MAMA'S BOYS "Power and Passion" (1985)
by Dana Brittingham

Cover: 6 Bangers and Mash out of 10
It's a chick lying across a throne with a raised dagger in her hand. It looks rock enough, but would earn a higher rating if a) she were tits-up naked, or b) she were committing hara-kiri. But I guess you can't have everything.

Booklet: 4 Corned Beef and Cabbages out of 10
Having been originally released in 1985, Power and Passion was only released on CD in very limited quantities; thus, there isn't a whole lot of attention paid to the packaging beyond the very basic liner notes. Still, this CD was from, like, the last century, so I really can't rip on it too bad.

Songs: 9 Potato Famines out of 10
While the slightly-tinny-sounding production leaves a bit to be desired, these songs are all excellent. Of particular interest are the tracks "Don’t Tell Mama," "Run," "Needle In The Groove," and especially the last track, "Let’s Get High, "an anthem for the times to be sure, with big hooks and a chorus that will take you years of solitary confinement to get out of your head. The singer's got a cool rock voice, but the true standout in the band is the work of the guitarist - his chops are out of control, and he even plays an electric fiddle to boot. An instrumental track ("The Professor II") proves he’s got the talent to anyone who’s got any doubt about it.

Comments: This band from Northern Ireland was originally called "Pulse" when they formed around 1979, but due to the fact that the guys are all brothers (vocalist/bassist John MacManus, drummer Tommy MacManus, and fretmaster Pat "The Professor" MacManus) and were not much more than kids when they started out, DJs started referring to them as "Mama's Boys" and the name stuck. Incidentally, Mom MacManus actually appeared on various album covers and in videos that these guys made. Opening for bands like Thin Lizzy and the Scorpions, Mama's Boys built up a following in Europe and signed a major deal that got them airplay across the Atlantic. By 1984, they were touring in America, soon to be packaged with bands like Ratt, Bon Jovi, Rush, Accept and many more. Their cover of Slade's "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" actually was released as a single at the same time Quiet Riot’s version of the same tune was hitting the airwaves, so both versions of the song were in the charts simultaneously. Anyhow, Power and Passion came out at a time when the band was at its height, and took them to even higher levels than anyone anticipated. Mama’s Boys released a few more studio albums - 1987's Growing Up The Hard Way and 1992's Relativity (plus a "Best Of" CD released in 2000). Sadly, Tommy MacManus became stricken with Leukemia as a child and while he managed to struggle with it for years, he unfortunately passed away in late 1994. The surviving MacManus brothers began anew under the name "Celtus," releasing 4 studio albums to date (and a live recording), all featuring a Celtic folk-rock kind of sound. Still, the quintessential Mama’s Boys album is Power and Passion, so it’s well worth checking out if you can find it.