The influences of Deep Purple, Rainbow etc are never far away while neoclassical and progressive influences add spice to some of the more straight ahead rock material on this release which arguably is Lars best sounding album to date. These songs represent Lars’ first serious compositions made for and originally performed by his band at the time, ”Joe Cool” which originally featured a female singer, later a male one when the band started adaping a more straight ahead hard rock style. A few minor updates to the lyrics and music were made during the recording but mostly this is what they were like originally. Original drummer Olle Sj?strand’s fine ideas have remained as an inspiration throughout the years.
Some of the songs on Lars’ debut album ”Eternity” were take from this period though most of that album and the following ”No Surrender” were written very fast in the studio while making those album and it is quite likely that these songs are superior having been road tested and developed over time while Lars was sick of them at the time and preferred not to include them on his debut and the following album. Lars recalls that going back to these songs was a decision made alrealy 6 years ago, but time did not permit this to happen sooner.
So here they are, 30 years later! The lyrics are not always to be taken too seriously while some of them had to be editied for this release. The song ”Takes One Fool” written in 1983 originally suggested that we world would go under in 1984.
1. Hot and Able
2. Takes One Fool
3. Run Tonight
4. Left Out in the Cold
5. See the Stars
6. Scarlet
7. Don't Think It's Love
8. This Wolf Hunts Alone
9. Lay Down Your Sword
10. Rock the Nation
11. The Dream Has Gone
12. Don't Throw Away
13. Enola Gay
14. Stranger in Your Own Land
15. Eyes of a Liar
16. Out On My Own
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Lars Eric Mattsson – Hot and Able 1983-85 (2014)