TEAR DOWN THE BORDER

Autograph (Avtograf)

Crossover Prog

2.15 | 17 ratings

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NotAProghead
Special Collaborator
Errors & Omissions Team

Road to nowhere

Second half of the 80s became a hard time for bands like AUTOGRAPH and DIALOG. Both changed their direction, both made the same mistakes and, in the end, disbanded. Due to perestroyka new generation of bands, often less professional as musicians but more actual lyrically, with songs about social problems, found their way to wide audience. From other hand, lots of Western music (including bands like BON JOVI, CINDERELLA, DEF LEPPARD) became available and popular in Soviet Union.

So AUTOGRAPH changed direction and started playing mainstream rock. First step on this way was the album "Stone Land". Old fans like me were disappointed, but at least the band found some new fans. Then, on the wave of interest to everything coming from the USSR, AUTOGRAPH extensively toured abroad and recorded the album ''Tear Down The Border'' in English (only the title track, which is a reworked version of ''World Inside'' from the previous album, combines English and Russian lyrics). The result is an average album made by professional musicians. There are tons of such albums around, even recognizable voice of Arthur Berkut can't save it from being mediocre.

''Tear Down The Border'' did not make AUTOGRAPH famous in Europe and States. And when musicians returned home after long touring they found out that they are almost forgotten in their native country. No wonder that soon AUTOGRAPH disbanded. The road to international success was the road to nowhere.

If you'd like to listen to AUTOGRAPH's best, try to find ''Autograph 1'' CD with their prog records from 1980 - 82 or get the band's excellent reunion jubilee concert ''25 Years After'', available both on CD and DVD. I can recommend ''Tear Down The Border'' only to die hard fans. 2 stars.

NotAProghead | 2/5 | 2009-4-14

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