Bugzy: She’s The One! (Divebomb)

It’s always a thrill when a trove of vintage, previously unreleased material is discovered and released to the fans. One such collection was Bugzy’s Plan B, which showcased some absolutely fantastic melodic rock from the ‘80s that for various reasons never saw the light of day. Plan B was this site’s Top Reissue of 2017, and the notion that there were not one but two additional collections’ worth of material was very good news in 2018.

She’s The One! is the second of the two new Bugzy collections, and largely features songs (a hefty 18 of them) written towards the end of the band’s career. Think late ‘80s and very early ‘90s. There’s still a very strong Honeymoon Suite vibe, but the songs are less arena-rocking and more AOR this time around. Most of the material on She’s The One! is the kind of melodic rock you’d put on a mixtape – sorry, playlist – with the likes of Boulevard, Shooting Star and Brian Howe-era Bad Company. There are a handful of songs recorded in the ‘90s that reflect that era a bit more, but even then the quality is there in a Goo Goo Dolls kind of way. Bugsy’s lead vocals are perfect for either era of this kind of music, and the backing harmonies are always used to great effect.

“Believe in Love” is the big anthem on this collection, and is a perfect example of the melodic rock sound in the days just before grunge took over. “Easier Said Than Done” and “I Think Of You” had a strong ‘80s soundtrack vibe with plenty of pop sensibilities. Covering Player’s “Baby Come Back” was an odd choice, but Bugzy made it work. Other highlights are “Fool For A Pretty Face” and the title track of this collection, which has a great horns section beefing up the already catchy chorus.

It speaks to the strength of Bugzy’s material that as good as these songs are, they didn’t make the cut for last year’s Plan B collection. If that was the “A” material, She’s The One! is a solid B+. This is another very enjoyable collection of melodic rock from a band that should have been all over the airwaves in the ‘80s. If you loved the Plan B collection (and how could you not?), this is a total must-have. She’s The One! is also highly recommended if you’re a fan of melodic rock bands like Loverboy, Bryan Adams, Honeymoon Suite, Outside Edge and Boulevard.

Reissue Notes: It’s not technically a reissue, but some “reissue-type” details are worth pointing out. As with the previous Bugzy collections, the Divebomb label did this material justice in both sound and presentation. The songs have all been newly remastered, and the booklet is packed with a brief band history and notes on each song’s origins.