Scorpions

Sting in the Tail (Universal)

And not a power ballad too soon – retirement of Hannover, Germany’s mid-1960s-born “rasselband,” responsible for 1972 Krautrock classic/debut Lonesome Crow. “Raised on Rock” wanks as 1980s Sunset Strip as 1990’s beginning of the end, Crazy World, first LP post-Dieter Dierks, the metaller’s George Martin, past which only the title track’s trace whiff of Animal Magnetism survives. Better to have sequeled 2007’s Desmond Child concept sleeper Humanity: Hour 1. “Lorelei,” final Klaus Meine weeper. (no stars) (Scorpions and Ratt infest San Antonio’s AT&T Center, Friday, July 23.)

This article appears in June 18 • 2010.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.