CONTRABAND

Contraband is a good album, many times puted on the wall, because of the comercial attitude and without substance in composing arrnagements. I find this album to be enjoyble, nothing realy special here but pleasent most of the time. Is quite far from the early album like Walls of dolls, Together and even far from Moontan who was only 3 years released earlier then this album. Contraband is amore mainstream, accesible tunes with catchy arrangements jut ok for the market, but keeping in mind that all are ok tracks not a weak moement here for sure. The album released in 1976, in some parts and on my Cd is written 1977 and Hilt to be from 1976, is a comercial album in GE catalogue, the pieces are in majority short with some exceptions , to the point, friendly sound even in places they toying with AOR moments, not very much moments in progressive terms, but overall an ok album for sure, I realy like it. Similar with Journey, Styx, Toto to some point, guitar based rock tunes with some progressive flavour here and there, not much, but not bad either. Most of the reviewers from here and elsewhere, me included, find this album enjoyble enough yet nothing realy impressive as before, quite same with previous 2 albums, in places even better, but not very distinctiv. Pieces like Mad Love's Comin or Fightin' Windmills are realy good offerings by Golden Earring, very solid sound and tight musicianship, specialy the voice of Barry Hay is excellent but aswell the rest of the musicians involved here done a good job yet not fantastic as a whole. 3 stars easy, even sound strange to many of you I,m more in love, if I can say that, to this album then to Moontan, personal reasons. I also like a lot the cover art, the simplicity of the picture on the front cover I find very attractive and remind me of old friends stay together.