Reviews:

Audio Mixers: Chris Lord-Alge; Paul Crook ; George Wehrlin.
Recording information: Blickling Hall, Norfolk, UK; Bungalow Castle, London, UK; Capitol Studios; Chevrolet Centre, Youngstown, OH; Emblem Studios; Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway; Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland; Lightning Sound Studio; Nottingham Arena, Nottingham, UK; Stadtpark, Hamburg, Germany; The Marquis, Cork, Ireland; United Palace Theatre, New York, NY; Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin, Germany.
Photographer: Martin H„usler.
Hang Cool Teddy Bear may not be an explicit sequel to Bat Out of Hell -- not in its title or in its composition, with Meat Loaf once again parting ways with Jim Steinman, the architect of the Bat songs -- but it sure has enough bombast to trick anybody into thinking it's the fourth volume of Bat. It's not, of course: unlike those three career-defining records, Hang Cool Teddy Bear boasts an actual narrative -- a hazy, unformed tale of a wounded soldier -- instead of merely being conceptual, a difference that should give the album shape, particularly when married with Rob Cavallo's crisp, bright production. Cavallo corrects all the errors of the heavy-handed metallic Bat Out of Hell III -- its slick processed grind playing like an unfortunate artifact from the moussed and teased '80 Sunset Strip -- but the album still lacks the songs of Steinman. Instead, many other writers craft tributes to that over-the-top sound -- notably, Justin Hawkins, who made his bones with the parodic rock of the Darkness, American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, Bon Jovi & Desmond Child -- winding up with fist-pumping, Springsteen arena-anthems and guitar-laden rockers. Meat Loaf also gets assistance in the studio by a true motley crew -- Steve Vai and Brian May double-team on guitar, Jack Black sings backing vocals, and House's Hugh Laurie pounds the piano. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Personnel: Randy Flowers (vocals, guitar, background vocals); James Michael, Justin Hawkins, Rick Brantley (vocals, guitar); CC Coletti, Kasim Sulton, Patti Russo (vocals, background vocals); Paul Crook , Rob Cavallo, Tim Pierce (guitar); David Luther (saxophone, keyboards, background vocals); Mark Alexander (piano, keyboards, background vocals); Jamie Muhoberac (keyboards); John Miceli (drums); Dan Chase (programming).