'Four Winds' is the first of only two albums recorded by 'Tangier' and the general opinion is that this the debut, is the stronger of the two recordings. Not your typical release for '89, I expected something a little more in the Pop / Hair Metal genre, but this is a pretty decent blend of traditional Hard Rock, not overly commercial and with a healthy but not over-the-top Blues influence, think 'Whitesnake' (especially with 'Bill Mattson's' 'Coverdale' style vocals). Ultimately 'Four Winds' isn't a groundbreaking release, but still a surprisingly enjoyable album, that probably got overlooked, like a lot of decent bands in the late 80's.

The chart friendly 'Ripcord' opens and while it's fairly predictable, still a decent journey, 'Bill Mattson' immediately impresses with his Bluesy vocals and is well supported throughout. The tempo falls for the 'Whitesnake' sounding 'Mississippi', a very Bluesy song that's surprisingly well executed, the melody is sweet, while the more uptempo electric guitar work fits in superbly. Following strongly is the laid-back rocker 'On the Line', a smooth flowing track, that's decently penned and braced by some nice guitar solos and more sharp vocals. 'In a Time' ensues and balances heavier sections, with a more subtle pre-chorus, doesn't totally come off, but there's enough strong moments to make this a satisfactory effort. The first half closes with the title track, a subtle affair, that has shades of early 'Rainbow', think 'The Temple of the King', in fact I think some of the lyrics are lifted from that song, even still a passionately performed number. The second half commences with 'Fever for Gold', a somewhat run-of-the-mill Rock song, while 'Southbound Train' ebbs and flows in the 'Whitesnake' manner and overall sounds like a cover, can't think what of though?. 'Tangier' creep into 'Cinderella' / 'Britny Fox' territory with the simplistic, carefree rocker 'Sweet Surrender' and while it's a light-hearted jaunt, graced with some nice guitar work, it's got that recycled feel. It's back to the 'Whitesnake' inspired material with 'Bad Girl' a Bluesy mid tempo cut, that while lyrically not all that impressive, the chorus does standout as well as the instrumental work. Sometimes the most simple songs are the best and this is the case here, with the final track 'Good Lovin'' a solid hearty rocker that owes more than a nod to 'Whitesnake' and maybe even 'Kiss', the rhythm work is driving throughout, while the female backing vocals add another dimension, to make this my album highlight.

There's a wealth of fine material here, especially the ultra solid first half, but in reality the songs don't go the extra distance to compete with the leading bands of the time, a shame as there's plenty of potential shown.