by Andy HindsThe second and last release under guitar virtuoso Greg Howe's Howe 2 moniker is a more slickly produced offering than the early-Van Halen inspired High Gear album, which successfully combined Greg's electrifying guitar acrobatics with brother Al Howe's party anthem sensibilities. Overall, Now Hear This is a disappointment; it sounds like a band that desperately wants mainstream success, even at the expense of its core values. "One Good Night" sounds like a Journey outtake, and even the band's more characteristic rockers ("The Ride," "Fat Cat") sound a bit muted this time around. Of course there are plenty of beautifully executed guitar solos and instrumental showmanship in general -- after all, this is a Shrapnel release. Greg Howe's solos billow and bloom with effortless grace. But Now Hear This is a blatant bid for stardom. And, while this band deserved more attention than it ultimately got, by 1990 the tides were turning away from slick hard rock, which by then had completely flooded the music market and become stale. Howe 2 would have been better off sticking to their guns. With Nirvana waiting around the corner, this music was about to become commercially irrelevant anyway. Highlights include the band's live concert opener "Crowd Pleaser" and "Mother Lode."