Had {|Razzle|} not died so tragically, there's every reason to believe that {|Hanoi Rocks|} could easily have taken things to the next level of {|hard rock|} glory. As it is, {|Two Steps from the Move|} will have to remain a testimony to what might h... Read more

Had {|Razzle|} not died so tragically, there's every reason to believe that {|Hanoi Rocks|} could easily have taken things to the next level of {|hard rock|} glory. As it is, {|Two Steps from the Move|} will have to remain a testimony to what might have been instead of a further springboard. {|Up Around the Bend|} may have been little more than an easy way of getting a chart hit, but they still got one nonetheless, and the energetic way the band handled the {|CCR|} classic showed they were no slouches with the material. Working with {|Bob Ezrin|} was the more notable change here; with {|Dale Buffin Griffin|} and {|Overend Pete Watts|} having given {|Hanoi Rocks|} their best production yet with {|Back to the Mystery City|}, the legendary {|hard rock|} producer showed he still had the touch with his work on {|Two Steps from the Move|}. He also seemed to have his hand in all the band's doings -- nearly all the songs on the album are co-written efforts between {|Ezrin|} and various bandmembers, while he contributes everything from percussion to vocals. Given that {|Hanoi Rocks|} never made any pretense at being immediate and catchy, it's hardly a case of selling out, more a matter of a pro making everything better -- and that he does. In terms of combining the attitude, gang shouts, {|punk|} energy, and classic {|rock|} burn of the band, things couldn't be better -- {|Monroe|} sounds phenomenal, the {|McCoy|}/{|Suicide|} guitar team comes up with some great riffs and even better trade-offs, and the {|Yaffa|}/{|Razzle|} rhythm section keep it all chugging. Highlights: {|Boiler,|} a perfectly saucy tale about one's lady love using a bit of Brit slang, the heavy-duty strut and stomp of {|I Can't Get It,|} the tearjerker-with-feedback {|Don't You Ever Leave Me,|} and {|Boulevard of Broken Dreams,|} as perfect a neo-{|Mott the Hoople|} anthem as any. ~ Ned Raggett Less