In the Heart of the Young

In the Heart of the Young is the second album, on which Winger crossed hard guitars with wide-opening vocal melodies to deepen the shape of melodic hard rock. Also known as Winger II, it was again produced by Beau Hill and released on Atlantic in 1990. Even amid the decline of glam metal, it went platinum and reached number 15 in the US. It is also the last album with Paul Taylor until 2023’s Seven. “Can't Get Enuff” and “Easy Come Easy Go” were late additions, written when the band felt short of rock songs, yet both became hits, and “Miles Away” reached number 20. In the second half — including “Rainbow in the Rose” and “You Are the Saint, I Am the Sinner” — the lyrics grow more serious and the playing turns longer and more complex. Building on the debut, it pushes the band’s musical ambition a notch further. A 13-month world tour with Kiss, Scorpions, Extreme and Slaughter followed. A rich record that stamps strong rhythmic and arrangement control into the glamour.