N.E.W.S.

One thing is for sure: ''Golden Earring'' is a prolific band. Even in the middle of the eighties while their music was not on par any longer with their glorious albums, the band kept on releasing studio albums on a regular basis.

This N.E.W.S is using some recipe from their previous record. The disco-rock opener has some flavour from the good ''Twilight Zone'' (which sounded as ''Miss You''). Just average to be honest. The next track has a serious ''Sparks'' timber and is actually a very good moment of music: dynamic, positive and stirring.

It has been ages that a GE album do start with good songs! They must have learned by the time?

It is true to say that the album fully sounds as an eighties product: the new wave ''Enough Is Enough'' can be described as such. Solid rhythm, some synthetic beat: but the whole doesn't sound too bad. So far it is actually a good surprise to discover this album.

But unfortunately the next track with its funky effects can't be credited of the same value. And the title track which follows is by far the weakest of the whole. Five long and difficult minutes: painful backing vocals, uniform beat and again these funky sounds are definitely too much.

After such a treat, the band is rewarding the listener with another good rock song: ''I'll Make it All Up To You'' is a fine number in the tradition of the band (even if less complex than the greatest ones). In those days, I guess that it was the best that the band could achieve, but honestly it sounds really good. Almost like in the good old days (yes, I know that I am a nostalgic of these times).

''Mission Impossible'' is also built on a disco-rock beat and is rather a decent track as well (provides that you can tolerate this mix) while the good closing ''It's Over Now'' is a more classic GE tune based on a fine rock beat and melodic vocals.

This album is of course not essential (the last good one IMHHO was ''Contraband'') but it has its good moments. Two stars for the fifth time in a row.

One of the few Dutch rock groups to truly break the big time(e.g. North America) Golden Earring have enjoyed an awesome career that began during the early days of the 1960's and is still going strong. Incredibly, all four members have been with the group since the early days, with founding members George Kooymans(guitar) and Rinus Gerritsen(bass, keyboards) augmented by vocalist and lyricist Barry Hay, who arrived in 1968, and relative newcomer Cesar Zuiderwijk(drums), who joined the fold in 1970. Their early albums took in Nederbeat, pop and Beatles-influenced psychedelia before the onset of the 1970's saw the group move towards a meatier and more experimental progressive rock style. As the decade continued the quartet began to streamline their sound, producing the seminal FM rock staple 'Radar Love' - from from hit 1973 album 'Moontan' - in the process building up a large and loyal following throughout Europe whilst also cracking North America. Like many other major rock groups of their generation the 1980's would pose a multitude of challenging changes, yet Golden Earring seemed to handle this arduous period better than most. Now known for their sleek hard-rock approach and catchy hit-singles, Golden Earring would again hit paydirt with 1982's 'The Twilight Zone' and the brilliant 1984 single 'When The Lady Smiles'. One of their all-time classic tracks, 'When The Lady Smiles' proved popular on an international scale, yet thanks to a risque video(involving vocalist Barry Hay making out with a nun) the single failed to repeat their previous North American success. The parent album, 'N.E.W.S.', found the main writing partnership of Kooymans and Hay attempting to insert coded satirical references regarding such lofty topics as the cold war into their slick hard-rock formula, yet for all the metallic grinding, snazzy synthesized squalls and heavy percussive rhythms 'N.E.W.S' is remarkable only for its excellent lead-single. However, like most Golden Earring albums, 'N.E.W.S.' still managed to shift a substantial amount of units, topping the Dutch album chart and proving a big hit in both Germany and Scandinavia. Progressive rock fans may want to delve a little further back into the group's lengthy discography to find Golden Earring at their challenging best(albums such as 'Eight Miles High', 'Seven Tears' and 'Moontan'; all released between 1968 and 1973) though those in love with fist- pumpingly anthemic eighties rock should look no further than 'When The Lady Smiles'. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2013