That's just too much information. I'm outta here. I've Got Inside Information That Foreigner's Reign is Over Overall Album Score: 5.4 out of 10 It was 1987 ... and Foreigner was growing as dull as ever! However, by such a late year in the 1980's pretty much every pop act was growing stale. They grow more boring by the bar. And, if you feel rabid toward late-80s AOR (and most people are), then this is a textbook example of something you should stay away from. By the 90s, Foreigner was absolutely nothing. In 1987, they were still certified pop stars. But once the S.S. Nirvana came chugging by, they suddenly became like forgotten shadows. When this album, Inside Information was released, it hit #15. Their 1991 follow-up, Unusual Heat only charted at #115! So ... what can I say to a band who is wallowing at the end of its era! Well, Foreigner. You who has been on top of the charts for an entire decade. I always thought you sucked, but there was always some talent leaking through those power-chords. Although, you never really had any songwriting talent. It was all pretty much dull, derivative blah. (And this album might be Foreigner at their most blahbbyness.) Inside Information is an album of appropriate quality, I'll admit! Foreigner started off AWFUL but slowly built up to what I suppose ended up being their best album (Head Games) and then they slowly faded back into awfulness. Foreigner albums are a perfect example of a bell-curve!) On this album, pretty much everything on here except for "Say You Will" is typical late-80's AOR. Banal, cocky, ... the vocals show supreme skill and might be falsely construed as passionate, yet they're cold and emotionless. Such was the situation of all arena pop music back then! I do not have access to anymore Foreigner albums, so we'll have to leave it at this for now! Until then ... Fare thee well, Monsieur Foreignére! Overall Album Score: 5.4 out of 10 (Typical late 80s garbage that I'd rather just forget about. Thank you. Foreigner's last stand wasn't a very good one.) Average Song Score: 6.1 (Mostly, the only reason this score is being kept above the water is because the songs were well-performed and well-polished. But the actual quality of the songwriting is very poor, except for one track.) Album Tilt: 5.0 (Zzzzzzzzz...) Artist Rating: 5.0 (Foreigner is going down farther and farther and farther and farther, etc.) Track Reviews Heart Turns to Stone 7/10 This is pretty good for late-80s rock, I must say. However, it is quite banal! There is a melody, but there aren't any impressive hooks anywhere. It's listenable. It doesn't make me groan. But it doesn't life my spirits, either. Um ... my heart has turned to stone. Can't Wait 5/10 Ah... now here's dull & banal late-80s Foreigner when they're not being entertaining. Oh blah. It's typical garbage of the 80s that I'm betting people even ignored back then. The 5 is because it was professionally performed and it doesn't make me want to rip out my hair or anything. Say You Will 9/10 If you're going to call anything in this album a classic, then this is your baby. The hooks are strong, the song is late-80s in the best possible sense of the term, and it wouldn't be entirely unwelcome on my radio. So, folks! Take it right here or leave it! Mid tempoed, the drums are loud, the synths are semi-stylin' (though not as stylin' as the pop guys used to be earlier in this decade), it's polished in its hard rock glory ... not an awful experience. I Don't Want to Live Without You 5/10 It's exactly like every soft ballad I've ever heard on the boring late 80s adult contemporary radio. Pale Foreigner gets even paler. Counting Every Minute 6.5/10 Okay, I have a new rule for this band: No more stinky ballads. This track at least has a good rhythm section that'll at least make you want to tap your feet (possibly). It might be dull, it might even be obnoxious, but after those soft ballads, I don't give a crap! ("Counting Every Minute" ... now that's an opportunity for a good pun!) Inside Information 6.5/10 Man, boys! Where's the ORIGINALITY! I know you were never original and you were always unrelenting trend-followers, but THIS IS THE LATE 80s! I never cared about your lemming ways until this moment ... holy geez. At least it isn't a soft ballad ... and it's not even obnoxious. The melody is less catchy, though. The Beat of My Heart 4.5/10 Oh ......... Foreigner really tries to get gritty and dirty here ... and they never sounded more tired. I'm getting tired, too. ...Zzzzzzzzz... (What is this track doing exceeding the five-minute mark, anyway? What a waste of time!) Face to Face 5.5/10 Look! I'm trying to be nice! I recognize the skills ... I even get faint signals that there might be hooks here as well. But this is just DULL. I'm guessing that Foreigner is having thoughts about leaving the country. Out of the Blue 5/10 Another slow love ballad?!?! Apparently my "rule" for Foreigner just went in one ear and right out the other. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn! ...only one more to ....... go ........ Night to Remember 7/10 Well, at least Foreigner closes their album with an entertaining song. It's like every other faced paced song on here ... except, of course, it's entertaining. Oh man ... I need to sleep ... Excuse me for a couple hours, please. Do you happen to have any inside information or opinions about this album? Send your ideas here!

All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence. He has a lot of inside information.