Mechanical Resonance

Sacramento's oddly named Tesla took the side door to '80s hard rock success, sneaking up on the charts and general public with their rock-solid debut, Mechanical Resonance. An interesting case of compromise, the album is clearly split into two quite different halves. The first (obviously intended for easy radio-friendly consumption) is chock-full of throwaway, often clichéd arena anthems, like "Ez Come, Ez Go," "Cumin' Atcha Live," and "Rock Me to the Top," which offer few surprises but plenty of dumb testosterone. And though they do manage to sneak a little intelligence into the gritty strut of "Gettin' Better" and the bluesy balladry of "We're No Good Together," the band's true talents are saved for the album's second half, which quickly reveals an altogether more mature and accomplished group. It also properly introduces ace guitarist Frank Hannon, who takes charge with quiet assertiveness and establishes himself as the band's creative force and de facto leader on "Modern Day Cowboy." An epic of Led Zeppelin-like class and complexity, the song's highly technical and slightly lopsided main riff is so irresistible, nothing could keep it from becoming one of the most unexpected hits of the year. Another of the band's biggest early hits, "Changes," is next; introduced by a piano melody of striking beauty, it sets the stage for the delightful swagger and acoustic strums of "Little Suzi." And as a double parting shot, the band reveals even more weapons from their arsenal with the odd rhythms and clever economy of "Cover Queen" and the mysteriously moody "Before My Eyes." Overall, Mechanical Resonance offers a remarkably mature first glance at one of the most underappreciated American rock bands of its time.