I want those who get to know me to become admirers or my ene
Jason Stein | San Diego, CA United States | 02/03/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"By 1982 Adam Ant had ditched his band The Ants and gone solo. "Friend Or Foe" was his first solo album and probably his best. Following off the mega-success of his previous album "Prince Charming", he and Marco, the only band member he kept, came up with another brilliantly catchy and fun album. Again, in America, unfortunately only "Goody Two Shoes" hit the top 40. There are other greats here, and again, like "Prince Charming", not a wasted note. "Friend Or Foe", "Place In The Country", "Desperate But Not Serious", "Here Comes The Grump", a cover of The Doors' "Hello I Love You", "Crackpot History And The Right To Lie" are all great!
Besides the original 12 tracks you also get an overwhelming 12 bonus tracks, most of which are demo versions of album tracks and forgettable. There's not much difference between the Chris Hughes mix of "Goody Two Shoes" and the original. "Coup d'Etat" was only okay. "And So You Shall" as a demo is funny and shows promise. It's too bad it didn't make a final version. "Yellowbeard" is average fare, same with "I Know They Know" and "Gargoyles Are A Go". "Good Sex Rumples The Clothing" is actually amusing and catchy though it sounds like a blueprint for "Crackpot History And The Right To Lie".
Again, the lyrics come with the booklet and the graphic design and artwork ties in nicely with the other remasters in this series. All in all, another great album!"
Decent Remaster, Revelatory Demos
Richard L. Jacobs | Roseville, CA United States | 09/10/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"OK - so I like Adam Ant. I have since I first heard Dirk Wears White Sox back in college. So I decided to try this out as my first Ant CD (I'd previously just dumped the vinyl to digital). It's a good remaster - nothing to jump up and down about, but clearer than my friend's official US copy. And the demos - as curiousity pieces, they're a lot of fun. And boy, the guy has a rotten voice without all of the processing. I thought that when I saw him live in the '80's - now it's confirmed. All in all, if you like his stuff (and I still do), go for it (and the Kings of the Wild Frontier remaster is even better...)."
"Nobody's Perfect, So Leave Me if You Object."
The Groove | Boston, MA | 05/17/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Following three albums and UK domination, Adam Ant disbanded his band the Ants and released 1982's "Friend or Foe," which he self-produced with former Ant Marco Pirroni. This is also the album that made Adam a star in America, where "Friend or Foe" hit gold and its single, "Goody Two Shoes," hit Number Twelve on the Billboard chart. The album stays true to the formula of other Ant albums: relentless tribal drumming, twangy guitars, catchy melodies, and playfully goofy lyrics. He seems a bit jaded by the downside of fame, taking jabs at rude journalists ("Desperate But Not Serious"), materialistic groupies ("Made of Money"), and nitpicky critics ("Friend or Foe"). There are no real duds on the album, although his cover of the Doors' "Hello, I Love You" remains questionable and doesn't quite hold up to the original. Digitally remastered, "Friend or Foe" sounds better than ever, and the packaging comes with lyrics and rare photos. Many of the bonus tracks, however, were negligible to this critic's ears, though "Coup D'Etat" and "Sex Rumples the Clothing" stood out. If you have the prior edition of "Friend or Foe" on CD, you can safely toss it out the window and make the upgrade by getting this disc."
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1
