Winger
's second album,
In the Heart of the Young
, continues in the same vein of slick, progressive-tinged, radio-ready
pop-metal
featured on their debut -- almost what
Asia
or
90125
-era
Yes
might sound like as
hair bands
. The melodies and guitars still twist and turn in unpredictable directions, but the material on
isn't always as musically interesting as the songs on
. Plus, the inclusion of more
ballads
detracts from the overall energy. Still, there's enough here to make the album worthwhile for anyone who enjoyed its predecessor, especially in the absence of a best-of collection.
"Miles Away"
became a Gulf War love anthem, while
"Can't Get Enuff"
and
"Easy Come Easy Go"
are fine rockers that nevertheless failed to make much of a dent in the charts. ~ Steve Huey