Racer X – Street Lethal

Really solid balls-to-the-wall hard rock with some speed metal inflections and ludicrously structured guitar cadenzas. The singing is Bruce Dickinsonesque and very fitting for the whole band's vibe (implying that it would be distasteful without the supporting bombast). Particularly of note are the incredibly cool lyrics of songs like Into the Night, Street Lethal, and Loud and Clear, all of which represent a complete machismo overdose.

There are stinkers though. The last two tracks would be better if they were just not included at all. Dangerously Love is cheesy (yes, even in this context) but still wins for the grooving hook. Hotter Than Fire suffers in the same way; you kind of wait around for the lead and then just let the song trail off while you bask in sonic adrenaline afterglow.

The unmentioned tracks are generally unremarkable but that is partially because the aforementioned songs just floor it so hard that anything less than stellar pales in comparison.

Altogether however this is still one of the most fun albums I own and is maximally appropriate accompaniment for speeding down a black highway by yourself.

My version is the clear shell cases with the white lettering 1023-C. Should be the same as this, cuz I'm going to post for sale, soon.

I have 1 copy with a black label and another with silver. Does anyone know the significance?

Racer X : From the Beginning documentary type vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNKmLrBaYl0
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Growing up a town away from Shrapnel Records, I recall coming alongside a late model Mercedes traveling southbound Highway 101 driven by a guy wearing a German WWII officer cap, torn tank top and fingerless black gloves and obviously rocking out. Singing at the top of his lungs as he shot down the road, I laughed when he happened to look over in full on rock scowl mode. The guy was into it. It wasn’t til later discovering Racer X that I realized that had been their singer, I imagine maybe working up parts while listening to a work in progress cassette from practice.

80’s metal eventually played out as does every “new thing”. Everyone climbs aboard the train, and the music becomes predictable and loses its exiting edges. I didn’t know who I was listening to the first time I heard Nirvana’s “Smells Like..” coming through mall speakers in Japan in 1991, but I dug it and you just knew there was no way that sound was not going to be the next welcome new thing.

Regardless of the times or the genre, a well honed talented hungry band is a force to be reckoned with. Shredding done well was/is exiting when it rises above wanking and conveys some truth, ie the honest emotions of driven players.

On this debut, you’ll hear the influences of Van Halen, Dokken’s George Lynch, Judas Priest’s Halford and Yngwie’s neoclassical riffing, as well as Paul Gilbert and Racer X kicking it hard with their own heavy rock shred thing..come for the alternate picking, stay for the lyrics like "hotter than fire". ;)