Geordie

After watching former singer Brian Johnson strike it rich with AC/DC, 70's relics Geordie speedily reformed in a blatant but understandable attempt to capitalize. Never mind that nearly a decade had passed since the band's last effort, 1976's Save the World; for most children of the 80's Geordie may as well have been a brand new concern, and 1983's No Sweat gave nothing away by peddling the sort of commercial hard rock that dominated the era. The opening title track does model itself on a suspiciously familiar (if hardly patented) AC/DC riff, but to Geordie's credit, new singer "Doctor" Rob Turnbull's cleaner vocal delivery sounds nothing like Brian Johnson, being more reminiscent of Saxon's Biff Byford, if anyone. Ensuing first single "This Time" also dispels any worries of an all-out cop-job with its totally un-AC/DC-like pop sensibilities, but, along with efficient but unspectacular entries such as "Hungry" and "Oh No!" (mixing electric and acoustic guitars in a way that's pure UFO), also fails to contribute anything remotely original in terms of songwriting. Slightly better are "Move Away," "Time to Run" and "Rock & Roll," which at least contain catchy choruses to go with their rampant clichés and an effective AOR sheen redolent of Foreigner. Wrapping things up, closer "We make it Rock" doesn't awe or offend, and that about says it all for No Sweat and Geordie themselves. Fans of the group's original incarnation may find something of interest here, but others will simply come to understand why the band never made it that big in the first place. And AC/DC fans, don't waste your time. [No Sweat was later re-issued with four bonus tracks -- all of them BBC Sessions of regular album tracks taped a year earlier, in 1982.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide