Description
SAMPLES: www.allmusic.com/album/dangerous-curves-mw0000676548
Lita Ford Dangerous Curves
Label: RCA PD 90592
Format: CD, Album
Country: Germany
Released: 1991
Genre: Hard Rock
Track list:
1 Larger Than Life 3:56
Written-By Lita Ford, Michael Dan Ehmig, Myron Grombacher
2 What Do Ya Know About Love 3:54
Written-By Cal Curtis, Michael Caruso, Randy Cantor
3 Shot Of Poison 3:32
Written-By Jim Vallance, Lita Ford, Myron Grombacher
4 Bad Love 4:20
Written-By David Ezrin, Joe Taylor, Lita Ford, Michael Dan Ehmig
5 Playin’ With Fire 4:06
Written-By Jim Vallance, Lita Ford, Michael Dan Ehmig
6 Hellbound Train 6:10
Written-By David Ezrin, Kevin Savigar, Lita Ford, Michael Dan Ehmig, Myron Grombacher
7 Black Widow 3:33
Written-By David Ezrin, Joe Taylor, Lita Ford, Michael Dan Ehmig
8 Little Too Early 2:58
Written-By Al Pitrelli, Joe Lynn Turner, Ritchie Blackmore
9 Holy Man 4:43
Written-By Lita Ford, Michael Dan Ehmig
10 Tambourine Dream 4:53
Written-By Lita Ford, Michael Dan Ehmig, Myron Grombacher
11 Little Black Spider 1:48
Written-By Lita Ford
Bass Matt Bassonette*
Drums Myron Grombacher
Guitar Joe Taylor, Lita Ford
Keyboards David Ezrin
Vocals Lita Ford
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Jeff Scott Soto – Backing Vocals
Debbie Holiday – Backing Vocals
Joe Lynn Turner – Backing Vocals
Michael Caruso – Backing Vocals
Anne Marie Hunter – Backing Vocals
After working with power pop hero Mike Chapman on Stiletto, Lita Ford switched producers on Dangerous Curves and joined forces with another in-demand studio ace, Tom Werman. The result is a very decent collection of slick, commercial hard rock that isn’t much different from its predecessor. Glossy pop-metal cuts like “Black Widow,” “Hellbound Train” and “Playin’ with Fire” are the gems that Ford is quite capable of delivering; they’re fun and spirited. “Bad Love,” meanwhile, is a noteworthy example of her dramatic ballad style. Ford gets in some nice guitar solos, reminding us that she definitely has solid chops. There are no weak or poor songs on this CD.
5.0 out of 5 stars If Stiletto was a stiletto,
Where the diluted Stiletto, Lita Fords followup to her breakthrough Lita album, only had a few songs to recommend it, such as “Lisa,” Dangerous Curves shows Lita Ford back in top form, showing even more teeth than she did on Lita, teeth meaning her ferocious lead guitar and powerful vocals that belts out lyrics in songs like “What Do Ya Know About Love”.
The chugging and hard-driving “Larger Than Life” with its visceral 80s drum and pulsing guitar attack demonstrates that she still teeth sharp enough to take on many male metal rockers. This is by far the heaviest song here. And if Cinderella and Britny Fox took heed, they would’ve come up with something like “What Do Ya Know About Love.” Well, maybe not, as Litas asking the question to the stereotypical macho type in snakeskin boots whos spreading himself all over town at the cost of little girls cryin’ out loud.
The single “Shot Of Poison” isn’t as hard-driving as “Kiss Me Deadly,” with the same synths and guitar combination, only more radio-friendly. With Jim Vallance as co-songwriter and Hearts Howard Leese providing extra guitars, it was sure to make the Top 40.
“Bad Love” is a hauntingly stark and bitter ballad, with tempered keyboards and fiery guitar, even better than “Lisa.” Its the end of the road with this song, with “I could never forgive you/and I damn sure won’t forget/in heaven or hell every tear that I’ve cried/will come back to haunt you yet” being a pretty cold way to say “end of story.” With the keyboards, I can picture Heart doing this on their 80s Ron Nevison albums.
“Playin’ With Fire,” also co-written by Jim Vallance, is another slamming tune, that could’ve been a single with the catchy chorus. “Little Too Early” is another singleworthy tune due to the lighter sound (at least compared to the other songs here).
The chugging rhythm section in the beginning does indeed mimic a train going down the tracks in the Bon Jovi-ish “Hellbound Train,” with the wild as all-out protagonists baggage being a devil in the brain, a fistful of whisky, a suitcase full of sin, and my favourite, “a thousand nasty habits underneath my skin.”
“Black Widow,” a throwback to harder-edged 80s metal, with the multiple backing vocalists in the chorus, is a chilling look at a seductive human equivalent of that deadly spider. Best lyrics: “Making love on a suicide bed/once you taste that poison darling, you’re dead.”
“Holy Man” begins with Lita and company singing the chorus a capella a la Bon Jovis “You Give Love A Bad Name,” but with a melody like Belinda Carlisles “Heaven Is A Place On Earth.” The similarities end there, and theres a reverse theme going on in the religious motifs. She demands to be lead into temptation, fair enough, but the analogy is completed when “You made the darkest night in my life into Judgment Day,” which is a dark equivalent of “you made the brighest night in my life into heaven.” She really catches fire for this one–pun intended.
“Tambourine Dream” is a mid-paced song, while the closing “Little Black Spider” is a short quiet electric guitar instrumental.
This album should have been another musical hallmark for Lita Ford, so why was it overshadowed? In looking at its release date, 1991, the answer comes in two words: grunge, Metallica.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Litas finest hour
Does anyone remember when a “rock” album could be a fun listen? That was the great thing about commercial metal, it wasn’t that hard to find an album you could “party” to. Try that with yer 90s grunge or more recent grind core stuff. Lita was about having a good time without a lot of pretense. This was her fourth solo album in a career of 15 years by this point and the hard work showed. This one rocked just a little harder than the previous “Stilleto” and was a little more concise in the songwriting. Lita collaborated with Jim Vallance on one track, covered a Rainbow tune and continued her writing with David Ezrin. Hooks galore in radio hits ” Shot of Poison” and ” Playing with Fire”, brutal rippin rock in “Hellbound Train” and “Larger Than Life”, a true anthem in “Holy Man”, a little experimental on “Tangerine Dream” some great ballad work on “Bad Love” and closed off with a neat instrumental in “Little Black Spider” In other words, variety in a way you don’t find a lot anymore and again, great guitar work from the finest woman player in rock. And heres proof that for the late 80s, early 90s, she was the hardest working as well. Get this while its in print!
5.0 out of 5 stars “Can we turn it up a little louder please?”,
Lita, Lita, Lita…
This is by far Lita Fords best album. She may be best know for skimpy, tight costumes and singing duets with Ozzy Osbourne, but this album shows that Litas all about heavy metal melodies.
From the high pitched squeal of the opening note and Litas raucous request, “Can we turn it up a little louder please?” you know your in for a hard rock ride you’ll never forget.
While her previous albums had one or two gems like “Kiss Me Deadly” or “Hellraiser”, the songwriting and production were always a little weak.
Each song on this album is finely crafted, from lyrics to licks and everywhere in between.
I credit the intensity of songs like “Larger Than Life”, “What Do You Know About Love” and “HellBound Train” to the talented group of backing vocalists that includes one, Jeff Scott Soto, the most underrated voice in Heavy Metal.
Lita herself is of course the driving force, as is evidenced by her sultry vocals on the tracks “Bad Love” and “Black Widow”.
The album is rounded out by “Playing With Fire”, “Holy Man”, “Little Too Early” and “Tambourine Dream” just rock and roll, plain and simple.
Some have criticized the album for being too slick or commercial. In my opinion, Lita finally hit her stride with Dangerous Curves, definitely for the first, but hopefully not the last time.
If you’ve been a fan of any Lita Ford song, buy this album-its Lita at her best.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Melodic Metal at its Best,
This is one of my absolute favorite CDs for driving on the freeway in the summertime with the windows down and the music turned up LOUD. There isn’t a bum track on the disc, so while I never have to use the skip’ button, I frequently hit ‘back’ for an encore of “Shot of Poison,” “Playin’ with Fire,” and “Little Too Early.” Take it from a child of the ’80s who loves this stuff.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Melodic Metal at its Best,
This is one of my absolute favorite CDs for driving on the freeway in the summertime with the windows down and the music turned up LOUD. There isn’t a bum track on the disc, so while I never have to use the skip’ button, I frequently hit ‘back’ for an encore of “Shot of Poison,” “Playin’ with Fire,” and “Little Too Early.” Take it from a child of the ’80s who loves this stuff.
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5.0 out of 5 stars One of best of late 80’s pop metal albums,
I would place this as Litas most overall enjoyable album, despite the fact that there are some bigger hits and very memorable songs on both Lita and Stiletto. This may be a bit slick for some tastes, but to me it is just an enjoyable listen from beginning to end. Shot of Poison seems to be every bit as good as Kiss Me Deadly. Bad Love is a good ballad. Virtually every song has good hooks. She plays her bad girl image for all its worth. I find it every bit as good as the best albums by Poison, Bon Jovi, Crue, etc. And she’s sexy. And she can play guitar just as well as the guys in those bands. If you like catchy pop metal, doubt you’ll be disappointed.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Get it! Flat out Rock n roll,
This album rocks from the get go! It sounds just as good today as it did back when it was released in 1991.
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5.0 out of 5 stars LITA ROCKS!!,
Yes this sounds like what it is: a fun CD from a bygone era when Rock & Roll still rocked and everybody wasn’t depressed in flannel shirts or into quasi-disco pop crap. Lita was tough, and sexy and could play the guitar and had humour and attitude and guts that Avril and Britney and that ilk can only dream about. God Bless You Lita and ROCK ON!!
kerrang! magazine interview 1992
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