Neal Schon & Jan Hammer - Here to Stay (CD)

All Music Guide

Back for round two, guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jan Hammer united for a collaboration once again 1982's ‘Here to Stay' barely a year after their debut appeared. Like the debut (1981's Untold Passion), the album is a combination of both player's prog, fusion, and rock backgrounds although a short songwriting leash prevents most of the tracks from stretching past four minute mark. The duo were obviously aiming for the top of the charts with the album opener (whose accompanying video was quite popular during the early days of MTV), "No More Lies," which sounds like a song tailor made for Pat Benatar. Elsewhere, Hammer gets to spread his wings on "Time Again," while Schon shows off his hard rocking side with the Zeppelinesque "Turnaround." Like Untold Passion, ‘Here to Stay' was a moderate chart success. But despite its bold title, the album would prove to be the last Schon/Hammer collaboration.

- Greg Prato, All Music Guide