Girls Night Out [Alternate Tracks]

Toronto: Sheron Alton, Brian Allen (vocals, guitar); Holly Woods (vocals); Scott Kreyer (keyboards); Mike Gingrich (bass guitar); Barry Connors (drums).
Personnel: Sharon Allen (vocals, guitar); Barry Conners, Jim Vallance (drums); Ian Hodson (percussion); Susan Kreyer, Debbie Raymond, Colleen Prudhomme, Kathi McDonald (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Joe Chiccarelli.
Liner Note Author: Kerry Doole.
Photographer: Paul Appleby.
Arranger: Jim Vallance.
With 1983's Girls Night Out, Toronto combined the vocal punch of Holly Woods with a deliberate keyboard pounce, boldly dictating the album's hard rock sound. Slick but familiar sounding riffs make "Girls Night Out" and "Ready to Make Up" charged little numbers and are in turn the album's best, while the synth-infused rhythm of "When Can I See You Again" carries a worthy, arena rock-like beat. With more of a mainstream angle encroaching their music than what is heard on their last couple of albums, Toronto's sound on Girls Night Out contains some new wave flair but with a rockier bottom end, mainly because of the formulaic guitar and drum sound. Unimaginative creations like "Those Eyes," "Who's Your Lover," and "Talk to Me" sink with either heavy metal-ish boredom or savorless rock romanticism, and should be avoided. Even so, this and Toronto's first album, 1980s Lookin' for Trouble" are the best they have to offer. ~ Mike DeGagne