Disco de Cher: “Black Rose”

Black Rose is well worth buying if you are a fan of Cher, it certainly is one of the only CD's by her that is all rock music. Perhaps though, if you are just looking for a good album by her, then it may be better to look elsewhere at some of her more typical pop/rock music. Black rose proves that Cher can rock just as well as some other artists, but her voice is more suited, in my opinion, to songs leaning more towards pop, such as those found in "Believe."

Cher really does rock hard on this GREAT 1980 release recorded under the band name BLACK ROSE. Every track is good or great & clearly shows that Cher had wanted to sing in a rock band because she shows another facet of her talents here. Many fine songs like 88 DEGREES about a rock singer trying to make it in LA, YOUNG & PRETTY - a great rock ballad with super production, and the energetic rocker duet YOU KNOW IT with guitarist Les Dudek, plus the rocking opener NEVER SHOULD'VE STARTED which sets this pace for this fine album.

I had always wanted this album on CD, and while this is basically just a different front cover with the music [ and no credits at all , so packaging is nothing ], this budget import is a godsend! It's the music that matters here, and this is some of the best music Cher has made in her career. It illustrates her love of rock music , and it came 7 years before her rock phase with the Geffen label which resulted in her many latter day hits. These songs here are just as good, if not better. Somehow they seem more honestly Cher too.

I think the re-release of this August 21, 1980 album still stands up today. True talent like Cher's never diminishes over time. Originally released simply as "BLACK ROSE" without fanfare that Cher was the lead singer of this new rock group, they really should have gone further. I think Casablanca Records was going through a transition at the time and really dropped the ball on this one. It simply wasn't promoted. (Cher made up for it in the late 80s thru the 90s with her own rock success.) The band really rocks...tremendously talented musicians made up this band with Toto players also on hand for seasoning (David Paich, & Steve Porcaro) and production lead by James Newton Howard. The songs are really good and memorable. The overall production values are excellent. Be happy it's been made available on CD. A must-have for Cher fans!

I really love a couple cuts here, as they are good for the genre of power pop rock. "Julie "is a real "bad girl" cut, and "You Know it", with Les Dudek is a winner, but all in all Cher is more appreciated in ballads. Even "Young and Pretty", is not up to the best of Cher. It's worth a listen, but thank god Cher is not Joan Jett.

These songs (the rest are throw-away, especially 88 Degrees): Take It From the Boys: 2 stars. You know it: 3 stars. Young and Pretty: 2 1/2 stars. Fast Company: 3 stars.