Lou Gramm - Long Hard Look (1989) LP

1989's Long Hard Look was the second solo album from Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm, and its modest success led him to officially -- but ultimately briefly -- leave the enormously popular band. Long Hard Look is another slice of sleekly professional pop/rock, similar to Gramm's 1987 solo debut, Ready or Not. But whereas Ready or Not rather consistently combined melody with bite (side one specifically), Long Hard Look is spotty. Sonically, the difference between Foreigner and Gramm's solo albums is considerable and can be summed up in one word: warmth. Foreigner's music has a richer guitar, keyboard, and drum sound thanks to guitarist/keyboardist/producer Mick Jones, but Gramm's solo albums are more brittle. The tinny snare drum sound is juiced too high in the mix -- not quite to the threshold of pain, but darn close. Long Hard Look includes the Top Ten hit "Just Between You and Me" and the Top 40 hit "True Blue Love." Both were smooth pop singles, but the latter is the superior tune despite charting lower. Gramm does manage to rock a bit on three songs: "Angel With a Dirty Face," "I'll Come Running," and a cover of Small Faces' "Tin Soldier." The atmospheric "Warmest Rising Sun" is pleasant, and background vocals are contributed by Merry Clayton, best known for her astonishing work on the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter." Other well-known musicians providing assistance on Long Hard Look include guitarist Vivian Campbell (who later worked with Gramm on the one-off Shadow King project), guitarist Nils Lofgren, bass guitarist Pino Palladino, and vocalist Siedah Garrett. Bass guitarist/rhythm guitarist Bruce Turgon later joined Foreigner when Gramm returned to the band and resumed his partnership with Jones.