Description
Can’t Stop Us Now is the fourth album by the Swedish hard rock band Jerusalem, released in the US on Refuge Records in 1984, distributed by The Benson Company. (The original Swedish version of the album, entitled Vi Kan Inte Stoppas, was released on the Swedish gospel label Royal Music the previous year.) The album was recorded and mixed during May – September 1983 by Andy Kidd at Secret Studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland; with Kidd and the band producing. All songs written by lead singer/guitarist Ulf Christiansson except track B1 featuring lyrics co-written by Christiansson and Andy Kidd.
Swedish rockers Jerusalem are back hot and heavy with ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’. Following 1982’s respectable ‘Warrior‘ and an American tour fronting Rez Band, Jerusalem seems more attuned to the Christian rock market in this country than ever before.
‘Warrior’ came as a welcome release amidst a rather lean period in Christian rock and corrected the band’s previous studio releases (volumes 1 and 2) which fell short of the drive and energy characterizing ’80s heavy metal. ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’ brings the guitar-heavy, riff-oriented chops of ‘Warrior’ together with some of the pop sensibilities that show up on leader Ulf Christiansson’s 1983 solo LP, ‘In My Dreams‘.
Still very much a hard-rocking album, ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’ contains shorter, hook-oriented material. Andy Kidd’s production is more alive and intense than on ‘Warrior’. The thrash and grind of Klas Anderhell’s drums and Christiansson’s Stratocaster guitar formulations have the feel of a live performance. Dan Tibell’s move toward more synths adds that necessary ’80s feel. «Let’s Go (Dancin’)», «Loves You More», and the title track are laden with energy and an anthemic message of encouragement and hope. Admittedly, not all of the songs have this magic, but ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’ is a solid, if not completely memorable, collection. [Quincy Smith-Newcomb, CCM, August 1984]
Jerusalem – Can’t Stop Us Now (Legends Remastered), Retroactive Records 2018
New-to-metal fans might need to know that this album, from possibly the best rock band that Sweden’s ever produced, was originally released in 1983. Now, thanks to Retroactive Records, this has been re-issued and remastered and even offers two bonus tracks. So how do these recordings stand up 35 years later? Quite well is the answer. The source recordings (especially the drums) are trapped in the time they were recorded, but with so many bands looking over their shoulders for “authenticity” that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Kicking off with the rocking title track, I was expecting a heads down no nonsense album, but that wasn’t what I got. Instead it’s more guitar rock bookending a more keyboardy central section. With the former, the band powers along, distorted guitars and riffs to the fore, lyrics clear in meaning and overtly faith-based and generally evangelistic. Some of the backing harmonies are prog-rock influenced and some vocal inflections bear more than a passing resemblance to flower power, but it works. This is a band that were solid: their playing slotted together seemingly effortlessly, each part there to make the song work and work they do. Even the swirly keyboard-driven «Read Between The Lines» sits well in the context of the album, the riffs now being in the background but still there. The album is a mix of late ’70s guitar rock and early ’80s keyboard power pop (most evident on the poppy «Let’s Go (Dancing)»), although the organ work on «Time» is solidly ’70s. It contains two bonus tracks from other compilations, one of which is an alternative mix («Heartbeat»). The album catches the band at a time when musical genres were mutating: rock was incorporating more synthesisers as the technology stabilised and bands were producing more in-studio material than they were ever likely to play live, due to the complexity or subtlety. These tensions meet best in the well-worked and arranged «Mourner’s Parade» and «Tomorrow’s World» where the riffs are carried by the synths. Overall I preferred the more straight ahead rock material, drenched in reverb and carrying a level of excitement. And no one can doubt the passion and conviction of lead singer Ulf Christiansson. As far as Cross Rhythms is concerned, Ulf, along with the Resurrection Band‘s Glenn Kaiser, was one of the GREAT Christian rock singers. So though some elements of this album may be dated, it has to be one discerning rockers will enjoy. [Paul S Ganney, Cross Rhythms, August 2018]
> Apple Music (Jerusalem Classics 2 – English Version: https://music.apple.com/us/album/jerusalem-classics-2/467858008)
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Can’t Stop Us Now” – 3:52
A2. “Loves You More” – 3:48
A3. “The Wind Is Blowing” – 4:19
A4. “Tomorrow’s World” – 5:26
A5. “The Waiting” – 4:27
Side Two
B1. “Let’s Go (Dancin’)” – 3:42
B2. “Mourner’s Parade” – 4:30
B3. “Read Between The Lines” – 4:04
B4. “The Missing Piece” – 3:39
B5. “Heartbeat” – 3:51
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Refuge Records. Remastered by Rob Colwell and re-issued on CD by Retroactive Records in June 2018, entitled Can’t Stop Us Now (Legends Remastered) 35th Anniversary Edition. The CD comes in a jewel case featuring a 12-page booklet with lyrics and band pics, as well as two bonus tracks: “Time” from the multi-artist sampler Front Row and “Heartbeat (Light Remix)” from the band’s Tretti compilation.
An advertisement for Jerusalem’s Can’t Stop Us Now was featured in the May 1984 issue of CCM Magazine.
JERUSALEM – Can’t Stop Us Now (Legends Remastered)
Welcome To The … 80’s?
Jerusalem’s enigmatic 4th release remains, for some, a question mark on their otherwise impeccable record of inspiring and confrontational rock n’ roll. Fans have a diverse array of opinions on this album – some absolutely hating this direction for a band that to this point lived and breathed 70’s classic and progressive rock, and others lauding the change in musical landscape as cutting-edge contemporary. Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, there was and is no denying that Jerusalem was a band that could not be pigeon-holed into a nice comfortable genre – they were doing their own thing, keeping pace with the times and following the calling of the Spirit. The only band member change this time was the drummer change with Mikael Ulvsgard taking over for Klas Anderhell. The decidedly more pop approach was a common stylistic change during the early 80’s for many bands, and Jerusalem was no exception to the norm in this regard. They did, however, stamp their own quirky brand on the 80’s music vibe, and in that regard spared themselves from extinction.
Can’t Stop Us Now isn’t the most intense or original composition from Ulf and company, but it’s not nearly as forgettable as some might try to argue. Retroactive Records, as part of the Legends Remastered series, has delivered the entire recording (plus 2 bonus tracks) on CD in English for the first time. The Fruit Records (‘90’s) version deleted the last 3 tracks, which is a shame, because the second half of this album, beginning with «Mourner’s Parade», represents the most innovative and experimental portion of this record. We are once again treated to a 12 page booklet with lyrics in a clear jewel case. Really love the alternate pictures on front and back cover of the booklet. Yeah, those poses are cheesy, but come on, this was the 80’s after all. Remember, this album was produced by Andy Kidd (produced Warrior) so it can’t all be bad. I will say, though, that the sonic impact on this remaster seems a bit more muted compared to the first 3 remasters in this series, and I don’t hear that walloping bass vibration so evident (and enjoyable) on those records. You would think an overproduced 80’s recording would sound a bit more obnoxious (especially for dance) than this sounds. The drums just seem a bit too far back in the mix for an album trying to ratchet up the pop. Still, I like this version…
The title track covered familiar ground, the classic rock vibe with plenty of pace and a catchy chorus. In some ways this song – with the big arena rock vocals – was the template for the much heavier rock crunch that would boil to perfection on 1987’s Dancing On The Head Of The Serpent. «Love You More» followed pace with a clean musical flow and the encouraging words with great melodies. I think «The Wind Is Blowing» slowed things down a bit too much 3 songs in, but I do like this lyric – “I’m on my way now, can’t stop me now” – which ties in nicely with the title track. But by now many fans were scratching their heads as to where the prog (so pervasive on Warrior) had gone. «Tomorrow’s World» almost has a mid-80’s Rush meets Cheap Trick quality and represents the most progressive song on the album. I love the bass guitar vibe and the synth/keyboard sounds Tibell painted this song with in the middle section. The vocal effects on Ulf’s voice here (and on many of the songs on this album) suppress too much of his power and passion. Similarly, «The Waiting» is a really good song, but the vocals seem almost muted in the mix.
I wonder how many of us cringed when we first heard «Let’s Go (Dancin’)»? I am all for solid pop music with a beat, but this song just didn’t work for me. I appreciate what they were trying to do here, pushing the fringe and moving beyond the comfort level, but well… the great thing about Jerusalem is that they never took themselves too seriously, and who can fault them for dancing with joy! Fortunately, this is followed by two of the strongest songs on the record in «Mourner’s Parade» and «Read Between The Lines». The former song has some of the most poignant lyrics backed by a much more subdued singing style – kind of sounds like David Bowie. It’s a dark song, but maybe the best song on this album.
“Being afraid is a habit, very few of us break/ You’ll only find out you’re a prisoner when you try to escape.” … “Join in the mourner’s parade/ It’s a deaf and dumb cavalcade/ All feelings kept well undercover/ Indifference to one another.” – «Mourner’s Parade»
The guitar solo shreds and there are some nice drumming nuances that hearken back to the kind of playing we loved on Warrior. «Read Between the Lines» is similarly engaging on both a lyrical an musical level, just a bit more subtle and atmospheric. «The Missing Piece» has a decidedly melancholy vocal approach, again almost Bowie-like. Finally, «Heartbeat» is another experimental song that has a solid 4 or the floor thump with great guitar and synth sounds – very atmospheric.
The bonus tracks include «Time» – a very solid tune from the Front Row compilation with a great guitar riff and soaring vocal melodies – and an alternate mix to «Heartbeat» with a more intricate/prolonged vocal sequence. Overall, I think this remaster is a success on many levels. This album can now be heard in its entirety, and the invitation for a “second listen” has been issued. The packaging and artwork is first rate, and the bonus tracks definitely enhance the value.
[Jonathan "Doc" Swank, HM Magazine, June 2018]
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