Foreigner – Double Vision [Stereo] (Mobile Fidelity Half-Speed Mastered Edition)

(AAA) — Lacquers cut from the original analog master tapes at half speed by Stan Ricker at Original Masteringworks.

Foreigner was led by Mick Jones who formed the band in 1976 with ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald and Lou Gramm, Dennis Elliott, Al Greenwood and Ed Gagliardi.

So much for sophomore jinxes that almost always go hand-in-hand with groups that explode onto the scene. Overflowing with first-rate songwriting, lascivious hooks, and sing-a-long choruses, Foreigner's Double Vision lays waste to conventional sophomore-release wisdom and went on to actually exceed the popularity of the band’s blockbuster debut. More than seven million copies and two Top Five singles later, the 1978 set still rocks with definite purpose.

Synonymous with AOR (album-oriented rock), Foreigner essentially perfects the style throughout this concise, focused, down-and-dirty ten-song set. The key to any memorable '70s rock record is a catchy single, and the quintet has several lying in the waiting. The title track, inspired by New York Rangers goalie John Davidson getting whacked in the head by a hockey puck, spills over with double-entendre meaning, tough-cut riffs, and a rotating groove, not to mention a mystical keyboard refrain. Equally memorable, and a permanent part of any radio station's rotation, Hot Blooded is the ideal come-on, the group's open-ended rhythm and dance-inspiring beats pouring with promise, salaciousness, and ass-kicking sexuality. A terrific power ballad infused with woe and longing, Blue Morning, Blue Day features insistent harmonies and piano notes that grab you by the collar and doesn't let go.

Of course, great songs alone don't make for great records. The band's chemistry and performance needs to be on par with that of the material. And what else can be said of leather-lunged vocalist Lou Gramm and guitar-hero Mick Jones save for the fact the pair combine for a legendary one-two punch, leading their mates through sensational melodies and swaggering leads. Seldom has the balance between tough and polished, light and heavy, fun and reserved been better established and maintained.

Ready to rock out? This album will bring back (double) visions of hot stage lights, dry-ice fog, feel-good times, and amplifiers cranked to 10—only this time, the experience will take place inside the confines of your own home. Check it and see!

Features:
• Mastered Directly from the Original Master Tapes!
• 1/2 Speed Mastered Original Master Recording Series
• Specially Plated and Pressed on JVC's High Definition Super Vinyl
• Pressed in Japan
• Special Static Free-Dust Free Inner Sleeve
• Limited Edition

Selections:
1. Hot Blooded
2. Blue Morning, Blue Day
3. You're All I Am
4. Back Where You Belong
5. Love Has Taken Its Toll
6. Double Vision
7. Tramontane
8. I Have Waited So Long
9. Lonely Children
10. Spellbinder

(Above description from ElusiveDisc.com)