Search - Highway Chile :: Rockarama

Finally, a vintage Highway Chile album on CD!

Justin Gaines | Northern Virginia | 03/28/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was psyched to finally see an old Highway Chile album officially released on CD. I had heard great things about Highway Chile, but was never able to track down any of their albums until now. The Dutch band's sound - at least on this album - was a somewhat heavy style of melodic rock that's about halfway between Honeymoon Suite and Pretty Maids.



Originally released in 1985, Rockarama was the band's third album, and the first to feature Sav Pearce (ex-Marseille) on vocals. The album has a great sound that could only have come together in 1985 - great guitar hooks, catchy melodies and plenty of keyboards, but none of the hair metal sleaze that would soon take over the scene. It's the kind of feel-good party rock that made the mid 1980's so much fun.



If you're a fan of the mid 80's melodic rock sound, particularly bands like Honeymoon Suite, Pretty Maids, Bonfire and Virginia Wolf, you're going to want to grab a copy of Rockarama, especially now that the album is readily available again.



NOTE: Wounded Bird reissued Rockarama in 2008, the first time the album has been officially released on CD. Like all WB reissues, the liner notes are sparse and there are no bonus tracks. I have to wonder, though, if the album has been digitally remastered. I know WB doesn't usually do that, but the album sounds unusually loud and clear. Hopefully they can get the rest of the early Highway Chile catalogue back in print."