Bangin' Explained

Bangin' is the second album by the English pop rock band the Outfield, released in 1987.^{[2] [3]} It yielded the top 40 hit, "Since You've Been Gone". The album also contained two other singles, "No Surrender" and "Bangin' on My Heart". "Bangin' on My Heart" reached number 40 on the Billboard rock chart. The album was certified gold by the RIAA. The band supported the album with a North American tour.

Critical reception

The St. Petersburg Times wrote: "The Outfield specializes in what you could call an early '80s American Sound... It's music by recipe: You take hyper-macho hard rock and tone it down so it will appeal to the over-17 set."^[4] USA Today called the band a "middleweight, pop-rock group."^[5] The Los Angeles Times deemed them "nice, clean Anglo popsters with plenty of teeth in their smiles but none in their music." Newsday opined that some songs "make Bon Jovi sound like innovators, make the Starship seem like a band on the cutting edge."^[6]

Track listing

All songs were written by John Spinks except noted.

1. "Somewhere in America" – 4:12
2. "Bangin' on My Heart" – 3:57
3. "No Surrender" – 4:47
4. "Moving Target" – 4:18
5. "Long Way Home" (John Spinks, Rick DiFonzo) – 4:22
6. "Playground" – 4:59
7. "Alone with You" – 3:17
8. "Main Attraction" – 3:54
9. "Better Than Nothing" – 4:04
10. "Since You've Been Gone" – 4:46

Personnel

The Outfield

• Tony Lewis – vocals, bass guitar
• John Spinks – guitar, vocals
• Alan Jackman – drums

Additional personnel

• Frank Callaghan – additional vocals
• Peter Wood – synthesizers on Track 7
• The Filth Sisters – synthesizers on Track 3
• Dee Long – synthesizer programming

Notes and References

1. Web site: RIAA.
2. News: Rosen . Craig . Sophomore Jinx Often Blights Bands That Debut with a Smash . Sun-Sentinel . 23 Aug 1987 . 12J.
3. News: Outfield guitarist says band got picky on album . Austin American-Statesman . 10 Sep 1989 . Show World . 7.
4. News: Wamsley . Annelise . The Outfield is knocking; will we let them in? . St. Petersburg Times . 26 June 1987 . 3D.
5. News: Milward . John . Popular . USA Today . 2 July 1987 . 4D.
6. News: Robins . Wayne . The Outfield Bangin' . Newsday . 6 Sep 1987 . Part II . 35.