TNA: TNA

Rating: 8/10

Label: Eonian Records 2011

Review by Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

The eighties 'big hair', spandex, leopard and zebra print leggings are coming at ya' at full swing on this spanking good debut album. TNA - we all know what the acronym stands for and it's certainly not the tattooed belly as seen on the cover of their CD. They are a fine 'Sleaze' act though, "Dirty Love", for instance, a rocking KIX/Dirty Looks-like song of the hairspraying kind and era that came with ozone layered skies. Oh, those were the days!!?? Pre-Al Gore and you merely had to fight off Mrs. Gore (Tipper) as she used to hang around backstage at each and every hardrock concert (darn groupie).

TNA from Memphis, Tennessee, started out in approx: 1985, a revolving door of musicians, including Todd Poole who aduditioned for the drummer slot before moving on as the front-man for Roxy Blue. Influenced by everyone from Kiss and Aerosmith to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, the band focused on delivering heavy hitting riffs and eventually landing a deal with Ardent Studios in 1988. They also hired Elton John's (???) entertainment attorney and declined several agency offers for various reasons. In other words, they sort of fumble and thus why you haven't heard about these guys outside of Tennesee. You may however recognize guitarist Wayne Swinny for his later work for major label island/DefJam recording artist: Saliva.

Yep, it's a retrospective release by Eonion Records and all songs were recording between 1989 and 1990 at the Ardent Studios (Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Allman Brothers, etc). The attitude is all groove and hair. The first track is titled, "All Nite Long", and the music speak of husky vocals and rough melodic hardrock in the vein of Kix, Cinderella, and Dirty Looks. Nothing too fancy, spectacular or out of the ordinary program, simply just fun eighties rock with a straight arrangement and one helluva groove. Next up, Bump & Grind", do I really need to spell this out? This formula continues on "Don't Look Back" and "Hard Way". The album drops its rough attitude for the 'at the time' typical mainstream 'power ballad' sound on "Don't Fade Away" and consequently becomes more about Poison and Mötley Crue than ever before on this record. What weakness there are may have something to do with a similar approach and sound to several other bands of the genre and style. Nontheless, TNA does impress with their energetic attitude and material. It's only rock'n roll - but I like it !!! Recommended.

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