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Album Reviews

 AMERICAN MADE

 

    The Oak Ridge Boys were on top of the world, on top of the charts and selling out arenas.  Every thing was going their way.  The fans couldn't get enough of them, which is usually a good thing.  The only problem is the record company wants to deliver more new music as soon as possible.  When the record making process is rushed, there tends to not be adequate time to find the best songs available. This fact was evident in American Made. While there are stellar moments on this platter such as 'American Made', 'Love Song' and the brilliant and often overlooked 'I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today', there is some genuine filler material here. Songs like 'Amity' and the silly 'Down The Hall' do nothing to improve this record. 

    All in all this is a quality album. Despite pressures from the record company to deliver new music before the time, the sheer talent of the Oak Ridge Boys improves the quality regardless and makes the highlights here really shine.



 Outstanding Cuts: American Made, Love Song, Heart On The Line, I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today
 Cut Outs: Amity, Down The Hall, Any Old Time You Choose
                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                          ---Edward Wille

 


    Granted this album has some blatantly country songs ("American Made," "Amity"), but it also is a sign of the Oaks testing the waters of the pop scene with some less country-sounding material. The first track, "Love Song," features a full horn line, and "Down The Hall" could've easily snuck into the A/C charts. The only shame is that MCA was real big on MORE product (between 1981 and 1984, the Oaks released FIVE albums, only one of which contained previously-released material). This was one of the albums, I think, that suffered from that sandwich, with the Oaks being unable to really give it the time it deserved.

                                                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                             ---Kyle Boreing