Cast the First Stone

Obscure East Coaster quintet featuring triplets hits the airwaves full-sprint with "Running Back," an ace cut of album rock which, like much of this debut, relies too heavily on keyboards to be taken seriously outside of the big '80s. Urgent joins Cheap Trick, Triumph, and countless others with yet another ditty dubbed "Say Goodbye," but at least it's a nice slice. The Biblical title track is also a cool keeper, but something of a misnomer as this hot wax corrals morally ambiguous selections about fighting off a buddy's broad, nailing every girl in sight, and then wanting to be the reason she tells the boys no. Such are the ways of shop-worn love. Mick Ronson and Ian Hunter, the Gilbert & Sullivan of deletion, produce and contribute, but the band actually does better without them, not surprising considering Hunter felt the '80s were a wash (thus the profit-palming yuppie pop of "Pay Up"). Not much danger of running across this tidbit, but, if so, snag it for the aforementioned songs. ~ Doug Stone, All Music Guide