Grand Prix - Samurai

Singer Rob McAuley went on to front McAuley-Schenker Group and Survivor, and there’s more than a hint of the latter in mid-tempo radio-friendly fodder such as High Time, while Freedom is akin to the hard rocking of MSG. Much of Samurai is, however, keyboard-rich (courtesy of Phil Lanzon’s fluid lines), softer melodic rock, though Countdown To Zero and Somewhere Tonight kick into higher gear, before the bubblegum rock of the glam-tinged Never Before. The title track grips with its sweet guitar action, and two cuts from 1982’s Reading Festival 12” flesh out a stylish, if not heavyweight set.