Background
Although not as controversial as the Japanese review of Reise, Reise, the story of Turbo is one worth telling. After the success of Defenders of the Faith, Judas Priest decided to (initially, at least) record a double album, named “Twin Turbos”. However, this double album was never released, and the materials was split into two albums. The more commercial songs appeared on Turbo, and the less commercial & less synth sounding music would be on their next CD, Ram It Down. However, the more commercial feel of Turbo was a bit of a deathknell: while it sold well in the beginning, as it went Gold on June 10, 1986 & Platinum on July 24, 1987, and it also reached number 33 in the UK and number 17 on the Billboard 200, the reaction from fans was relatively negative. Due to this negative attitude, sales had tapered off, and the live album from the Turbo tour had tanked horribly. In a 2008 article in the heavy metal magazine, Kerrang!, Rob Halford would make some comments on Turbo, but that’s for later.
Turbo was another first for Judas Priest. It was the first time that the band had brought in guitar synthesizers. Also in 2008, Halford would say that the synthesizers were brought in because the band was experimenting with sounds at the time, but this is also for later.
Songs
Turbo Lover: Of all the songs on this album, this one is perhaps the most well know. Turbo Lover also shows off the general vibe of the album: good guitar work & drum beats, and great vocals from Rob Halford. However, the guitar synthesizers are very evident in this, as it sounds a little too crisp & clean. To me, perfect guitar music always has a sliver of imperfection in it. Same for the drums as well. Despite this, Turbo Lover is a good song to listen to when you’re on the open road & have the windows down, or if you’re alone with your significant other, and you want to spice things up (See “The Top 5 Heavy Metal Songs to Make Out To”).
Locked In: If the guitar synthesizers could be easily heard on Turbo Lover, then it’ll take some work to find in the album’s second song (although other synth noises can be heard easily). This sounds much more like a traditional Judas Priest song: intense guitar playing, heavy drums, and some equally intense lyrics & vocals from Rob Halford. Nothing else to say really.
Private Property: After listening to this album a couple times, I’ve managed to like 5 out of the 9 songs, and Private Property is at the top of the list (passing even Turbo Lover, but just barely). Like Locked In, the guitar is intense, the drums are heavy & very metal, plus Mr Halford’s excellent voice. At the same time however, the guitar synthesizers can be heard in this song (not as easy as Turbo Lover, but not as hard as Locked In), and the other synth effects are a bit obvious, like in Locked In. Still a great song!
Parental Guidance: If anyone has played this around your parents, and you’re somehow still alive, then holy shit! This song just oozes metal & anarchy, much like Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” & “I Wanna Rock”. I should also note that while the guitar synthesizers can be easily heard, they strangely fit in this song. Given this tune’s nature, the ability to warp & shape the guitar sounds makes the whole “F!@# You” vibes that much more evident. Also interesting to not that while the guitar synths are very evident, there’s practically no sign of other synthesizer usage evident at all (if there was any, I couldn’t hear it).
Rock You All Around the World: Now this is Judas Priest! No obvious synth usage (apart from the guitar synths, and even then it’s very difficult to hear them), fast & furious drumming, and Rob Halford singing his lungs out. Out of all the songs on this album, this definitely sounds like the purest form of Judas Priest. Nuf said.
Out in the Cold: Although this is one of the 5 songs that I like on this album, I should note that the synth usage (not necessarily the guitar synthesizers, as they’re used in specific moments more than being constantly used) is incredibly obvious. All throughout the song, synthesizers are used along side with the singing, guitar work, & drumming. The whole mix almost sounds like a techno-pop song falling into a vat of pure heavy metal, and the end results were poured out. If Turbo Lover didn’t show off the whole synth-commercial attitude of this album, then Out in the Cold most certainly did.
Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days: Much like Rock You All Around the World, Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days sounds like (to me, at least) pure Judas Priest. Strangely, I also get a bit of a Motley Crue vibe when I listen to this. Maybe it’s how the guitar & drums are used, or maybe it’s how Rob Halford is singing in this song. Regardless, Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days is a perfect example of a song that’s appropriate for the summer time. Hell, one line that Mr Halford uses is “Everyboy’s rockin in the summer heat!”. Can’t get more of a summer feeling than that.
Hot for Love: Much like Out in the Cold, Hot for Love is another song in which the synthesizers can be easily heard. The only difference between the two is the pacing & vibes: Out in the Cold is a slow, almost gothic sounding ballad. Hot for Love, on the other hand, is a fast & steamy song about chasing love, as well as the unbridled passion we finding love.
Reckless: We conclude our ride through this album with Reckless. I admit I was a little nervous that the band would save their most synth laden song for last, but I’m glad I was proven wrong. Like Rock You All Around the World & Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days, this song feels much more like a traditional Judas Priest song. No synthesizers. Just guitars, drums, and Rob Halford.
Overall Impression & Rating
Normally I would give my impression on an album, but on this occasion, I think Rob Halford says it best:
“The only agenda we've ever had in Priest was to really give every album its own life and I think we've achieved that on everything from Rocka Rolla up to the new one, Nostradamus. That said, if ever there was a controversial record in terms of what people might have expected from us, it's Turbo. It was the fact that we moved into a different atmosphere, but that's where we were at at that particular time. Some of the technological advances like the pedal boards that Glenn and KK used were giving us options for different sounds and experimentation. Personally I think there are still some great tracks on that album ... It's one of the recordings that divide opinion.”
Turbo gets a 6.5 to 7 out of 10.
See you all next week, when I’ll be getting serious with a man named Sam. Until then, stay Otaku!
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