Straight Between the Eyes
undoubtedly has one of the worst album covers in
rock
history, but the record is an unexpected return to form from the journeyman hard rockers. Just a record before,
Rainbow
sounded as if they were verging on
Billy Squier
territory, but here, they reverse course and deliver a solid, no-frills
hard rock
record. It isn't just that the material is stronger, though it certainly is, it's that
Roger Glover
abandoned his smoothed-out, radio-ready production that marred
Difficult to Cure
. That's not to say that
doesn't sound dated --
was a band that was forever tied to its era -- but the album does have a harder-hitting, muscular sound that is more appropriate for the band. Similarly, vocalist
Joe Lynn Turner
sounds more comfortable with the group, and the entire band just seems to gel, turning even the generic numbers on the album into enjoyable, straight-ahead
. There may not be any specific showcases for
Ritchie Blackmore
, but his playing is better heard in this setting, where he's not only soloing, he's propelling the band with his powerful riffs. As always, he's the driving force behind the band, but this is truly a band effort, which is one of the reasons why
is one of the strongest albums the group ever cut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine