Hearing Double

What began as a journeyman's conglomeration of Limeys and Yanks, Foreigner fused musically into a formidable contender in the late 70's Rock arena amongst giants like Kiss, Boston, and Cheap Trick.

But one can't possibly begin to fathom Foreigner's claim to fame, without first focusing on their spotlight-grabbing eponymous debut album from 1977, with AOR
gems such as "Feels Like The First Time" and the now-classic "Cold As Ice."

Fast forward a year later, and Foreigner are up to their old tricks with the sophomore release Double Vision, which not only showcased more of the same svelte corporate rock, featuring equal parts flash, and muscular vocals and guitar riffs that pulsated, evident in the fever pitch frenzy of "Hot Blooded," which seethed and sizzled with atonal leads from Foreigner leader Mick Jones. Even the title track, with its snappy start-stop verses, left us all cross-eyed, yet painless.

Throw in some album cuts ("Blue Morning, Blue Day") that need not pander to an AOR Program Director's taste, most notably the should've-been-a-hit "Back Where You Belong," and some bittersweet ballads (singer Jones' "You're All I Am" and the sentimental "I Have Waited So Long") and an instrumental ("Tramontane") for good measure, and you've got the perfect foil for an AOR classic.

They're not bloody tourists.. they're Foreigner.