UMUR "Stripped" is the 5th full-length studio album by Danish melodic hard rock/heavy rock/metal act Pretty Maids. The album was released through Columbia Records in 1993. With their 4th full-length studio album "Sin-Decade (1992)", Pretty Maids wanted to return to a more raw and unpolished sound after the more polished sound of "Jump the Gun (1990)". "Sin-Decade (1992)" closed with the John Sykes/Phil Lynott penned ballad "Please Don't Leave Me" though and that track became the band´s greatest hit ever. Especially the Japanese loved the track and craved more in the same vein, so Pretty Maids released the five track acoustic EP "Offside" later in 1992 to satisfy the demand. The Japanese fans wanted more though and the band decided to make a full acoustic album.

"Stripped" contains "Savage Heart", which had previously been released on "Jump the Gun (1990)" and the five tracks from the "Offside (1992)" EP (including "Please Don't Leave Me") plus four new tracks. All tracks can be described as either acoustic rock ballads or softer hard rock power ballads (with some distorted guitars). Lead vocalist Ronnie Atkins makes sure that we don´t forget that Pretty Maids are a hard/heavy rock act, but this is generally a very soft and polished release. I´m probably a bit out of line to call it tame, but there is little here that suggests that Pretty Maids are more than capable of kicking ass when they want to.

While the album is certainly well produced, well performed and well written and probably effectively shut the mouth of the Japanese fans, I think it´s quite the tame affair. Personally I struggle to get through the album, but I guess if you are a sucker for ballads and power ballads, "Stripped" might be better suited for you. I´ll play nice and hand out a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating.