the 2010s.
Tora Tora re-formed in 2008 — with the original line-up intact — for a series of live shows, and in 2011 they issued the long-gestating Revolution Day. A deal was struck with Frontiers Records in 2017, resulting in the release of their first collection of all-new material in 25 years, the aptly named Bastards of Beale.
Tora Tora continue rocking venues playing live, and releasing new studio songs as standalone singles. Today they band is releasing “The Best of the Rest“, a new album including their recent songs plus some others recorded decades ago.
Formed in 1985 around the talents of Anthony Corder, Keith Douglas, Patrick Francis, and John Patterson, the band adopted their moniker from the song of the same name from Van Halen’s 1980 LP Women and Children First. A popular band on the local scene, they earned a chunk of studio time after winning a regional Battle of the Bands contest and recorded an independent EP, To Rock to Roll.
Two of the songs from the release, “Love’s a Bitch” and “Phantom Radio,” received multiple spins on local radio station Rock 98, and caught the attention of A&M Records, which quickly scooped up the heavily buzzed-about band.
Tora Tora went widescreen in 1989 with the release of their major-label debut, Surprise Attack, which featured the singles “Guilty,” “Walkin’ Shoes,” and “Dancing with a Gypsy,” the latter of which appeared on the soundtrack to the hit comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
A sophomore effort, Wild America, arrived in 1992, a third album, Revolution Day, was recorded but shelved. Like many hard rock/heavy metal bands of the era, their success was cut short by the arrival of grunge.
The first four songs into “The Best of the Rest” are new studio songs, rockers and a ballad with that classic Tora Tora bluesy melodic feel. All good and a proof the band still got the fire.
The other songs, while some have been released by specialized labels, only were available on physical format and didn’t reached many fans world-wide. Most of these are recordings from the ‘Wild America’ album sessions but not released back in the day, professionally done.
This band rocks – Tora Tora have a unique style, American, soulful bluesy hard rock with a timeless sound – blood, steel & wood made music that will never die.
Highly Recommended
01 – Trip the Light Fantastic
02 – Little Girl Blue
03 – Go Where the Love Is
04 – Neptune Society
05 – Ride Into the Wind
06 – Can You Take My Blues Away
07 – Heart Attack
08 – B-Song
09 – Take It As You Like It
10 – Bite the Bullet
11 – Mary Wants Some
12 – Summer’s End
13 – Something’s Got To Give
14 – Who Am I To Blame
15 – Blue Tomorrow
16 – Bad Attitude
17 – Love and War
Anthony Corder – lead vocals
John Patterson – drums, percussion
Keith Douglas – guitars
Patrick Francis – bass
BUY
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D3BJYNX1
