White Lion – All You Need Is Rock N’ Roll – The Complete Albums 1985-1991, 5CD Boxset Review

9th November 2020 0 By Jon Deaux

The Lion roars again and it sounds amazing.

Lovingly restored from the original master tapes and remastered, White Lion has never sounded so good.

Mike Tramps vocals along with Vito Brattas virtuoso guitar are still as jaw dropping as ever. James LoMenzos bass and Greg D’Angelos drums are huge and thunderous against the melodies of the songs.

Everything you want from this 5cd box set is on hand. Massive hair, massive hooks and massive guitars.

The debut album Fight To Survive along with the 2nd album Pride have benefited immensely from the remaster process. The original vinyl and CD pressings always sounded a little flat. They sound so much fuller and richer now.

The intro to Lights and Thunder from the Mane Attraction album is simply earth shattering. I’m so used to cranking it because of the original being quiet.. FUCK ME my walls nearly exploded. It was always a phenomenal album but this is stratospheric.

The inclusion of a 1988 Roxy gig as the 5th disc is a nice rounding off the set. Especially with the inclusion of a couple of 1991 rehearsal tracks (Little Fighter, When The Children Cry and Don’t Give Up).

This 5 CD boxset shows that White Lion where destined for bigger and better things. Just a shame things came to an end in 1991 (although there was a kind of re-boot back in 2005).

The only thing that’s ‘slightly’ disappointing with this box is the non inclusion of a booklet/fold out poster. Apart from that it’s an incredibly sturdy clamshell box and all the albums are in miniature LP cover card sleeves.

It’s a great box and really handy to have their first 4 albums in one handy place along with a much needed live album.

Score 9/10

DISC ONE
FIGHT TO SURVIVE (1985)
1. BROKEN HEART
2. CHEROKEE
3. FIGHT TO SURVIVE
4. WHERE DO WE RUN
5. IN THE CITY
6. ALL THE FALLEN MEN
7. ALL BURN IN HELL
8. KID OF 1000 FACES
9. EL SALVADOR
10. THE ROAD TO VALHALLA

DISC TWO
PRIDE (1987)
1. HUNGRY
2. LONELY NIGHTS
3. DON’T GIVE UP
4. SWEET LITTLE LOVING
5. LADY OF THE VALLEY
6. WAIT
7. ALL YOU NEED IS ROCK N ROLL
8. TELL ME
9. ALL JOIN OUR HANDS
10. WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY
BONUS TRACKS
11. WAIT (EXTENDED REMIX)
12. WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY (EDIT)
13. ALL YOU NEED IS ROCK N ROLL
(LP VERSION WITH INTRO EDIT)
14. ALL YOU NEED IS ROCK N ROLL
(SHORT VERSION)
15. TELL ME (EDIT)

DISC THREE
BIG GAME (1989)
1. GOIN’ HOME TONIGHT
2. DIRTY WOMAN
3. LITTLE FIGHTER
4. BROKEN HOME
5. BABY BE MINE
6. LIVING ON THE EDGE
7. LET’S GET CRAZY
8. DON’T SAY IT’S OVER
9. IF MY MIND IS EVIL
10. RADAR LOVE
11. CRY FOR FREEDOM
BONUS TRACK
12. CRY FOR FREEDOM (EDIT)

DISC FOUR
MANE ATTRACTION (1991)
1. LIGHTS AND THUNDER
2. BROKEN HEART
3. LEAVE ME ALONE
4. LOVE DON’T COME EASY
5. YOU’RE ALL I NEED
6. IT’S OVER
7. WARSONG
8. SHE’S GOT EVERYTHING
9. TILL DEATH DO US PART
10. OUT WITH THE BOYS
11. BLUE MONDAY
12. FAREWELL TO YOU
BONUS TRACK
13. LIGHTS & THUNDER (EDIT)

DISC FIVE
LIVE: RITZ – NEW YORK (1988)
1. HUNGRY
2. DON’T GIVE UP
3. LONELY NIGHTS
4. SWEET LITTLE LOVING
5. BROKEN HEART
6. FIGHT TO SURVIVE
7. TELL ME
8. ALL JOIN OUR HANDS
9. WAIT
10. LADY OF THE VALLEY
11. THE ROAD TO VALHALLA
12. ALL YOU NEED IS ROCK N ROLL
13. WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY
14. LITTLE FIGHTER (LIVE IN REHEARSAL 1991)
15. WHEN THE CHILDREN CRY
(LIVE IN REHEARSAL 1991)
16. DON’T GIVE UP (LIVE IN REHEARSAL 1991)