by Alex Henderson
Shy England was among the many metal and hard rock bands that MCA signed in the early 1990s in the hope of increasing its visibility in the rock market. Most of the signings were generic, and MCA obviously believed that where headbangers were concerned, a formulaic approach was the way to go. There isn't much to distinguish the faceless Misspent Youth from countless other hard rock releases that came out in 1990. England's formula -- Ratt with hints of Judas Priest's most commercial efforts -- relies on cliche after cliche, and one song is as blatantly contrived as the next. Under producer Roy Thomas Baker, this band offers not even a trace of originality. Baker had an impressive resume boasting everyone from Queen to the Cars, but this assembly-line CD was hardly his finest hour.