Spellbound (Swe / Uppsala) - Rockin' Reckless / On The Prowl (1986)

"Rockin' Reckless" is a re-mixed version of the one on the bands album 'Rockin' Reckless (1985)'.
"On The Prowl" is a previously unreleased song from 1984 (unique for this single).

Review from the 7" sleeve.
I'm Spellbound! and the wand-waving wizards behind this hard rock hocus-pocus? why, Spellbound, of course - a swanky set of sparkling Swedish sorcerers who have just conjured up a cauldron of magical, molten Metal called 'Rockin' Reckless'. And if that sounds like a potion to be quaffed by the pint, read on...

OK, OK, enough of this journalistic gibberish, let's talk about the band, and more importantly, the album, for this Scandinavian outfit do seem to be perfectly capable of creating a decent future for themselves in thiz biz. So what's so good about them? Well, as with Baby Tuckoo (to whom I also dealt KKKK½ - see last issue), there's nothing incredible or revolutionary about Spellbound, it's just that they've captured the essence of good quality hard rock and refined it for their own use in a way which immediately endears them to you. You couldn't claim this album to be the best or most original of the year but by the same token you certainly couldn't argue with the fact that it elevates Spellbound into rock's higher brackets. What I particluarly like about 'Rockin' Reckless' is the way lead vocalist Hans Fröberg & Co have balanced the heavier, harder material with the lighter, softer stuff in a way which is neither detrimental to the album nor uncomfortable for the band. "Shot of Love" at the end of Side One is a sentimental slowie with even a snip of sax, but far from being "the obligatory ballad" it is in face one of the album's best trax (in my opinion); a vinyl indication that Spellbound can easily exceed the usual  boundaries of hard rock if need be. Another outstanding track that benefits from being a little different is "Mistreated Heart", midway through Side Two. Featuring both acoustic and electric guitars, it's a mixture of tempos and moods, and blessed with some dazzling lead guitar work it eventually builds into a blinder (G. Barton, 1985). And to finish with, the short, piano-based "Sing Goodbye" makes for a pleasant change from the rock'n roll norm, too. But if I've given the impression that 'Rockin' Reckless' doesn't rock recklessly - perish the thought! Seven out of the ten trax on this album kick and punch like a cornered skinhead, rocking you along with riffs 'n' rhythms to spare. There's the title track with it's classical intro - a typically exuberant opener - the single, 'My Kinda Girl', which is wonderfully commercial without sounding out of place, "Love On The Run" and "Drinking Alone", a tough, mean sonofabitch that'll drag you to your kneed. On Side Two there's more fluorescent guitar colouring, more choruses to hang your coat on in the shape of "Street Prowler", "Dying For Your Touch" and "Heat It Up" and by the time you reach the surprising "Sing Goodbye" you'd have to be a tough nut to crack (or a dead terrapin) to remain unimpressed. Congratulations must go mainly to Fröberg (who wrote all the material - being helped on "Drinking Alone" and "Dying For Your Touch" by Al Strandberg and JJ Marsh respectively) and producer Vic Maile, though for their accomplished guitar work I couldn't possibly leave out special mentions for Strangberg and Marsh (especially Strandberg, who also makes many effective keyboard contributions), and neither could I forget the rhythm team of Thompson (bass) and Ola Strandberg (drums), who also do a worthy job. This album is a cracker - with a message inside which reads: "Buy Me!" - Mark Putterford, KERRANG!