1987

The European release of Whitesnake's commercial breakthrough is actually their eponymous American release retitled 1987. The differences are small, but they are enough to make it interesting. The first difference is the track order, which is very different. The album seems to flow a little better the way it is presented here, especially when utilizing "Still of the Night" as the opening track. This has always been one of their best songs, and by far one of the best Led Zeppelin rip-offs to ever be written. There are also two more songs than on the American release, making it that much more essential to fans. Of the two, "Looking for Love" is the standout; a nice slow build to a blustery chorus makes this a classic David Coverdale ballad. "You're Gonna Break My Heart Again" is the hard rocker, and though it isn't exactly the holy grail of hard rock, it is a decent song that fits nicely with the other material here. If the option is presented, this is the superior edition and should be purchased above the edited American version. Fans will need the two extra songs, while anyone looking to hear their best album should hunt this down for the superior track order. ~ Bradley Torreano