3. Meat Loaf Braver Than We Are
Before you ask when was the last time a Meat Loaf album was hotly anticipated?, let me explain something. Back in the 70s and 80s, Meat Loaf's collaborations with Jim Steinman were phenomenally popular, with Bat Out Of Hell becoming one of the most influential and iconic rock albums of all time. Songs from Bat Out Of Hell like Paradise By The Dashboard Light and Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad, along with I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) and Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are from Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell remain classic rock staples. 2016's Braver Than We Are, then, is set to reunite Steinman and Meat Loaf. Not only that, but many of the songs on the album are said to have been written by Steinman years ago, back when he was at the top of his song-writing game. So what could possibly go wrong? Put simply...Meat Loaf can't perform like he used to. The man is sixty-eight years old. His last few albums, 2010's Hang Cool Teddy Bear and 2011's Hell In A Handbasket have shown a massive drop in vocal quality. He just can't belt it out like he used to. On most of his songs he sings shorter notes now with a shakier voice (and don't get me started on what he sounds like live). So while everyone's excited for Meat Loaf and Steinman to finally collaborate once more, most are forgetting this: The thing that made Meat Loaf so appealing in the first place was his amazing delivery of incredibly vocal-heavy Jim Steinman songs. If one of those elements is gone, the result will surely be a disaster.
Brian Wilson
Contributor
Commonly found reading, sitting firmly in a seat at the cinema (bottle of water and a Freddo bar, please) or listening to the Mountain Goats.
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Brian