Commercially speaking, the early ‘90s was definitely not a best time for a hard rock band to release a debut and try to hit it big. Labels started investing all their time and money on alternative/grunge rock acts and kicked the door in front of the faces of many glam rock bands with big dreams. Still, regardless of the little promotion and attention those rock bands got from the labels (and fans as a matter of fact), the quality of music was still good and there were tons of great releases in those initial years of the new decade. Where do I even begin? Survivor, Giant, Fair Warning, Europe, MSG, Hardline, Thunder, Harem Scarem, Bad Company, Firehouse, Slaughter, etc.; all of these bands and many more released phenomenal rock albums in the early ‘90s, despite the grunge scene’s vicious attacks. One more band that deserves to be respectfully mentioned is Tyketto, of course. Since I’m a big fan and their debut album is actually one of the best rock debuts in my book, I decided to dedicate a little something to them. Contrary to what I expected, there are many people out there who know so little of that album (and the band, ultimately), so I hope to introduce your next favorite songs in this publication! Enjoy the read and don’t forget to play those mind-blowing tunes!
Tyketto & “Don’t Come Easy”
The important thing to know about those guys is that they come from the streets of New York and were assembled by the former vocalist of Waysted, Danny Vaughn. The band was formed in the late ‘80s but scoring a record deal with Geffen and preparing a killer debut takes years, naturally.
“Don’t Come Easy” was released at the very beginning of 1991 and needless to say, despite its edgy hard melodic rock sound and killer vocals, it didn’t get what it deserved. Till today, many die-hard rock fans see this album as one of the most refreshing and promising ‘90s debuts; it was apparently a much-needed breath of fresh air and tons of music enthusiasts found its true value. Unfortunately, for the majority of rock lovers, this album doesn’t even exist. Sad, isn’t it?
“Don’t Come Easy” features 10 stunning hard rock gems, that deserve nothing but high praises. I must begin out discussion with the opening track and the biggest hit of Tyketto’s career, “Forever Young”. How do you describe a song that outstanding? From the powerful, clean vocals of Danny, to the terrific monster riffs this entire song could easily be referred to as the song of the year. Don’t you even get me started on those haunting lyrics: “Forever young, time on our side, we’ve got tomorrow, we’ve got tonight…”! What a mind-blowing experience this track is; the kind of song you can’t just skip, regardless of how many times you’ve listened to it!
We move on to “Wings” which is the point where you actually realize how incredible this album is and that you will play it from start to finish for the next few weeks. “Wings” is a superb mid-tempo rocker with solid hooks and…man, those vocals are killing me! I never got the chance to witness a live performance of Tyketto but with a talent like Danny’s, it must be an experience of a lifetime! “Burning Down Inside” starts slowly, quite mysteriously…and then BAM – Danny opens a door to an exciting melodic rock world, you just can’t escape from (& you don’t want to). The energizing “Lay Your Body Down” is a personal favorite and how can it not be!? The atmospheric “Standing Alone” is a gorgeous ballad, often forgotten or misunderstood, despite the enormous amount of emotions it holds within itself.
And it goes on and on…
If this album doesn’t send butterflies through your stomach, then you clearly need to listen again and listen better! I highly recommend it to any rock fan out there who appreciates great music and doesn’t necessarily judge it by the number of sales.
Many turbulent situations came after this album, including the departure of bass player Jimi Kennedy and eventually vocalist Danny Vaughn; However, in 2016 the band came back with a new album, titled “REACH“, once again fronted by Danny. They are still alive and kicking, celebrating a career of over 25 years! If that doesn’t convince you to check them out, then I don’t know what will…
Enjoy the tracks and let me know what you think!
“Forever Young”
“Wings”
“Burning Down Inside”
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The publication expresses my personal opinion and in no way is trying to make a generalized statement. Please be kind and considerate when you read and/or comment.
Cheers~
MY ROCK MIXTAPES 