Young Lions is as solid an album as
Adrian Belew had put out in some time, including his work with
the Bears. Apparently, the relative chart success he had with his last effort fueled the desire for another single, and no less a luminary than former employer
David Bowie was brought in to write and duet with
Belew on "Pretty Pink Rose" (they even did a video to support it). While that song and "Gunman" (the pair's second collaboration on the album) are little more than a reprise of
Bowie's work with
Tin Machine, they clearly relieve
Belew from having to scrap together all the material himself. Leaning on a not-too-distant
King Crimson standard, "Heartbeat," and
the Traveling Wilburys' "Not Alone Anymore" leaves
Belew holding the bag for an even half-dozen originals, which reduces the filler ratio that plagued some of his earlier efforts. From the energetic opener, "Young Lions," to the Motown-inspired "Looking for a U.F.O.,"
Belew comes up with some off-center
pop/rock songs that hold up under inspection. His work with
the Bears had smoothed out the guitarist's rough edges, but on his own,
Belew is more nimble and quirky, as "Men in Helicopters" and "Small World" demonstrate. Like Mr. Music Head before it, Young Lions presents
Belew's assets in a very palatable package. Despite the lack of a real standout single,
Belew's one-man performance on Young Lions is worth hearing. ~ Dave Connolly, All Music Guide
