DVD / ALBUM REVIEW: Foreigner – Double Vision with The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

If you’re honest with yourself there really are few Rock bands out there that really pull off the whole ‘symphonic’ make-over, though some obviously fare better than others. After giving this new release a spin it’s clear that Foreigner are one of those bands whose catalogue fits that particular style of make-over like a glove.

With 9 studio albums, 6 live albums, 20 compilation albums, and 47 singles behind them and 80million plus sales there’s no doubting that Foreigner are a huge band with a huge legacy, though in their 40 plus years this century has seen just one studio album (though 5 live albums and a staggering 16 compilations).

The issue some may have with this release and Foreigner in 2018 in general is simply the fact that only Mick Jones actually created any of this music on display here,  and that coupled with the fact that nothing makes it here from the 2009 album ‘Can’t Slow Down’ that current members Pilson and Hansen did play on seems to firmly paint them into the ‘heritage act’ corner.

Now normally authenticity and a fair quota of original members sways me in a certain direction but when you watch this show it’s hard to knock the sheer musicianship and quality of the performers whatever their musical heritage. After all in mist books Kelly Hansen’s 13 years with the band and Jeff Pilson’s 14 years is a fair slice of a musical life.

So if you want another dose of ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’, ‘Cold As Ice’, ‘Waiting For A Girl Like You’, ‘Hot Blooded’, ‘Juke Box Hero’ and 9 other classic tracks then these timeless anthems may just continue to rock your world.

Playing for the first time with an orchestra this release sees Foreigner fire up all their hits with a 58 ensemble and a 60-piece choir to boot. Recorded live with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus in May 2017, when the band performed two sold-out shows in Lucerne, Switzerland, together with conductor Ernst van Tiel.

As Mick Jones said: “I could never have imagined when I set out to create Foreigner 40 years ago, that we’d still be touring around the world and performing the music we love all these years later. Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer’s orchestral arrangements have shown us a new symphonic dimension of our music, which I hope our fans will enjoy.”

Musically stunning, visually beautifully shot this is ones for the fans who have lived with the music all these years.

FOREIGNER are: Mick Jones (guitar), Kelly Hansen (lead vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass, vocals), Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitar) and Chris Frazier (drums)

FOREIGNER WITH THE 21st CENTURY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

CD Tracklist
1. Overture
2. Blue Morning, Blue Day
3. Cold As Ice
4. Waiting For A Girl Like You
5. Say You Will
6. When It Comes To Love
7. That Was Yesterday
8. Feels Like The First Time
9. Starrider
10. Double Vision
11. Fool For You Anyway
12. Urgent
13. Juke Box Hero
14. I Want To Know What Love Is

DVD Tracklist
1. Overture
2. Blue Morning, Blue Day
3. Cold As Ice
4. Waiting For A Girl Like You
5. Head Games
6. When It Comes To Love
7. Say You Will
8. The Flame Still Burns
9. That Was Yesterday
10. Juke Box Hero
11. Starrider
12. Double Vision
13. Fool For You Anyway
14. Hot Blooded
15. Urgent
16. Feels Like The First Time
17. I Want To Know What Love Is

DOUBLE-VINYL Tracklist
Side One: 1. Overture / 2. Blue Morning, Blue Day  / 3. Cold As Ice  / 4. Waiting For A Girl Like You

Side Two: 1. Double Vision / 2. When It Comes To Love / 3. Say You Will / 4. That Was Yesterday

Side Three: 1. Urgent / 2. Juke Box Hero

Side Four: 1. Starrider / 2. Feels Like The First Time / 3. I Want To Know What Love Is

FOREIGNER Release Video For Double Vision From Foreigner With The 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Live Recording Set For Release On April 27 via earMusic

PRE ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW
http://smarturl.it/ForeignerAU