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The first four songs on this album are total classics in my mind. "Turbo Lover" remains one the best songs they've ever done, I don't care what anyone says. I put it on one of my jogging tapes several years ago, right at the point where I normally start to lose steam, and let me tell you, that song really kicks in the adrenaline for me. "Locked In" is also a great song, I love those electronically altered wails on the guitar in the beginning. "Private Property" has a cool bubbling synth in the beginning that transitions into a mid-tempo brooding rocker. "Parental Guidance", despite my earlier comments, is a fun singalong song mocking parents and the PMRC for being so [bad] about rock n' roll and its supposed influence on kids. "Rock You All Around The World" is my lease favorite song on the album, and "Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days" and "Hot For Love" don't do much for me either. But "Out In The Cold" is easily the best ballad Priest has ever done, totally blows away "Before The Dawn", "Night Comes Down", or "A Touch of Evil". It was also a great choice for opening number on the "Fuel For Life" tour. If you can get the VHS version of "priest...live!", check out how well this song works as the opening number. Doesn't seem like it would since it's a ballad (although Priest ballads are typically pretty darn heavy), but you'll see what I mean. The closing track, "Reckless", is also a great tune, Halford's voice is great as always and he really know how to emote the lyrics.

I don't care what the naysayers say, this is an essential chapter in the Priest story. If your musical tastes are so stringent that you can't sit through this one, then don't bother with Priest at all, go listen to your collection of death metal albums and leave the rest of us alone!


Embarrassing, contrived effort from a legendary metal band   April 13, 2002
 10 out of 19 found this review helpful

Boy, the first time I heard 'Locked In' was one of the most disappointing moments in my adolescent years. I was stunned, and could not believe it was Judas Priest. It was a long wait between 'Defenders of the Faith' and 'Turbo', and it was not worth it. I was a huge Priest fan back then, and still am, but 'Turbo' was a monstrous letdown to most Priest fans. While not as bad as the pitiful 'Ram It Down', it's bad nonetheless.

It seems 'Turbo' marked a new era in the stellar career of Judas Priest, an era where they were overwhelmed by the desire to gain more commercial airplay, and also decided to become a pseudo-glam band in look and style. Gone were the bone-crushing tunes like 'Electric Eye', 'Tyrant', 'The Rage', and 'Dissident Agressor'. In their place was radio/MTV-friendly garbage like 'Locked In', 'Parental Guidance', 'Hot For Love', and 'Private Property'. Gone were the studs & leather, and in came the poofy hair and outfits that looked like they were stolen from a 'Pirates of Penzance' revival.

There are two decent songs on 'Turbo', being 'Out in the Cold' and 'Reckless'. The rest of the writing comes across as forced and aimed directly at commercial airplay. It seems odd that a true pioneering band like Priest, who hit their commercial success stride with 'Screaming for Vengeance' and had amassed a massive following, would pull this on their loyal fans. 'Locked In' and 'Parental Guidance' were methodically penned in a effort to crack the Top 40 and gain acceptance with the mainstream of pop music. Guitar synths were brought in, and were used so carelessly that they actually overpower Glenn Tipton & KK Downing's trademark twin-guitar attack. The lyrics are stamped, cookie-cutter formula that is so prevalent with [junk] like Creed writes nowadays, 'rockin' this and 'lovin' that, in the hopes that a contrived anthem or billboard hit would break out.

'Turbo' obviously shows that the band was tired, out of ideas, and tired of each other as well. I'd assume that this is the time when the relationship between Tipton/Downing and Halford began to break down. Priest had made strides with every new album, beginning with 'Sad Wings of Destiny' and growing in leaps and bounds up through 'Defenders'. This album began their spiral, and 'Ram It Down' signalled the end for Priest as I knew them. I'm happy to see they have moved on and gone to a heavier style post-Halford. Save your money, and buy anything Priest put out from 1976-1984, when they were creating classic metal that has stood the test of time. 'Turbo' is dreadful, formula trash.


Has its Moments   June 30, 2004
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

I recently pulled this record off the shelf and gave it another listen after owning it for many years. It surprised me how well a lot of it stands up once you look past the obvious exploration of the 80s synth sound.

Half of the songs on this album would be eminently listenable if they weren't burdened with the ignominy of being found on the Turbo album. The title song is a track that captures the essence of Judas Priest's music: a memorable vocal delivery, sexual innuendo, and a dark vibe that belies the playful title.

Other tracks include the power ballad "Out in the Cold", which is vintage Priest once the overlong synth intro is out of the way. The two tracks "Reckless" and "Locked In" would have been right at home on another Priest album such as Defenders. The rest of Turbo is a mixed bag of 80s fluff metal that meets with some middling success.

I never bought into the guys in Priest being the flag-bearers of teenage rebellion, and obviously not many other people do either. Still, the moments on Turbo where Priest is not trying to identify themselves with the youth movement are enjoyable, and it's a shame that an album with 4-5 good songs gets dismissed in an era where modern bands put out 1-2 hit song albums padded by 8-9 filler tracks.


priest needed to do somethin new.. they did in 1986   March 20, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

"Turbo" sonicially is an awesome album. I thought this album is good. Priest went in totally different areas they never did before. Yes, alot of people hated this when it came out,some still do. now it's remastered. and that's pretty much what will sell this. the bonus tracks (as does all priest re-issues) are not good, except one or two. This is an essential album in the catalog of Priest