Danger Zone

Danger Zone is the fifth album on which Sammy Hagar puts his high, breaking-through voice and clear guitar riffs to the front. The songs are compactly built, yet the band’s playing has ample heat and thickness, and catchy melody comes naturally to the fore. It is an easy-to-enjoy record showing his solo-era fullness. In the strong hook of “Love or Money,” the lightness of “Heartbeat” and the drive of the title track “Danger Zone,” an accessibility that would lead to later large-scale success appears clearly. It is striking that, within an openness evoking travel and speed, it holds a sure rock push. Its appeal is a stance of winning on compact writing and clear melody rather than flashy staging. Wildness and accessibility are balanced, and a positive drive as if heading toward a live venue runs throughout. It is a spirited, fulfilling record from the period when Sammy Hagar as a solo artist stood just before a great leap.