TRIUMPH - Just A Game

                   [Millennium Remastered Series]

TML Entertainment

Posted:  4/30/05

Reviewed by: Lynn Phillips

Category: Classic Rock/Hard Rock

Original Release: 1979  Remastered: 1/25/05

Label URL: www.triumphmusic.com

Artist URL: www.triumphmusic.com

Since Triumph was never a darling of commercial radio or television, most American’s never knew they existed until they heard “Magic Power” on the radio.  Of course the band that already put out several albums before Magic Power hit the airwaves, with Just a Game being one of them.  While it will never be mentioned in the same breath as Triumph’s more popular releases like Allied Forces and Thunder Seven, Just a Game does have a couple of rock classics as well as a nice variety of musical styles.  From a more commercial standpoint, Triumph found success with Lay It On the Line and Hold On.  Lay It On The Line is an amazing hard rock song that I love just as much today as I did back when it was released.  Like all Triumph material, the guitar work and vocals are simply awesome.  Hold On has a more folk feel with rock elements thrown in to keep it interesting.  Both tracks were staples of Triumph concerts right up until their break up.  While the remaining songs on Just a Game aren’t as strong as the hits, they are certainly enjoyable.  The acoustic Fantasy Serenade and old school blued based Suitcase Blues add a lot of diversity to the track listing.  Movin’ On and American Girls are the straight ahead hard rock songs that helped define the bands signature sound.  Of course with this reissue, the sound quality is now better than ever adding some much needed “fullness” to the sound that was sorely missing in the original.  If I had to nit pick, my biggest problem with Just a Game would be the small number of songs (seven plus one guitar instrumental), which seems incredibly skimpy given the inclusion of a throw-away song like Young Enough to Cry.  But don’t let that minor critique dissuade you from picking up this reissue.  Lay It On The Line is worth the price of admission alone!

The Bloody Truth: While it’s certainly not the most essential Triumph release, Just a Game has several great tracks and is very enjoyable start to finish.  Any music fan that has a predilection for contemporary hard rock with a lot of musical style and diversity owes it to him or her self to pick up this reissue of Just a Game.  Like all the other Triumph releases, the vocal melodies and guitar playing will blow you away.