Nineteen88

’The Rock we play is rudimentary, but the life we live is elementary’.

These are lyrics from Nineteen88’s song (Rock and Roll), found on their latest album The Great American Rock & Roll Spectacle. I include it here because I think it sums up their musical ability quite nicely! The guys in the band play basic, rudimentary Rock and Roll the way it was meant to be played; loud, fast and raucous! There isn’t a virtuoso quality to their music, but there is a Rock and Roll soul that is evident in every note; fans of 80’s bands, especially AC/DC, will appreciate the ability that they have to play music that hits you where you live! This is 'School of Rock' type of stuff! It’s not the notes they play; it’s the attitude behind the notes that makes all the difference!

That being said, I still think that each musician in Nineteen88 does a great job. As frontman/guitarist, Handsome Mick Rowe brings the bravado and the Rock and Roll Horsepower; bassist Max Alpha and drummer Nate Butler provide the back beat, and guitarist Bobby Beamon brings the flash! All elements are necessary, and handled quite well! I was very impressed, and at the same time, incredibly envious of my stepson Adam, who had the chance to see these guys live! Mick gave me a hard time for not being there, but he didn’t have to, because I felt the pain of a missed opportunity quite readily after hearing the CD. Next time, I won’t be so stupid!

Songwriting – 8.5 out of 10
Make no mistake! The Handsome Mick Rowe is a showman! That quality is evident in his singing, and in his songwriting! The lyrics speak of Rock and Roll being an attitude, and not a descriptive term for music. The music reflects that attitude as well, as song after song comes at you in an aural assault that many haven’t encountered for over 20 years! Mick relishes his role as ringmaster of the Rock and Roll Circus, while at the same time, speaking fondly of a time that seemed simpler in the world of music. As a result of this balanced approach, his ‘character’ doesn’t become overpowering; to the contrary, he becomes a singer/songwriter that you identify and celebrate with! I enjoyed the music for these reasons, and so many more! Each song on the album is cool for a different reason, but all of them are cool! Great job, guys!

Sound Quality/Professionalism - 10 out of 10
Above all else, this album sounds incredible! It’s hard to describe the sound that they achieved without babbling on like an idiot; suffice it to say that I haven’t heard an album that impressed me this much sonically since Back in Black, AC/DC’s groundbreaking release in the early 80’s! If that’s what the producer/band/engineer were going for, they did an incredible job! Every instrument sounds incredible, and Mick’s vocals have just the right growl. I don’t know how long it took the band to make this record, but it sounds like it took forever. I’d imagine that I can chalk that up to an incredible ability on the part of each band member to find just the right sound for themselves, and then work with the engineer to translate that to the recorded media. They definitely found the right combination, and made a top quality recording! Again, well done!

Packaging – 9 out of 10
The packaging for The Great American Rock & Roll Spectacle is done well. The cover art makes the CD look like the front and back of a Marshall speaker cab and amp head, while the enclosed booklet has lyric sheets duct taped together like set lists; production credits are also included with a picture of several enthusiastic Nineteen88 fans! I was really happy with the way it looked, and felt that the band did a good job putting the finishing touches on a CD that I would have bought if it was wrapped in a piece of brown paper grocery sack! The packaging definitely adds to the quality of the product, and for that I am happy!

Favorite Tracks
Big Rawk
Play Your Guitar
Rock All Day
U.S.A.
Highway of Rock and Roll

Overall Rating – 9 out of 10
This is, a fun CD to listen to! The Handsome Mick Rowe and Nineteen88 have made an album that all Hard Rock fans will go nuts for! The music celebrates a time that a lot of people my age took very seriously back in the 80’s; now, we all have the good grace to take a step back and have a chuckle at our own expense. And, in the meantime, we can relive good memories!

This is an album packed with Rock Anthems, the likes of which you only typically got to hear once on a record! With a sound reminiscent of AC/DC, Def Leppard (the early years), Autograph, Accept, and the Scorpions, Nineteen88 gave me a feeling that I hadn’t felt in years. No, not a warm rush of nostalgia; a sore neck from head-banging!

It was always my dream to see AC/DC in the height of their careers (late 70’s, early 80’s). I didn’t get to see them, but I had every album they made up to that point, and lived vicariously through those experiences. The Great American Rock & Roll Spectacle gave me that same feeling! Once again, I could picture myself on stage with the band, left foot firmly planted on the stage monitor, pounding away on the bass while hundreds of fans stretched their hands forward in hopes of a high five. This album awakened the Rock and Roll dreamer deep inside me, and for that I am thankful!

If you were/are a fan of 80’s Hard Rock/Heavy Metal, you have to have this record! It is incredibly well-made, and it will allow you to take a step back in time and hear music that you never thought you’d hear again! The Great American Rock & Roll Spectacle is truly possible, and truly worth owning!—Mark Lush, Midwestbands.com, 1/17/05 - Midwest Bands.com