CD Review: Lita Ford - Living like a runaway

Written by Björn Butzen Wednesday, 04 July 2012 11:06

Artist: Lita Ford
Title: Living like a runaway
Genre: Hard Rock / Metal / Progressive
Release Date: 15th June 2012
Label: SPV / Steamhammer

Album Review

“We worked on the lyrics intensively to really give the songs a lot of meaning and that special emotional depth. I think that these are some of the best lyrics ever.”
-Lita Ford about “Living like a runaway”-

Since the late ´70s LITA FORD is known for roughing up the Hard Rock business with the band THE RUNAWAYS, in which she played together with JOAN JETT. But with the break up in 1979, LITA FORD began to start her own career and evolved to a Hard Rock queen worldwide culminating in the Top Ten hit ‘Close my eyes forever’, a collaboration with OZZY OSBOURNE. Now, in 2012, LITA FORD releases her 8th solo album ‘Living like a runaway’, a slight remembrance on her earliest days with the “girls band”. So, what’s new on this fresh and shiny disc? The collaboration with producer GARY HOEY and lyricist Michael DAN EHMIG pays off. ‘Living like a runaway’ is a well produced work with a sound that leaves nothing to whinge about. A well balanced sound scheme that should definitely do for all “metal maniacs from the 80´s”, combined with intelligent lyrics (in fact, they are fortunately not ending up in stereotypes!), that are enmeshed in LITA FORD’s life.

Nevertheless, the release offers no real “highlight” – it’s a solid work that causes no harm. Fans of LITA FORD are going to buy it, that’s for sure, but I doubt that she will gain new fans. Although ‘Living like a runaway’ get off the right foot, it cannot maintain the tension. Songs like ‘Living like a runaway’, ‘Mother’ (both songs are more from a kind of singing/ songwriting) and even ‘Asylum’ (a kind of hymn for huge stadium appearances) are slightly over the top, in my opinion. In the end ‘A song to slit your wrists by’, a collaboration with MOTLEY CRÜE’s bassist NIKKI SIXX is a perfect example for the ones that doesn’t work: Seems that Mr. SIXX was very uninspired while playing the guitar parts… anyway, to call it a solo would be pathetic.

Conclusion: ‘Living like a runaway’ on the one hand contains some good stuff, on the other hand the release is not able to maintain the tension throughout the whole time…


Tracklist

01. Branded
02. Hate
03. The Mask
04. Living Like A Runaway
05. Relentless
06. Mother
07. Devil In My Head
08. Asylum
09. Love 2 Hate U
10. A Song To Slit Your Wrists By


Line-up

Lita Ford – Vocals, Guitar
Gary Hoey – Vocals, Guitar, Bass
Matt Scurfield – Drums


Website

http://www.litafordonline.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/litaford / http://www.facebook.com/litaofficial


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 7
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 7.5 / 10