This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
I will say this for Judas Priest: They don’t do things halfway. Take their recent series of remastered re-releases. Some bands would put out a best-of album or a box set. Others might put out their best three or four discs. Not these metal gods. In true amps-on-11 fashion, the Priest have spent the last few months remastering and reissuing their entire Columbia catalog — 12 albums recorded from 1977 to 1990. The final four just landed in stores, complete with bonus tracks, lyrics and other goodies. Here’s one of them:
Judas Priest
Turbo
The Year: 1986.
Call It: Poof goes Priest. Apparently discovering the wonders of hairspray and guitar synthesizers simultaneously, the band incorporates both into their world, making for some unintentionally hilarious Duran Duran-esque cover pictures and far less entertaining musical slices of ’80s hair metal.
The Essentials: Turbo Lover is probably the only track even a fan might admit liking.
The Extras: The harder-hitting unreleased studio track All Fired Up is a keeper; a live recording of Locked In rocks harder than the overprocessed studio version.
Most Metallic Moment: “We don’t care in the least — ’cause our metal is a feast,” from Rock You All Around the World, is a lyric worthy of David St. Hubbins.
Reason to Buy It: As an antidote to bouts of ’80s nostalgia.
