Head Games (Bonus Track Edition)

This is a great album! I used to think that “4” was their greatest body of work, but I’ve changed my mind. Admittedly this album is a slow burn- it was for me as well- but it only gets better as you listen to it repeatedly. You will fall in love with it! It is diverse for them, with cleverly crafted songs with amazing vocals and under appreciated guitar work. What you may at first try to dismiss as “filler” will probably surprise you and become your new favorite songs if you stop comparing them to the more polished “hits” from the more widely known later albums. Put this in and go for a good drive or run and it will make you glad you did.

Three tracks are standouts on this 1979 LP: “Dirty White Boy,” “Head Games,” and Rev On the Red Line.” The rest feel like flat filler and this is coming from me, a HUGE fan of Lou Gramm’s voice. Lou thinks the LPs sales were negatively affected by the more conservative markets shunning the risqué cover (one of my favorites) but I think it’s mostly due to the fact that they needed at least one more top-notch hit on this LP with the other remaining tracks to be at least a little better.

I am a huge Foreigner fan, Lou Gramm is what made Foreigner One of my favorite bands, he is an excellent singer with an excellent Voice but my opinion personally on this album I scale of 1 to 10 is about a 4, I have the vinyl of this album and I do like a couple songs but the rest of the album is just not is good as 4 or double vision but still this album is something to get a shot on.

Then they paired the group down, started adding drum machines, and got commercial, and sappy.

This is one of my all time favorite albums! I love head games and rev on the red line.

What a great album. I still have the vinyl and played the hell out of it when I was a kid. Funny to listen to now, because compared to MP3 quality it's pretty bad with all the pops and hisses. If you are a fan of the band this album is a must. I still play this on the iPhone all the time.

Used to have this cassette, love this album!!

It doesn't surprise me much that Head Games wasn't as successful sales-wise as Foreigner and Double Vision, as it doesn't exactly stand out as far as the mood or sound. In other words, it sounds sort of like a thrown together cross between their first two records. In spite of this tendency throughout the album, it still is good in a different way than the previous two records. It is still full of solid album tracks, and a couple of strong singles, but perhaps because of the presence of a couple of obvious fillers, the lack of a standout hit single, and the lack of originality the album failed to generate the rave reviews of the first two Foreigner albums. Here is my song-by-song breakdown of the album: 1. Dirty White Boy. The album's obvious best song. Just a stellar, driving track. The lyrics are also quite funny. 9.5/10 2. Love on the Telephone. A good album track, but not a standout. It sounds a bit too repetitive against some of the band's other desperate pleaing love songs. 8/10. 3. Women. The second standout song on the album. The lyrics are a bit cheesy, but Lou Gramm shows the versatility of his voice, and it is a well written song. 9/10. 4.I'll Get Even With You. The first suspect track. Though it is a decent song, it just doesn't stand out and make itself known. Just Okay. 7.5/10 5. Seventeen. Back on track. A good, solid album track. Love the guitar parts. 9/10. 6. Head Games. The standout ballad on the album. A very catchy song with good keyboard parts, and one of Lou Gramm's best vocal performances. 9.5/10 7. The Modern Day. Falls into the same category as I'll Get Even With You. Just bland, and going through the motions. 7/10. 8. Blinded By Science. The often overlooked gem on the album. A beautiful song with a surprisingly mature and spiritual perspective. Great song.9.5/10. 9. Do What You Like. Another repetitve track. A bit pointless. 7.5/10. 10. Rev on the Red Line. The overlooked rock and roll star on the album. The chorus is very listenable and catchy. The only problem is that it sounds like a beefed up version of Head Games, so I only give it 8.5/10. 11. Zalia. I like the mellow mood of this song, but it is a bit boring. It sounds like it would just put me to sleep. But it is a great song if you want to relax. 8.5/10.

Playing this over and over. Good memories, good tunes.