M.S.G.

AMG Review of M.S.G.

Bret Adams
All Music Guide

The McAuley-Schenker Group changed personnel and slightly adjusted their name for 1991's MSG. Guitarist Michael Schenker and vocalist Robin McAuley created the dual monikers Schenker McAuley and MSG and recruited Dokken bass guitarist Jeff Pilson and Kingdom Come drummer James Kottak. "Anytime" served as the one killer track among average and below-average songs on 1989's Save Yourself, and MSG follows a similar path. "When I'm Gone" is a classy power allad with a memorable chorus and tasteful guitar and keyboard work; it wasn't even a modest success like "Anytime," but it deserved to be. "Eve" has a cool hard rock groove and some clever lyrics. Schenker's superb guitar work dominates "This Broken Heart." The clean arrangement and production of "What Happens to Me" allow the vocals and guitars to jump out. "Never Ending Nightmare" has a weird, spooky ambience with layers of acoustic guitar and keyboards before swelling to an explosive finale.