In 1990 the mainstream music world had become over-saturated with glam hard rock. All the labels were flush with hair bands. As a result, a lot of very talented bands went unnoticed because there was only so much room at the top. Eventually the whole bubble burst in the early nineties and even the platinum sellers were dropped by their labels.
Almost overnight, an entire genre was gone from the airwaves. Ultimately, all but a relative few of the hair bands were forgotten. Cry Wolf was one of many quality hair bands that didn’t get a real chance to shine. In 1990 Cry Wolf’s Crunch was released by Grand Slamm/I.R.S. Records. Much of the album was comprised of songs previously heard on their 1989 Japan-only release Cry Wolf. The Crunch album was their American debut. Like many of rock’s great bands, Cry Wolf was bolstered by a top-notch singer/guitarist duo. Singer Timmy Hall had a great voice and charisma that translated well to tape. Guitarist Steve McKnight was another in a long list of expert axe-men vying for attention in a crowded market.
McKnight was a tasteful player who could unfurl a melodic solo with the best of ’em. I like his guitar tone on the rhythm tracks — it has a little bit of fuzz but a real sharp bite, too. A fine example of the dynamic duo of Hall and McKnight at their best can be heard on a gem called Pretender — the video single from the album and my personal fave of the lot. Other highlights include Face Down In The Wishing Well, West Wind Blows, and one of the new songs exclusive to the American debut, Road To Ruin.
01. Road To Ruin
02. Red Shoes
03. Face Down In The Wishing Well
04. Long Hard Road
05. On The Run
06. Stop, Look & Listen
07. Pretender
08. Dirty Dog Night
09. West Wind Blows
10. Back To You
Timmy Hall - vocals
Steve McKnight - guitar
Phil Deckard - bass
Paul Cancilla - drums
Cry Wolf – Crunch 1990, FLAC+ MP3
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