User Profile
Rob Dwyer
Currently the "Tour Dates Guru" for Black-Sabbath.com, I was also the webmaster and creator of Sabbathlive.com. I have been playing guitar and writing music criticism since age 10. While I was raised on a heavy diet of Heavy Metal, Prog Rock & New Wave, my voracious appetite for music has made me open to music of numerous genres. I strive to be honest, but also judicious and fair in my musical reviews, while trying to avoid being too hateful.
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Rob Dwyer's Album Reviews
It's taken me years to make peace with 90125. Upon its release in 1983, I felt very disappointed about the overtly commercial direction they'd chosen to take. Their earlier records were fairly uncompromising affairs that would sometimes yield radio hits as if by accident. This was more calculated approach let me and many other old Yes fans feeling suspicious about the band's future trajectory and intent. The sudden overexposure of their new material via MTV and FM radio at the time only added to my feeling of unease with this album.
30+ years later, my opinion of this contentious anomaly has softened a great deal, especially when considering the inconsistent quality of the albums that followed. I think it's also important to set aside direct comparisons against their earlier work, since this lineup was clearly a new animal with a somewhat different agenda. Trevor Horn's production is truly amazing here and most of these songs contain instantly memorable hooks. The band always possessed a very distinctive style of harmonizing their voices and this is showcased on 90125 more than ever. And while the three closing tracks aren't quite as compelling as their hits, I wouldn't consider any one of them to be throwaways. With my expectations a bit re-calibrated, I can appreciate how superbly executed this album was.
30+ years later, my opinion of this contentious anomaly has softened a great deal, especially when considering the inconsistent quality of the albums that followed. I think it's also important to set aside direct comparisons against their earlier work, since this lineup was clearly a new animal with a somewhat different agenda. Trevor Horn's production is truly amazing here and most of these songs contain instantly memorable hooks. The band always possessed a very distinctive style of harmonizing their voices and this is showcased on 90125 more than ever. And while the three closing tracks aren't quite as compelling as their hits, I wouldn't consider any one of them to be throwaways. With my expectations a bit re-calibrated, I can appreciate how superbly executed this album was.
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