Foreigner: 40 (2LP) [ATLANTIC/RHINO]

Why you'll love it

This 2LP set gathers 23 tracks over four sides, pressed in the Netherlands. It reached No. 15 on Billboard's Top Rock Albums chart in 2017, forty years after the band's debut.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Pressed in the Netherlands

About the album

Foreigner did the maths for you: forty years, a pile of hits, and a cover that nods to their 1981 smash 4. The British-American band built by guitarist Mick Jones and singer Lou Gramm had been on Atlantic since their 1977 debut, and this collection marked that anniversary with a career-spanning sweep through the hits and favourite album tracks, right up to the 2016 EP The Flame Still Burns.

The first two sides are wall-to-wall radio: "Feels Like The First Time," "Cold As Ice," "Hot Blooded," "Double Vision," "Dirty White Boy" and "Head Games," then "Urgent," "Juke Box Hero" and the two great power ballads, "Waiting For A Girl Like You" and "I Want To Know What Love Is." Sides C and D dig deeper, with "That Was Yesterday," "Heart Turns To Stone" and "Soul Doctor," songs from the Johnny Edwards years and later Kelly Hansen-era tracks like "Can't Slow Down," plus a fresh recording of "I Don't Want To Live Without You."

PopMatters pointed out that the title and artwork tip their hat to 4, which makes this a very neat bit of packaging. Side B alone runs from "Urgent" to "I Want To Know What Love Is," which is roughly the full emotional range of a karaoke night in one sitting.

Also at Kops: more Foreigner on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Atlantic / Rhino (cat# R1 559755), the 2017 compilation.