Danger Danger -  'Cockroach'

Released in 2001 on Low Dice Records

THE BAND:
Paul Laine & Ted Poley -vocals
Andy Timmons -guitars
Bruno Ravel -bass
Steve West –drums



TRACK FRAGMENTS:
1.) "Still Kickin" - This track opens with a huge Bruno bass line and Steve playing a twelve-note hi-hat pattern. Andy just rips an awesome guitar rhythm. That really just smacks the music that was being released that year in the face. Like a lot of D2's music if the hook of the verse doesn’t get you the chorus will. Steve opts for a small opening and closing of the hi-hat during the pre-chorus that really sets up for the chorus perfectly. Listing to it through headphones you can hear the maraca pattern, that vocalist use often but sometimes is over looked. Andy is very under rated and the solo for this track really shows his talent.
2.) "Sick Little Twisted Mind" - Andy opens this track with a huge solo type lead scale. The opening guitar rhythm hooked me from the beginning. The vocals kick in with a harmonizing vocal section. That you really don't expect with the opening verse. Steve has one of the best drum sounds I believe I have ever heard on this track. During the chorus there is an electric cello section. (Who would have thought)? Andy plays several lead scales through out the track. The secondary bridge was very small with a spoken vocal section. The main bridge section has the electric cello section, which complete blew me away. This song in whole is just a completely well written song from start to finish.
3.) "Good Time" - (unreleased) This mid rocker opens with a very simple Andy guitar pattern. In the writing stage of this song the band really pulled back to an early eighties influence. The backing harmonies of the verses and choruses are real strong, and really show D2 arranging ability. The first solo was very small and turned down just a tad. After the solo Andy adds several small lead scales through the second verse. The second solo was a little more audible than the first.
4.) "Don't Break My Heart Again" - (unreleased) This ballad opens with a simple acoustic picking pattern. From the opening vocal line you can tell it is going to be one of D2's great ballads. After the pre-verse Steve kicks the drum pattern in with a simple bass drum beat. It's odd that wile I'm setting hear listening to this unbelievably written ballad that D2 never made it no bigger than what they did. There song writing ability blows away any eighties hard rock act! Steve hooks you with a huge ride pattern when the song actually kicks into the chorus. Andy plays a simple clean electric over the acoustic pattern, which sounds great. If anybody still doubts Paul as a replacement for Ted on vocals, then listen to the bridge on this track, it will make the hair stand on the back of your neck.
5.) "Tip Of My Tongue" - This track opens with a simple hard rock lead scale along with a horn section. From the intro the song has an Aerosmith "Pump" feel to it. The vocal lines are real simple with a lot of backing harmony. Andy's guitar rhythm is just real laid back and grooves with the horn section. The horn section amplified the solo's intensity.
6.) "Walk It Like You Talk It" - This track suits Steve and Bruno's New York attitude. The track kicks off with a huge lead scale and hard-hitting guitar pattern. I really like the way Steve incorporated the twelve-note pattern in the pre-chorus, it really blows the roof off the track. This is one of the most intense tracks I think the band has ever recorded.
7.) "Goin' Goin' Gone" - Andy's opening guitar pattern is the hook on this track. When the vocal lines kick in the song has a very Bon Jovi feel to them. Hell for years D2 have been compared to Bon Jovi, but this is really the first track they have recorded that has a Bon Jovi feel to it. Through the pre-verse Andy plays a real simple two finger-plucking pattern, just real laid back. Underneath the chorus there is a small lead scale. The harmonizing bridge completely blew me away!! As a former musician myself I can tell you from first hand experience, this is how to write great songs.
8.) "Afraid Of Love" – Here is a ballad that kicks off with a huge Whitesnake type intro. Musically the song is just real laid back. The whispered section of the chorus really sets the song off. Steve's bass drum has a huge sound on this track, they really “beefed up the mic”. Musically this is one of D2's top 5 ballads. The backing harmonies are very Def Leppard "Hysteria" sounding. Andy's solo has a little echo effect with sounds great with the backing harmonies.
9.) "When She's Good She's Good (When She's Bad She's Bad)" - This track opens with a huge Andy lead scale with Steve playing a twelve note pattern. As the verse progresses there is three different guitar patterns playing at one time, which makes the song sound real thick. Once again D2 really show their harmonizing talent through the chorus. The song has a very simple but very effective bridge.
10.) "Shot O' Love"(unreleased) - This track opens with an acoustic guitar pattern and cowbell. The lyric arrangement is just real simple. The guys really pulled back to the roots of great song writing on this one. The way the backing harmonies are set up it reminds the listener of Def Leppard in a lot of way. The backing harmonies are nothing but strong. The harmonizing bridge before the solo completely blew me away!!!!
11.) "Don't Pull The Plug" (unreleased) - This track opens with a very bluesy Andy lead scale. When Steve kicks the song in it has a very Blackfoot feel to it. Lyrically it just is a fun loving Rock and Roll song. The guitar pattern is really just a bunch of blues scales pieced together. This would make a great closing live number.
12) "Time In A Bottle"(Disc 1 only) - A very cool Jim Croce cover that I completely did not expect.




It is not often a lead singer will leave or be fired from a band and you get a chance to hear the same songs recorded with both vocalists unless it is live. So "Cockroach is a real treat for all music fans.
As a long time D2 fan myself I once thought after hearing the news of Ted's departure that it would be very hard for the band to find an adequate replacement. Then I heard "4 the Hard Way".
After giving both disc careful attention and getting to compare the two vocalists side-by-side, track-by-track. I came to this conclusion, "Paul is D2 's Cinderella with the golden slipper". Don't get me wrong disc 2 is excellent too, but Paul's vocal range and ability blows Ted's completely away. "Cockroach" is a 10 out of 10 and meets Blast Magazines stamp of approval.