Band:	Danger Danger
Album:	Danger Danger
Style:	Glam metal, Hard rock
Release date:	June 1989

01. Naughty Naughty
02. Under The Gun
03. Saturday Nite
04. Don't Walk Away
05. Bang Bang
06. Rock America
07. Boys Will Be Boys
08. One Step From Paradise
09. Feels Like Love
10. Turn It On
11. Live It Up

Ever watch those documentaries about the death of hair metal and the glam scene in general? Those few people who don't point the finger squarely at the flannel-bedecked grunge bands often refer to the scene playing itself out and becoming derivative of itself? Well, if you want a good example of what they're referring to, then feast your ears upon Danger Danger.

Ah, entering the glam scene just as the cracks were starting to become harder to dismiss, Danger Danger released their self-titled debut album Danger Danger just at the time the scene was reaching its heights; unfortunately for those involved, it would serve to be the tip of the roller coaster that had finished climbing and was ready to descend at a high speed.

So does this mean this is a bad album? Well it depends what you're looking when going into this album; if you want an example of an album that merits itself on its artistic contribution and offers a unique take on glam metal then you will be sorely disappointed, as much of what Danger Danger do has been done several times before by this point. If you go into this just wanting something fun to listen to then you are in luck; it may not be much more than another entry into the glam scene but dammit if it isn't a fun addition. If you enjoy cheesy music then pick up a pair of headphones because you just hit a goldmine.

"Under The Gun" sounds like someone strapped a rocket to a Journey track and rode that thing to the limit, taking you along with it before it explodes and leaves you floating on air. "Saturday Nite" does its best to try to keep your feet off the floor and while you do fall somewhat closer to terra firma, you haven't quite come back down to Earth yet. In fact it takes until "One Step From Paradise" for you to hit the ground and it's with a thud; while the songs vary on how high they keep you flying they do so with gusto to the extent that for all its shortcomings, it comes round and becomes so bad it's good.

"Rock America" couldn't sound more 80's if it tried, sounding ready-made to be included on the soundtrack to Top Gun or some other overblown Americana film. You can feel your arteries clogging as you listen for all the cheese this song is drenched in; it's a terrible song but one you can't help replay for the sheer fun it is. If you enjoy bands like Reckless Love because it's self-aware but doesn't care because it is there to just let you enjoy yourself, then this track epitomizes this sentiment in a five-minute bundle.

Of course, no glam metal album is complete without the obligatory power ballads, and Danger Danger is no exception, counting among its tracks two ballads in "Don't Walk Away" and "One Step From Paradise". Out of the two, I would say "Don't Walk Away" is the better of the two with its airy keyboards and strings that make it more power pop than another dime-a-dozen power ballad, a category that the latter track falls into; it's pretty typical for a power ballad and won't leave much of an impression on you.

The other trope that Danger Danger dive headfirst into are the cheesy-as-all-hell lyrics, and boy does this album count some doozies among them. Some good examples being "Welcome to love, welcome to paradise, Isn't it very nice, alright." ("Don't Walk Away"), "Well boys will be boys and they'll always be jerks, and from what she's seen this is how things work" ("Boys Will Boys") and "That dress you're wearing makes you look so cute, naughty, naughty But girl you'd look better in your birthday suit" ("Naughty Naughty"), all of which serve as some of the highlights that will give you a chuckle along the way.

The band's utilization of keyboards gives the band a greater emphasis on the pop side of the scene, focusing more on the saccharine sweet aspect of the genre rather the down and dirty heavier side of the dividing line. Danger Danger venture as far into the pop sound as to come to the point that the intro and chorus to "Bang Bang" sound very similar to Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven Is A Place On Earth". Smith's keyboards create a soft backdrop that cushions the band's sound and gives it a lot of its pop charm; whether you like it depends if you want something heavy or something lightweight.

The rest of the band are good if unremarkable; while the songs are good, as musicians they do little to separate them from the rest of the pack and dwell in the sea of generic.