Babylon A.D.

When a trend is hot, you can safely assume that most major labels will want to get in on the action. In the late 1980s, glossy pop-metal was hot -- and Arista tried to get in on the action by signing Babylon A.D., whose self-titled debut album draws on such influences as Def Leppard, Quiet Riot, and Bon Jovi. Arista no doubt reasoned that because bands like Leppard, Poison, Winger, and Bon Jovi were huge at the time, the easiest way to have a pop-metal/hard rock hit was to record something similar. But to have a successful pop-metal album, you need memorable hooks -- and for the most part, Babylon's hooks aren't all that memorable. Still, this CD has its moments. "The Kid Goes Wild" and "Back in Babylon" aren't in a class with Bon Jovi's or Leppard's best songs, although they're catchy enough. Also likable is the power ballad "Desperate." This derivative, unoriginal effort didn't go down in history as one of 1989's stronger pop-metal releases, but again, it has its moments. ~ Alex Henderson