Meat Loaf | ||
 | Album: 1 of 35 Title: Bat Out of Hell Released: 1977-10-21 Tracks: 7 Duration: 46:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (09:49) 2 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 3 Heaven Can Wait (04:41) 4 All Revved Up With No Place to Go (04:19) 5 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 6 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:28) 7 For Crying Out Loud (08:45) |
| Bat Out of Hell : Allmusic album Review : There is no other album like Bat Out of Hell, unless you want to count the sequel. This is Grand Guignol pop -- epic, gothic, operatic, and silly, and its appealing because of all of this. Jim Steinman was a composer without peer, simply because nobody else wanted to make mini-epics like this. And there never could have been a singer more suited for his compositions than Meat Loaf, a singer partial to bombast, albeit shaded bombast. The compositions are staggeringly ridiculous, yet Meat Loaf finds the emotional core in each song, bringing true heartbreak to "Two out of Three Aint Bad" and sly humor to "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." Theres no discounting the production of Todd Rundgren, either, who gives Steinmans self-styled grandiosity a production thats staggeringly big but never overwhelming and always alluring. While the sentiments are deliberately adolescent and filled with jokes and exaggerated clichés, theres real (albeit silly) wit behind these compositions, not just in the lyrics but in the music, which is a savvy blend of oldies pastiche, show tunes, prog rock, Springsteen-esque narratives, and blistering hard rock (thereby sounding a bit like an extension of Rocky Horror Picture Show, which brought Meat Loaf to the national stage). It may be easy to dismiss this as ridiculous, but theres real style and craft here and its kitsch is intentional. It may elevate adolescent passion to operatic dimensions, and thats certainly silly, but its hard not to marvel at the skill behind this grandly silly, irresistible album. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 35 Title: Dead Ringer Released: 1981 Tracks: 8 Duration: 42:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Peel Out (06:32) 2 I’m Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (07:08) 3 More Than You Deserve (06:57) 4 I’ll Kill You If You Don’t Come Back (06:23) 5 Read ’em and Weep (05:27) 6 Nocturnal Pleasure (00:37) 7 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 8 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) |
| Dead Ringer : Allmusic album Review : Although it took Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman another 12 years to come up with the marketing gimmick of positioning an album as a deliberate follow-up to the multi-platinum Bat Out of Hell, Dead Ringer was the real "Bat Out of Hell II." Once again, Steinman wrote extended, operatic songs with hyperbolic lyrics ("Ill Kill You If You Dont Come Back" was one title) and organized a backup band anchored by E Street Band members Max Weinberg (drums) and Roy Bittan (keyboards), while Meat Loaf sang with a passion all the more compelling for its hint of the ridiculous. In the U.S., with four years separating Bat and Dead Ringer, nobody cared much. But in the U.K., where Bat was still going strong, Dead Ringer topped the charts, and the title track, featuring a perfectly cast Cher as duet singer, went Top Ten. In retrospect, the missing ingredient in the album is Todd Rundgrens pop sensibility as producer; he was the one who knew how long the compositions could go for maximum dramatic impact without becoming exhausting. It was Rundgren who made Bat Out of Hell a fiery listening experience -- producing himself, Meat Loaf often sounded only warmed over. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 35 Title: Midnight at the Lost and Found Released: 1983 Tracks: 10 Duration: 36:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Razor’s Edge (04:07) 2 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:30) 3 Wolf at Your Door (04:07) 4 Keep Driving (03:30) 5 The Promised Land (02:46) 6 You Never Can Be Too Sure About the Girl (04:27) 7 Priscilla (03:33) 8 Dont You Look at Me Like That (03:29) 9 If You Really Want To (03:37) 10 Fallen Angel (03:38) |
| Midnight at the Lost and Found : Allmusic album Review : Singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman tried to do without producer Todd Rundgren, who had handled their masterpiece, Bat Out of Hell, on its follow-up, Dead Ringer, and they managed OK. But then Meat Loaf tried to do without Steinman on the third album, Midnight at the Lost and Found, and didnt even come close. Meat Loaf was in typically impassioned form, but the material just didnt scale the heights of Steinmans incredible hubris. The U.S. had long since lost interest, but even in the U.K., where Meat Loaf was loved, the album was a step down commercially. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 35 Title: Bad Attitude Released: 1984 Tracks: 9 Duration: 39:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Bad Attitude (04:46) 2 Modern Girl (04:26) 3 Nowhere Fast (05:13) 4 Surf’s Up (04:26) 5 Piece of the Action (04:16) 6 Jumpin’ the Gun (03:13) 7 Cheatin’ in Your Dreams (04:09) 8 Don’t Leave Your Mark on Me (04:08) 9 Sailor to a Siren (04:41) |
| Bad Attitude : Allmusic album Review : Meat Loaf collects a couple of Jim Steinman songs and he, Paul Jacobs, and Mack work at re-creating the Todd Rundgren production sound for an album of high-voltage rock. (Originally released on Arista Records in the U.K. in October 1984, Bad Attitude was released in the U.S. on RCA Records in April 1985.) | ||
 | Album: 5 of 35 Title: Hits Out of Hell Released: 1984 Tracks: 10 Duration: 57:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (09:49) 2 Read ’em and Weep (05:24) 3 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 4 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 5 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:30) 6 All Revved Up With No Place to Go (04:19) 7 I’m Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (07:08) 8 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 9 Razor’s Edge (04:07) 10 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:28) |
| Hits Out of Hell : Allmusic album Review : Since Meat Loafs Bat Out of Hell album is vastly better than its follow-ups, Dead Ringer and Midnight at the Lost and Found, the idea of doing a hits compilation culling familiar tracks from the three albums is not really a good one. But the second and third albums did feature U.K. hits, and Hits does contain the four key tracks from Bat -- the title track, "Two Out of Three Aint Bad," "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth," and "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." A few tracks from Dead Ringer, notably "Read Em and Weep" and "Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us," are in the same spirit, but the songs from Midnight are simply inferior. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 35 Title: The History of Rock: Volume Thirty Seven Released: 1986 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:17:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (?) 2 Two Out of Three Aint Bad (?) 3 Bat Out of Hell (04:52) 4 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 5 Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (05:15) 6 Take on the World (03:01) 7 Breaking the Law (02:42) 8 United (03:34) 9 You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ (05:09) 10 Freewheel Burning (04:24) 1 Wheels of Steel (04:26) 2 747 (Strangers in the Night) (03:42) 3 Big Teaser (03:55) 4 Rainbow Theme / Frozen Rainbow (05:34) 5 Strong Arm of the Law (04:39) 6 And the Bands Played On (02:47) 7 Motorhead (03:11) 8 City Kids (03:23) 9 Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers (03:25) 10 On Parole (05:58) 11 Leaving Here (03:12) |
 | Album: 7 of 35 Title: Blind Before I Stop Released: 1986-10-20 Tracks: 11 Duration: 50:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Execution Day (06:31) 2 Rock n Roll Mercenaries (05:00) 3 Getting Away With Murder (03:50) 4 One More Kiss (Night of the Soft Parade) (05:37) 5 Blind Before I Stop (03:35) 6 Burning Down (04:59) 7 Standing on the Outside (03:58) 8 Masculine (04:23) 9 A Man and a Woman (04:11) 10 Special Girl (03:55) 11 Rock n Roll Hero (04:30) |
| Blind Before I Stop : Allmusic album Review : Rather than aping the grandiose rock & roll style pioneered by Jim Steinman and Todd Rundgren on Meat Loafs landmark Bat Out of Hell album, German producer Frank Farian opts for a standard-issue heavy metal approach on Blind Before I Stop, emphasizing a heart-stoppingly loud rhythm section (sometimes playing at Euro-disco tempo), icy keyboards in the mid-range, and endlessly diddling high-pitched guitar solos on a series of forgettable tunes. Somewhere in the back of the mix, Meat Loaf exercises his adenoids, but all of his usual distinctiveness is lost in the sludge. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 35 Title: Anthology Released: 1988 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:10:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out Of Hell (09:48) 2 All Revved Up With No Place To Go (04:18) 3 You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (04:15) 4 Heaven Can Wait (04:41) 5 Paradise By The Dashboard Light [I.Paradise II.Let me sleep on it III.Praying for the end of time] (08:29) 6 Two Out Of Three Aint Bad (05:24) 7 For Crying Out Loud (08:45) 8 Dead Ringer For Love (04:22) 9 Im Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us (07:08) 10 Read Em And Weep (05:25) 11 Midnight At The Lost And Found (03:31) 12 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) |
 | Album: 9 of 35 Title: Heaven & Hell Released: 1989-06-01 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:02:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (04:52) 2 Faster Than the Speed of Night (04:42) 3 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 4 Have You Ever Seen the Rain? (04:08) 5 Read em and Weep (03:46) 6 Total Eclipse of the Heart (04:29) 7 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (04:47) 8 Holding Out for a Hero (04:22) 9 Dead Ringer for Love (Rock n Roll and Brew) (04:23) 10 If You Were a Woman (and I Was a Man) (04:02) 11 If You Really Want To (03:38) 12 Straight From the Heart (03:41) 13 Loving Yous a Dirty Job but Somebodys Got to Do It (05:49) 14 Heaven Can Wait (04:41) |
| Heaven & Hell : Allmusic album Review : This is a rather pointless collection of tunes written (mostly) by Jim Steinman performed alternately by Meat Loaf and Bonnie Tyler. This sampler is one of those CDs that seemed like a good idea at the time (1993). Tyler had scored her big hits by that time, and Meat Loaf hadnt quite lit up the boards with Bat out of Hell II in the year this was issued. Steinman is the thread that holds this set together, full of bombast, excess, and rock & roll theater. Tylers "Its a Heartache" is not here, but "Total Eclipse of the Heart," "Holdin out for a Hero," "Faster Than the Speed of Night," "If You Were a Woman and I Was a Man," and "Straight for the Heart," as well as a hit cover of John Fogertys "Have You Ever Seen the Rain." Meat Loafs "Bat out Of Hell," "Two out of Three Aint Bad," "You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth," "Heaven Can Wait," and "Dead Ringer for Love," "If You Really Want To" and "Read Em & Weep." The strange uniformity of the production and dated 80s drum and bass sounds, huge choruses, as well as Steinmans trademark Liberace-cum-Jerry Lee Lewis piano arrangements drench everything here. There is great gauche charm in this kind of Phil Spector-ish excess, and to give Steinman his full due, his songs, as gaudy and wordy as they are, are still brilliantly composed -- and in Meat Loafs case at least, wonderfully sung as well. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 35 Title: The Very Best Of Released: 1991 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:12:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:26) 2 For Crying Out Loud (08:45) 3 Midnight Lost and Found (03:28) 4 Dead Ringer for Love (04:24) 5 Readem and Weep (05:27) 6 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 7 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (04:11) 8 Heaven Can Wait (04:39) 9 More Than You Deserve (06:51) 10 Ill Kill You If You Dont Come Back (06:19) 11 Modern Girl (04:21) 12 Bat Out of Hell (09:43) |
 | Album: 11 of 35 Title: Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell… Released: 1993-09-06 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:15:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I’d Do Anything for Love (but I Won’t Do That) (11:59) 2 Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back (07:59) 3 Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through (05:50) 4 It Just Won’t Quit (07:21) 5 Out of the Frying Pan (and Into the Fire) (07:24) 6 Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are (10:15) 7 Wasted Youth (02:41) 8 Everything Louder Than Everything Else (07:59) 9 Good Girls Go to Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere) (06:53) 10 Back Into Hell (02:46) 11 Lost Boys and Golden Girls (04:28) |
| Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell… : Allmusic album Review : Although Meat Loaf has made several albums since Bat Out of Hell, Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell is an explicit sequel to that milestone of 70s pop culture. Reprising the formula of the original nearly to the letter, Back Into Hell is bombastic and has too much detail, thanks to the pseudo-operatic splendor of Jim Steinmans grandly cinematic songs. From the arrangements to the lengths of the tracks, everything on the album is overstated; even the album version of the hit single, "I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Wont Do That)," is 12 minutes long. Yet thats precisely the point of this album, and is also why it works so well. No other rock & roller besides Meat Loaf could pull off the humor and theatricality of Back Into Hell and make it seem real. In that sense, its a worthy successor to the original. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 35 Title: Back From Hell! The Very Best of Meat Loaf Released: 1993-12-03 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:16:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (09:49) 2 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 3 Read ’em and Weep (05:24) 4 Modern Girl (04:22) 5 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 6 Surfs Up (04:22) 7 Heaven Can Wait (04:41) 8 Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (05:15) 9 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:28) 10 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 11 More Than You Deserve (03:31) 12 Rock n Roll Mercenaries (05:00) 13 Blind Before I Stop (03:35) 14 I Love You So I Told You a Lie (03:45) 15 Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul) (03:03) |
 | Album: 13 of 35 Title: Beauty Of The Beast, The Very Best Vol. 1 Released: 1994 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:15:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (live) (10:34) 2 Dead Ringer for Love (live) (05:14) 3 Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul) (03:03) 4 Bad Attitude (04:44) 5 Rock ’n’ Roll Mercenaries (05:00) 6 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (live) (09:36) 7 Blind Before I Stop (03:31) 8 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Nights) (live) (07:55) 9 Masculine (04:23) 10 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (live) (08:15) 11 Modern Girl (04:24) 12 Midnight at the Lost and Found (live) (03:53) 13 Rock ’n’ Roll Hero (04:30) |
 | Album: 14 of 35 Title: Back From Hell Again! Released: 1994 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:12:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Out of the Frying Pan (And Into the Fire) (06:09) 2 Time for Heroes (05:08) 3 Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through (06:28) 4 All Reved Up With No Place to Go (04:19) 5 Razor’s Edge (04:07) 6 For Crying Out Loud (08:45) 7 Execution Day (06:37) 8 Masculine (04:22) 9 Lost Boys and Golden Girls (04:37) 10 Peel Out (06:28) 11 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:29) 12 Bad Attitude (04:46) 13 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) 14 Eddies Teddy (02:57) |
 | Album: 15 of 35 Title: Definitive Collection Released: 1995 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:15:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:28) 2 Bat Out of Hell (04:52) 3 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 4 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 5 Heaven Can Wait (04:41) 6 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 7 Read em and Weep (03:46) 8 Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (05:15) 9 More Than You Deserve (03:31) 10 Peel Out (06:32) 11 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) 12 Razors Edge (04:10) 13 If You Really Want To (03:37) 14 Dont You Look at Me Like That (03:29) 15 Fallen Angel (03:38) 16 I Love You So I Told You a Lie (03:45) |
 | Album: 16 of 35 Title: Welcome to the Neighbourhood Released: 1995-10-30 Tracks: 12 Duration: 58:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Where the Rubber Meets the Road (04:57) 2 Id Lie for You (and Thats the Truth) (06:40) 3 Original Sin (06:03) 4 45 Seconds of Ecstasy (01:06) 5 Runnin for the Red Light (I Gotta Life) (03:58) 6 Fiesta de las Almas Perdidas (01:29) 7 Left in the Dark (07:12) 8 Not a Dry Eye in the House (05:54) 9 Amnesty Is Granted (06:09) 10 If This Is the Last Kiss (Lets Make It Last All Night) (04:33) 11 Martha (04:39) 12 Where Angels Sing (06:08) |
 | Album: 17 of 35 Title: The Very Best of Meat Loaf Released: 1998-11-02 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:57:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Home by Now / No Matter What (08:25) 2 Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back (remix) (08:07) 3 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 4 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 5 Modern Girl (04:26) 6 Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through (05:50) 7 Is Nothing Sacred (06:37) 8 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:28) 9 Heaven Can Wait (04:49) 1 I’d Do Anything for Love (but I Won’t Do That) (11:59) 2 A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing to Waste (07:36) 3 Id Lie for You (And Thats the Truth) (06:27) 4 Not a Dry Eye in the House (05:54) 5 Nocturnal Pleasure (00:37) 6 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 7 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:30) 8 Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are (09:45) 9 Bat Out of Hell (09:49) |
| The Very Best of Meat Loaf : Allmusic album Review : Unlike previous collections Epic has assembled, the double-disc The Very Best of Meat Loaf draws not only from his recordings for the label, but it also licenses his 90s comeback recordings for MCA. Which means, of course, that the 20-track collection is, indeed, the "very best" of Meat Loaf. Not all of his charting hits are here -- "What You See Is What You Get," his 1971 single with Stoney, is absent, as is "Im Gonna Love Her for the Both of Us," the only hit he had between the two Bat out of Hell albums -- but all of the key album tracks from the two blockbusters are here, along with highlights from the sequels to the sequel, which means everything that anyone but a die-hard Meat Loaf fan could want is on this collection: ("Paradise by the Dashboard Light," "Two out of Three Aint Bad," "You Took the Words Right out of My Mouth," "Bat out of Hell," "Id Do Anything for Love (But I Wont Do That)," "Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through," "Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are," and a remix of "Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back"). That said, it is true that either the two Bat out of Hell albums are a more cohesive listen than this set, simply because they were designed as complete albums. Consequently, casual fans may be just as happy to purchase those two discs, which will set them back about as much as The Very Best of Meat Loaf, but anyone who wants all the hits on one set should pick this up. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 35 Title: Simply the Best Released: 2000-01-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (04:52) 2 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 3 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:29) 4 Razors Edge (04:06) 5 Fallen Angel (03:37) 6 Read em and Weep (05:24) 7 Priscilla (03:33) 8 Peel Out (06:27) 9 More Than You Deserve (03:31) 10 Everything Is Permitted (04:38) 11 Wolf at Your Door (04:06) |
 | Album: 19 of 35 Title: You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth Released: 2001-10-22 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (04:52) 2 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:02) 3 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:29) 4 Razors Edge (04:06) 5 Fallen Angel (03:37) 6 Read em and Weep (05:24) 7 Priscilla (03:33) 8 Peel Out (06:27) 9 More Than You Deserve (03:31) 10 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) 11 Wolf at Your Door (04:06) |
 | Album: 20 of 35 Title: Two Out of Three Aint Bad Released: 2002 Tracks: 10 Duration: 49:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 2 Peel Out (06:30) 3 I’m Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (07:08) 4 Read ’em and Weep (05:24) 5 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 6 All Revved Up With No Place to Go (04:19) 7 Razor’s Edge (04:07) 8 Wolf at Your Door (04:07) 9 You Never Can Be Too Sure About the Girl (04:27) 10 Fallen Angel (03:38) |
 | Album: 21 of 35 Title: Meat Loaf and Friends Released: 2002 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:16:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Dead Ringer for Love (04:22) 2 Holding Out for a Hero (05:50) 3 Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through (06:29) 4 We Belong to the Night (05:19) 5 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:28) 6 Faster Than the Speed of the Night (long version) (06:43) 7 Night Out (05:16) 8 Lost Boys and Golden Girls (04:37) 9 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 10 Total Eclipse of the Heart (06:58) 11 What’s a Matter Baby (03:38) 12 Bad for Good (08:45) 13 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (05:06) |
 | Album: 22 of 35 Title: Heaven Can Wait: The Best Of Released: 2002-11 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:12:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (live) (10:49) 2 Id Lie for You (And Thats the Truth) (06:26) 3 Midnight at the Lost and Found (live) (05:07) 4 Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through (05:50) 5 Heaven Can Wait (live) (05:52) 6 Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back (07:59) 7 All Revved Up (live) (06:50) 8 Everything Louder Than Everything Else (07:59) 9 A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing to Waste (05:19) 10 Original Sin (06:03) 11 Runnin for the Red Light (I Gotta Life) (03:58) |
 | Album: 23 of 35 Title: The Collection Released: 2003 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:08:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Paradise By the Dashboard Light (08:28) 2 Holding Out for a Hero (05:49) 3 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (05:04) 4 Bad for Good (08:45) 5 What’s a Matter Baby (03:38) 6 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 7 Faster Than the Speed of the Night (06:41) 8 Deadringer for Love (04:22) 9 Night Out (05:16) 10 Total Eclipse of the Heart (06:58) 11 Left in the Dark (07:59) |
| The Collection : Allmusic album Review : Singer Marvin Lee Aday -- known by the public as Meat Loaf -- has had a long career that has soared and tumbled downhill, only to rise again. He achieved the classic overnight success that was many hard years in the making. Meat Loafs music can move between pop/rock love ballads and heavy-hitting hard rock anthems; he can manage either equally well. Over the years there have been a number of best-of collections put together from his offerings. This compilation is an import originally released in the early 90s by Arista Records. Fans will find 13 tracks on this album, including such favorites as "Rock & Roll Hero," "Midnight at the Lost and Found," and "Bat Out of Hell." The Collection is a great starting album for new Meat Loaf fans, and a worthy addition for fans who found him years ago. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 35 Title: Couldn’t Have Said It Better Released: 2003-03-31 Tracks: 12 Duration: 1:08:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Couldn’t Have Said It Better (07:07) 2 Did I Say That (06:02) 3 Why Isn’t That Enough (04:07) 4 Love You Out Loud (04:10) 5 Man of Steel / Intermezzo (06:16) 6 Testify (04:57) 7 Tear Me Down (03:38) 8 You’re Right, I Was Wrong (03:44) 9 Because of You (03:56) 10 Do It! (02:38) 11 Forever Young / Mercury Blues (10:50) 12 Bat Out of Hell (live) (11:22) |
| Couldn’t Have Said It Better : Allmusic album Review : The eight years since Meat Loafs last studio album didnt include any editions of his Bat Out of Hell series, but with a live album and a VH1 Storytellers appearance that relied heavily on Bat material, it sure seemed like it. Maybe thats why Couldnt Have Said It Better feels like the more sure and energetic post-Bat albums (Dead Ringer and Welcome to the Neighborhood) with the singer still sounding ecstatic from hitting a home run. Performance wise, Meat Loaf is in fine form, rocking it out bar-band style and able to deliver the grandiose tongue-in-cheek lyrics with just enough smirk. The material gets divided into two "chapters," splitting the songs into Bat-like mini-operas on the first and turning the bombast down to mere Queen level on the second. Mötley Crües Nikki Sixx and his writing partner James Michael contribute the bulk of the first chapter, with songs that betray taste and come right from the hulking Jim Steinman school. Just the right amount of camp keeps the rocking title track in check and Meats call and response duet with Pearl Aday on "Man of Steel" stands with his finest moments. Chapter two kicks off with the great "Testify," a shimmy of a rave-up worthy of Meats Eddie character from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was a brilliant move to hire Hedwig and the Angry Inchs composer/lyricist Stephen Trask for the husky "Tear Me Down," and Diane Warren contributes the softer "Youre Right, I Was Wrong." The hyper and silly rap on "Do It" is ludicrous even by Meat Loafs standards, but a chugging version of Dylans "Forever Young" and the fiery version of "Mercury Blues," hidden as a bonus track, make for a perfect ending. At the time of its release, Steinman was five songs into writing Bat Out of Hell III. If he feeds off the serious competition on Couldnt Have Said It Better, itll be fantastic. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 35 Title: Fallen Angel Released: 2003-04-14 Tracks: 24 Duration: 2:02:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:29) 2 Dead Ringer for Love (04:23) 3 Everything Is Permitted (04:38) 4 I Love You So I Told You a Lie (03:42) 5 Read em and Weep (05:24) 6 Priscilla (03:33) 7 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:30) 8 Ill Kill You If You Come Back (06:23) 9 If You Really Want To (03:37) 10 Dont You Look at Me Like That (03:28) 11 Heaven Can Wait (04:40) 12 Bat Out of Hell (09:44) 1 Hot Summer Night (05:02) 2 Fallen Angel (03:37) 3 Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (07:08) 4 The Promised Land (02:45) 5 Wolf at Your Door (04:07) 6 Razors Edge (04:06) 7 For Crying Out Loud (08:45) 8 More Than You Deserve (06:55) 9 You Can Never Be Too Sure About That Girl (04:27) 10 Peel Out (06:27) 11 All Revved Up With No Place to Go (04:18) 12 Keep Driving (03:31) |
| Fallen Angel : Allmusic album Review : This German double-CD compilation is drawn from Meat Loafs first three albums, Bat Out of Hell (1977), Dead Ringer (1981), and Midnight at the Lost and Found (1983). All but two of the tracks from those LPs have been included, in a sequencing that mixes them up. The omissions are "Nocturnal Pleasure" from Dead Ringer and, amazingly, the biggest hit from Bat Out of Hell (in the U.S. anyway), "Two Out of Three Aint Bad." There is also one additional track, "I Love You So I Told You a Lie," from Ted Nugents 1976 album Free-for-All, which features Meat Loaf on vocals. American fans may be scratching their heads at this point, so it may be worth pointing out that Meat Loafs catalog is viewed differently in Europe than the way it is in the U.S. In his own country, Meat Loaf was considered a one-album wonder from the release of the multi-platinum Bat Out of Hell in 1977 to the release of the multi-platinum Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell in 1993. But in Europe, recordings released in the interim were also successful. Dead Ringer, which only got to number 45 in the U.S., hit number one in the U.K., with the single "Dead Ringer for Love" reaching the Top Ten. Midnight at the Lost and Found didnt chart at all in America, but in England it made the Top Ten and threw off three chart singles. So, while an American citizen may think of Fallen Angel as an odd juxtaposition of classic Meat Loaf and a bunch of castoffs, a European fan may have less trouble with the compilation. That said, this is still a bare-bones, oddly assembled collection with only adequate sound quality. There are no annotations, and one of the songs, "Ill Kill You if You Dont Come Back," has been listed as "Ill Kill You if You Come Back"! Worst of all, the decision to leave off "Two Out of Three Aint Bad" (which could have fit easily) is positively bizarre. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 35 Title: Rock n Roll Hero Released: 2003-09-08 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:40:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Took the Words (live) (07:50) 2 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (live) (09:54) 3 Two Out of Three Aint Bad (live) (08:06) 4 One More Kiss (Night of the Soft Parade) (05:39) 5 Rock ’n’ Roll Hero (04:30) 6 Bad Attitude (04:45) 7 Surfs Up (04:25) 8 Piece of the Action (04:16) 9 Getting Away With Murder (03:51) 10 Execution Day (06:32) 1 Bat Out of Hell (live) (10:28) 2 Modern Girl (live) (05:37) 3 Jumpin the Gun (03:16) 4 Rock n Roll Mercenaries (live) (04:57) 5 Dont Leave Your Mark on Me (04:10) 6 Man and a Woman (04:12) 7 Cheatin in Your Dreams (04:10) 8 Sailor to a Siren (04:42) 9 Blind Before I Stop (live) (03:56) 10 Masculine (live) (06:52) 1 Rock n Roll Medley (live) (08:34) 2 Blind Before I Stop (03:34) 3 Modern Girl (04:27) 4 Masculine (04:24) 5 Special Girl (03:55) 6 Nowhere Fast (05:14) 7 Burning Down (05:00) 8 Midnight at the Lost and Found (live) (03:50) 9 Rock n Roll Mercenaries (live) (05:32) 10 Standing on the Outside (03:59) |
| Rock 'n' Roll Hero : Allmusic album Review : Rock N Roll Hero is a compilation drawn from Meat Loafs 1984-1987 stint at Arista Records, during which he recorded two studio albums, Bad Attitude (1984) and Blind Before I Stop (1986), as well as the concert album Live at Wembley (aka Live, 1987). The 77-minute disc mixes up seven of the nine tracks from Bad Attitude (including the British hits "Modern Girl" and "Piece of the Action") with six of the 11 tracks from Blind Before I Stop (including the British hit "Rock N Roll Mercenaries"), then concludes with two songs from Live at Wembley, versions of the Bat Out of Hell numbers "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" and "Bat Out of Hell." This period in Meat Loafs recording career stands as a valley in between the massive success of Bat Out of Hell (1977) and the massive comeback of Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993), and it finds him working without his songwriting partner Jim Steinman. (Actually, he did record two Steinman songs on Bad Attitude, but they are the two songs from that album not included here.) On his own, sometimes contributing to the songwriting himself, he makes conventional hard rock with synth pop and Euro-disco elements, still singing in his passionate tenor. This is not the best of Meat Loaf, but it is worth hearing for fans. | ||
 | Album: 27 of 35 Title: Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose Released: 2006-10-20 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:17:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Monster Is Loose (07:12) 2 Blind as a Bat (05:50) 3 Its All Coming Back to Me Now (06:05) 4 Bad for Good (07:32) 5 Cry Over Me (04:38) 6 In the Land of the Pig, the Butcher Is King (05:30) 7 Monstro (01:38) 8 Alive (04:22) 9 If God Could Talk (03:45) 10 If It Aint Broke Break It (04:49) 11 What About Love (06:04) 12 Seize the Night (09:46) 13 The Future Aint What It Used to Be (07:53) 14 Cry to Heaven (02:24) |
| Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose : Allmusic album Review : Truth be told, once Meat Loaf had a blockbuster with Bat Out of Hell in 1977, he never really left the bombastic sound of that Todd Rundgren-produced, Jim Steinman-written classic behind. He went through a long stretch where he didnt have any hits -- its popularly known as the 80s -- but he kept reworking the album, never quite getting it right until he reteamed with Steinman for 1993s Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, which became a surprise international hit, re-establishing Meat Loaf as a major star. After that record, he never went away, continuing to record, tour, and act, but nothing quite matched the success of either Bat Out of Hell, so it made perfect sense for Meat to go back to the Bat well a third time in the mid-2000s -- over 12 years since the second Bat and nearly 30 years on from the first. But there was a hitch in his well-laid plan: Steinman didnt want to participate. This was a problem, because the Bat albums were as much Steinmans as they were Meat Loafs -- and this point was never hidden, either, as Steinmans name was prominent on the cover of both Bats. Undaunted, Meat Loaf went ahead with the project, hiring Desmond Child as producer and picking several older Steinman songs to form the heart of Bat Out of Hell III, which now bore the subtitle of The Monster Is Loose. As the albums fall 2006 release date approached, Steinman took Meat Loaf to court over the record -- after all, not only had he written the Bat Out of Hell albums, but he owned the copyright to the phrase, so Meat needed permission in order to release the record. Permission was eventually granted in an out-of-court settlement, paving the way for the October 2006 release of Bat Out of Hell III, a record that had many Steinman songs but in no way features his involvement in the recording or production of the album. And, boy, is his absence ever felt! His presence looms large over the record -- quite obviously on the songs he wrote, but the very aesthetic of the album is copied wholesale from his blueprints -- yet its the ways that Bat III is different, both big and small, that points out who is missing at this party. For one, this Bat is quite obviously a patchwork, pieced together from things borrowed and re-created, never quite gelling the way either of the previous Bats did. And if theres one thing that theatrical rock like this needs, its a narrative through-line or at least a concrete goal. Child and Meat Loaf do have a goal, but its merely to re-create the glory days; theyre not quite so picky on how they get there. So, Child brings in Mötley Crües Nikki Sixx and Marilyn Mansons guitarist John 5 to pen the opening "The Monster Is Loose," and the results are disarming, a grindingly metallic riff-rocker that sits very uncomfortably next to Steinmans "Its All Coming Back to Me Now," written with Meat in mind (at least according to the singer) but taken to the charts by Celine Dion. Such jarring shifts in tone are common throughout The Monster Is Loose, not just as it moves from song to song, but within the tunes themselves, as Childs compositions chase after the grandeur of Steinmans work yet bear all the marks of a professional who is playing a game without bothering to learn the rules. The same is true for the very sound of Bat III. Although original Bat producer Todd Rundgren adds some necessary pomp with his vocal arrangements, the album is at once too heavy and too clinical, lacking the gaudy, gonzo soul that made Bat Out of Hell irresistible camp. Its a brightly lit mess, but there is a redeeming factor here and thats Meat Loaf, who is singing his heart out as he valiantly tries to make this Bat a worthy successor to the originals. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 35 Title: Hit Collection Released: 2007-05-04 Tracks: 11 Duration: 52:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (04:52) 2 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) (05:04) 3 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:30) 4 Razor’s Edge (04:07) 5 Fallen Angel (03:38) 6 Read ’em and Weep (05:24) 7 Priscilla (03:33) 8 Peel Out (06:28) 9 More Than You Deserve (06:57) 10 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) 11 Wolf at Your Door (04:07) |
| Hit Collection : Allmusic album Review : Hit Collection contains previously released material by Meat Loaf from the 70s and 80s, including "Bat Out of Hell" and "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)." This compilation should be avoided, especially since his biggest hit, "Two Out of Three Aint Bad," has been omitted. Stick with the original studio albums on Epic instead. [Hit Collection was reissued in a limited edition steel case in 2008 as part of Sonys Steel Box Collection.] | ||
 | Album: 29 of 35 Title: Best of Meat Loaf Released: 2008 Tracks: 10 Duration: 57:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (09:50) 2 Razor’s Edge (04:07) 3 Read ’em and Weep (05:27) 4 Peel Out (06:28) 5 More Than You Deserve (06:57) 6 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) 7 Wolf at Your Door (04:07) 8 Priscilla (03:33) 9 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:30) 10 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:29) |
 | Album: 30 of 35 Title: Collections Released: 2008-05-02 Tracks: 10 Duration: 53:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (09:52) 2 Razors Edge (04:08) 3 Read em and Weep (05:25) 4 Peel Out (06:28) 5 More Than You Deserve (03:32) 6 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) 7 Wolf at Your Door (04:07) 8 Priscilla (03:35) 9 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:31) 10 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:29) |
 | Album: 31 of 35 Title: Dead Ringer for Love: The Meat Loaf Collection Released: 2008-06-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dead Ringer for Love (?) 2 Heaven Can Wait (?) 3 Read Em and Weep (?) 4 All Revved Up With No Place to Go (?) 5 Rock n Roll Mercenaries (?) 6 Nowhere Fast (?) 7 Jumpin the Gun (?) 8 Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (?) 9 Peel Out (?) 10 Priscilla (?) 11 Fallen Angel (?) 12 Razors Edge (?) |
 | Album: 32 of 35 Title: A Piece of the Action Released: 2009-03 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:30:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Bat Out of Hell (09:48) 2 You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (04:14) 3 Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad (05:24) 4 Paradise by the Dashboard Light (08:28) 5 Dead Ringer for Love (04:23) 6 Modern Girl (04:28) 7 Im Gonna Love Her for Both of Us (07:07) 8 Read em and Weep (05:24) 9 Peel Out (06:30) 10 Midnight at the Lost and Found (03:30) 11 If You Really Want To (03:37) 12 Razors Edge (04:06) 13 Sailor to a Siren (04:42) 14 Blind Before I Stop (03:31) 1 Piece of the Action (04:17) 2 Rock n Roll Mercenaries (04:57) 3 Ill Kill You If You Dont Come Back (06:24) 4 Special Girl (03:56) 5 Heaven Can Wait (04:47) 6 All Revved Up With No Place to Go (04:19) 7 More Than You Deserve (03:32) 8 Everything Is Permitted (04:39) 9 For Crying Out Loud (08:45) 10 The Promised Land (02:46) 11 Bad Attitude (04:55) 12 Wolf at Your Door (04:06) 13 You Never Can Be Too Sure About the Girl (04:30) 14 Dont Leave Your Mark on Me (04:07) 15 One More Kiss (Night of the Soft Parade) (05:41) 16 I Love You So I Told You a Lie (03:43) |
 | Album: 33 of 35 Title: Hang Cool Teddy Bear Released: 2010-04-19 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:05:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Peace on Earth (06:38) 2 Living on the Outside (05:03) 3 Los Angeloser (04:09) 4 If I Can’t Have You (05:00) 5 Love Is Not Real/Next Time You Stab Me in the Back (07:33) 6 Like a Rose (03:16) 7 Song of Madness (05:31) 8 Did You Ever Love Somebody? (04:01) 9 California Isn’t Big Enough (Hey There Girl) (04:43) 10 Running Away From Me (03:54) 11 Lets Be in Love (05:11) 12 If It Rains (03:56) 13 Elvis in Vegas (06:01) |
| Hang Cool Teddy Bear : Allmusic album Review : Hang Cool Teddy Bear may not be an explicit sequel to Bat Out of Hell -- not in its title or in its composition, with Meat Loaf once again parting ways with Jim Steinman, the architect of the Bat songs -- but it sure has enough bombast to trick anybody into thinking it’s the fourth volume of Bat. It’s not, of course: unlike those three career-defining records, Hang Cool Teddy Bear boasts an actual narrative -- a hazy, unformed tale of a wounded soldier -- instead of merely being conceptual, a difference that should give the album shape particularly when married with Rob Cavallo’s crisp, bright production. Cavallo corrects all the errors of the heavy-handed metallic Bat Out of Hell III -- its slick, processed grind playing like an unfortunate artifact from the moussed and teased ’80 Sunset Strip -- but the album flails nearly as much as that misbegotten 2006 sequel because it lacks Steinman’s unerring ear for the ludicrous. Plenty try to ape it -- notably, Justin Hawkins, who made his bones with the parodic rock of the Darkness, American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, Bon Jovi & Desmond Child -- but none achieve anything close, either pushing fist-pumping, Springsteen arena-anthems, or rockers bloated with too much room for guitar solos, both lacking hooks. Meat Loaf also gets assistance in the studio by a true motley crew -- Steve Vai and Brian May double-team on guitar, Jack Black sings backing vocals, and House’s Hugh Laurie pounds the piano -- and frankly, he kinds of needs it, sounding every one of his 62 years as he valiantly tries to scale the artificial peaks of this pomp, trying to sing a line as stupid as “I can barely put my dick in my pants” with some semblance of dignity. Not that dignity was ever that important to Meat Loaf, but the shallow spectacle of Hang Cool Teddy Bear lacks the absurd joy of his best: you can hear everybody involved working far too hard to achieve next to nothing. | ||
 | Album: 34 of 35 Title: Hell in a Handbasket Released: 2011-12-02 Tracks: 12 Duration: 52:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 All of Me (05:15) 2 Fall From Grace (03:47) 3 The Giving Tree (04:53) 4 Mad Mad World / The Good God Is a Woman and She Dont Like Ugly (04:06) 5 Party of One (03:57) 6 Live or Die (04:26) 7 California Dreamin (04:06) 8 Another Day (05:03) 9 Fourty Days (05:20) 10 Our Love & Our Souls (03:57) 11 Stand in the Storm (04:36) 12 Blue Sky (02:56) |
| Hell in a Handbasket : Allmusic album Review : Arriving hot on the heels of 2010’s highly conceptual Hang Cool Teddy Bear, Hell in a Handbasket feels like an intimate affair but that assessment is relative. Coming from any other artist, Hell in a Handbasket would sound overblown but for Meat Loaf, it’s relatively reflective, containing thunder in its production but lacking melodrama in its composition. Despite the strategic deployment of “hell” in its title, this album has nothing to do with the three previous Bat Out of Hell albums, including 2006’s Jim Steinman-less The Monster Is Loose, but it has Meat Loafs signature everything-plus-two-kitchen-sinks approach, sometimes stretching past the point of parody as when he brings in his fellow Celebrity Apprentice contestants John Rich, Lil Jon, and Mark McGrath in for the nonsensical cluster-duet “Stand in the Storm.” There, more is most definitely too much, but elsewhere on Hell in a Handbasket, Meat Loaf drifts into appealing strange territory, like the truly bizarre splicing of a galloping Tom Cochrane rocker and a muscular Chuck D rap on “Mad Mad World/The Good God Is a Woman and She Don’t Like Ugly,” a pairing that doesn’t sit easily but is oddly compelling. But such an extreme is actually a rarity on Hell in a Handbasket: much of the record, produced by Paul Crook, is as straight down the middle as could be expected by an album that features a cover of the Mamas & Papas “California Dreamin’,” the beefy guitars eventually giving away to a procession of power ballads. Stripped of some of his bombast, Meat Loaf sounds contemplative, almost sincere, even when his material is overheating, trying desperately to convey big emotions on a grand scale. If the songs don’t quite deliver upon their promise, at least Crook’s production and Meat Loafs performance keep things interesting. | ||
 | Album: 35 of 35 Title: Braver Than We Are Released: 2016-09-09 Tracks: 10 Duration: 55:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Who Needs the Young (05:27) 2 Going All the Way (A Song in 6 Movements) (11:28) 3 Speaking in Tongues (04:23) 4 Loving You Is a Dirty Job (but Somebody’s Gotta Do It) (06:09) 5 Souvenirs (08:17) 6 Only When I Feel (01:56) 7 More (06:06) 8 Godz (03:34) 9 Skull of Your Country (03:34) 10 Train of Love (04:23) |
| Braver Than We Are : Allmusic album Review : Jim Steinman parted ways with Meat Loaf sometime after their improbable 1993 blockbuster Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. He contributed a couple of songs to its 1995 sequel, Welcome to the Neighborhood, but by the time Meat Loaf was ready to do a third installment of Bat Out of Hell, Steinman opted out for unspecified reasons, leaving the singer to use five previously released Steinman songs as produced by Desmond Child -- a satisfactory compromise that at the very least illustrated how Celine Dions "Its All Coming Back to Me Now" shouldve been on a Bat Out of Hell album. Through a series of circumstances, Meat Loaf and Steinman wound up reuniting for 2016s Braver Than We Are, which was produced by Paul Crook, just like its 2012 predecessor Hell in a Handbasket. While the record bears some slick modern hallmarks, it is very much a throwback, evoking memories of Todd Rundgrens overblown Springsteen parody of 1977 as well as the earnest re-creation of 1993. Steinmans songs are suitably theatrical -- the opening "Who Needs the Young" feels like its a Broadway reject -- and while he slyly winks at his past with "Going All the Way Is Just the Start (A Song in 6 Movements)," a song that features a cameo from "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" singer Ellen Foley, he also seems unaware that Ratt also got to the title "Loving You Is a Dirty Job" in 1990 (albiet after Steinman whose composition first appeared as a Bonnie Tyler single in 1985). That isolation is ultimately a benefit because Braver Than We Are feels caught between nostalgia and indifference, an album so old-fashioned it seems happily ignorant of modernity even when it threads EDM rhythms and metallic guitars into "More." The other way its possible to tell this album was released in 2016 is Meat Loafs performance. Thin and sometimes breathless, hes no longer the colossus of the 70s, but the diminishment of his range humanizes him and adds a bittersweet tinge to this reunion. Through Meat Loafs voice alone, mortality becomes evident and it makes this third reunion with Steinman all the sweeter. Braver Than We Are may have its flaws -- its too staid and self-conscious, for one -- but Steinman never found a better interpreter for his songs than Meat Loaf, and Meat Loaf never sounds more like himself than he does when singing Steinman, and thats why the album works. | ||