SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 43 Min.
The belated (and quickly-forgotten) 1989 sequel to “Eddie & the Cruisers” is probably best construed as a feature-length rock video supporting this underrated soundtrack. Once more, John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band (including saxophonist Michael “Tunes” Antunes) provide the real music behind ‘Eddie Wilson’ and a new generation of Cruisers. As with the original film, Volcano Entertainment III again releases the soundtrack. The tracks are:
- 1. “Runnin’ Thru the Fire” (3:35)
- 2. “Just a Matter of Time” (4:09)
- 3. “Open Road” (5:05)
- 4. “Maryia” (3:43)
- 5. “Emotional Storm” (5:26)
- 6. “Pride & Passion” (3:29)
- 7. “Garden of Eden” (4:47)
- 8. “NYC Song” (5:07)
- 9. “Some Like It Hot” (4:14)
- 10. “(Keep My Love) Alive” (3:42)
Note: The film’s five remaining songs (“When the World Was Young,” “Heat of the Night,” “Chain Reaction,” “A Fool & His Money,” and “Sleep Walk”) were eventually released on the 1991 compilation entitled “Eddie & the Cruisers – The Unreleased Tapes.”
REVIEW:
As a Beaver Brown Band album, the blue-collar Eddie II is well-balanced and often flat-out entertaining. John Cafferty’s gravelly voice is in vintage form. Some high energy rock erupts in the form of “Runnin’ Through the Fire,” “Maryia,” and “Pride & Passion.” A pair of poignant ballads can be heard in “Just a Matter of Time” and “NYC Song.” The R&B classiness of “Emotional Storm” stands out, as does the old-school dance hall tune “Some Like It Hot.” The three remaining songs at least make some solid background noise. Despite lacking a signature tune rivaling the original film’s “On the Dark Side,” this underestimated album still merits a chance for re-discovery.
The only reason to rate the sequel’s soundtrack slightly higher than the original is that this CD has the running time of a complete album (at 40+ minutes).
PACKAGING:
A photo of actor Michael Paré as “Eddie Wilson” in concert decorates the front cover, with the ten song titles (without running times) listed on back. The insert also offers six film stills surrounding a photo of the Beaver Brown Band. Unlike the audio cassette version, neither the song credits nor the song lyrics are included.
BRIAN’S 10-STAR RATING: 8 Stars
Note: In 1992, Beaver Brown also released a fourth Eddie-themed album billed as “Eddie & the Cruisers: Live and in Concert.”
