The Hard Way

Album Review

John Waite has reinvented himself several times throughout his lengthy career. First starting off as leader of the melodic rock outfit the Babys, Waite then went the 'adult pop' route of his solo career (the massive hit "Missing You"), before joining up with a few Journey alumni for the best-forgotten supergroup, Bad English. Afterwards, Waite continued on his merry way as a solo artist — revisiting the same direction that made him well-known to the MTV masses back in the '80s, especially on his 2004 release, The Hard Way. Exactly what you'd expect from Waite in this stage of the game, Hard Way sees Waite continuing with what he's done well all along — songs that focus largely on relationships (the album opening title track, the ballad "Always Be Your Man," etc.) — while his voice remains in fine form. If you dug such past Waite favorites as 1982's Ignition and 1984's No Brakes, you're sure to enjoy The Hard Way. In fact, stylistically, it would have fit in perfectly as the follow-up release to the two aforementioned titles.