Song Titles:
Disc 1	Disc 2
(Paul Laine): 1) Still Kickin' 4:17 2) Sick Little Twisted Mind 6:08 3) Good Time 3:42 4) Don't Break My Heart Again 4:41 5) Tip Of My Tongue 3:52 6) Walk It Like Ya Talk It 4:45 7) Goin' Goin' Gone 3:50 8) Afraid Of Love 5:07 9) When She's Good She's Good (When She's Bad She's Better) 4:46 10) Shot O' Love 4:03 11) Don't Pull The Plug 6:16 12) Time In A Bottle 2:56 Originally recorded in 1994	(Ted Poley): 1) Still Kickin' 4:18 2) When She's Good She's Good (When She's Bad She's Better) 4:46 3) Shot O' Love 4:02 4) Afraid Of Love 5:08 5) Tip Of My Tongue 3:51 6) Walk It Like Ya Talk It 4:44 7) Goin' Goin' Gone 5:53 8) Good Time 3:43 9) Don't Break My Heart Again 4:42 10) Don't Pull The Plug 5:20 11) Sick Little Twisted Mind 3:16 Originally recorded in 1993

This band is a personal favorite of mine, Danger Danger. Most hardcore Danger Danger fans know the story behind this album. But for those of you just finding out about D2, I think we should let you in on it. Danger Danger recorded this album for release in 1993 on Sony Records, but then Ted Poley was fired after this was recorded, as Bruno and Steve wanted to go in a heavier direction. Andy Timmons left right afterwards and Paul Laine was brought in, and all the songs were re-recorded for a release in 1994. Ted had written most of the songs featured here, so Ted decided to sue. This album didn't get a release until 2001. Paul Laine recorded three more albums with Danger Danger. A few tracks from this album were used on both Four the Hard Way (1998), and Return Of The Great Gildersleeves (2000). This album was finally released in 2001, a two-disc set with both versions. Ted Poley has since returned to Danger Danger, and I, along with other hardcore D2 fans are waiting for the news of a new album! For now let's talk about this album, which I've wanted to review for quite some time.

The running order is different on both discs, but to keep it simple, I'll be reviewing for both singers in the same order!

1) Still Kickin' opens the album nicely for both discs. This song's really got a groove going. The bass line in the beginning is killer, I must say, being a bassist myself. Both singers sound great here, I can't really decide who wins here. Ted has a subtle style here which works quite well, and Paul's voice works just as well here, which is strange, as the music behind each singer is exactly the same. This is heavy rock, a style Ted doesn't normally do, but Ted's voice works on anything he does. Paul and Ted are locked in a dead heat here!
Ted: 9/10
Paul: 9/10

2) When She's Good She's Good (When She's Bad She's Better) is a mid-tempo rocker, which is about this chick who is apparently pretty fuckin' good in the sack. Andy Timmons' guitar playing has a lot of heart and soul here. Bruno's bass has a pulse behind it, as does Steve's drumming, which instrumentally puts this right in the pocket. Now for the singers? Ted gets the award here. Why? I'd have to say Ted's voice is much better for this song, it just fits the music like a glove. What can I say about Paul, he's a great vocalist, but his voice, though he sounds good, at times rubs this song the wrong way.
Ted: 10/10
Paul: 8/10

3) Shot O' Love is a good-time rocker which is in the vein of the self-titled debut, except it's much better. The music is stronger, the production is better. The guitar is half-clean, half-distorted. It works like a charm here. This is a song that really lifts me up when I'm down. This song is my anti-depressant. Ted Poley must be butter, because he's on a roll. Paul sounds awesome here as well. But Ted wins once again.
Ted: 10/10
Paul: 9.5/10

4) Afraid Of Love is a ballad in the same vein as "She's Gone" from Return Of The Great Gildersleeves. Paul's got some tough competition here! Because I always felt Ted was the man with the voice for ballads. The Laine man sounds very good here, as well. Instrumentally, this is a perfect ballad. Everyone works together perfectly here. Sorry Paul, but I gotta give it Ted again. His voice is made for ballads. But just for being a good sport, Paul gets a 10 as well.
Ted: 10/10
Paul: 10/10

5) Tip Of My Tongue is a bluesy Aerosmith-esque rocker, with horns thrown in. That's unheard of for Danger Danger! They do it surprisingly well here. Both singers sound equally great here. I'm not into the song like I am the others, though.
Ted: 8/10
Paul: 8/10

6) Walk It Like Ya Talk It is a rocker with a guitar riff catchier that HIV at an orgy! Andy is full of life on the guitar here, he sounds solid enough to knock down an old brick building faster than a wrecking ball! Steve and Bruno are holding it together with a powerful pulse, and Ted and Paul are adding different kinds of magic to the song that work equally well. Paul's voice has the harder edge that works with a harder edged song like this. Ted adds that same edge to his voice that works like a charm here. Ted and Paul are both walkin' it like they talk it here.
Ted: 10/10
Paul: 10/10

7) Goin' Goin' Gone is a rocker very much in the vein of the first album. This song was used on 1998's Four The Hard Way. The bass is more prominent here, showing something that wasn't present on the Four The Hard Way version. While I love that version, this is much better, which is saying a lot, because even the other version sounded killer. One thing I miss about the Four The Hard Way version is the keyboards after the lead solo. So you exchange one excellent thing for another. For the first time, I have to give it to Paul. Paul's voice is better here. Ted sounds outstanding as well.
Ted: 9.5/10
Paul: 10/10

8) Good Time lives up to its title, it's a good time rocker, which rocks in the same fashion as Cinderella's "Shake Me." I love what this song is about. Andy's lead guitar after the first verses really sounds great and kicks off the second verse. The lyrics are like "So kick off your shoes, play your drums. It ain't against the law to have a little fun!" Ted has it here. Paul sounds like he's trying a little too hard here.
Ted: 10/10
Paul: 8/10

9) Don't Break My Heart is a ballad with acoustic guitar from our very own Andy Timmons that shines like platinum (sucks this album most likely will never go platinum). This is a very heartfelt ballad, with killer verses which mesh nicely into the verses, and a lead solo by Andy Timmons that works very nicely in the mix, a lot of feeling. Both perform this outstandingly, but Ted Poley wins the award once again by a nose.
Ted: 10/10
Paul: 9.7/10

10) Don't Pull The Plug shows an intro of bluesy slide guitar, which Andy does a killer, killer, killer job on. It goes for about 45 seconds before someone says "That sucked!" Bullshit! Then Andy keeps going for another 40 seconds before the song gets going. It continues in a slide guitar fashion. Paul and Ted are too close to call here. As for the song, when you listen to it...YOU MUST NOT PULL THE PLUG!
Ted: 9/10
Paul: 9/10

11) Sick Little Twisted Mind has two versions which are quite different from one another. Paul's version has a killer lead solo in the beginning before the guitar riff settles into the groove which kicks the song off. While Ted's version just gets right down to business. As a personal preference, I prefer the lead solo in the beginning. I wish that was in Ted's version. But Ted does a better job on vocals than Paul. As far as the overall song. The lead solo wins Paul some points, making this a tie.
Ted: 9/10
Paul: 9/10

12) Time In A Bottle is a cover of the Jim Croce song from the 70's. Paul wins here. Why? Because Ted didn't do this song on his version. This was recorded especially for 1994 version, Paul Laine's version of Cockroach. The guitars are done very well here. Paul finishes his version of the disc nicely.
Ted: N/A
Paul: 8.5/10

Comments:

Overall, on this disc, while I feel that both singers were outstanding, Ted does an overall better job on the disc. His vocals are more distinct, more meant for Danger Danger. Had this been released in place of Screw It!, while that album is a classic, I think this would have solidified Danger Danger as a legend of the rock world. It's overall a much, much better album, the songwriting and musicianship is far better. Paul Laine? Ted Poley? Take your pick, I like Ted a little better, but both versions of this disc rock.

For Fans Of:

Danger Danger
Ted Poley
Paul Laine
Saraya

http://www.dangerdanger.com/

Score Key:
0: (scratches chalkboard with fingernails) ahh...I'm relieved
1-2: Weaker than weak.
3-4: Mediocre
5-6: Average
7-8: Good to Very Good
9: Great
10: Masterpiece
11+: How did I ever live without this?