TYCOON - Turn Out The Lights (1981) remastered

TYCOON was a New York based band formed by vocalist Norman Mershon and multi-instumentalist Mark Kreider.

The duo recruited some well known session musicians and released a self titled album in the late '70s which made a modest hit in the charts.

Two years after, the group took a completely different approach to their second effort "Turn Out The Lights": AOR was starting to rule the airwaves.

With the polished and expert production of Vini Poncia (Adrenalin, Kiss) and the always effective guitars by Bobby Messano (Joe Lynn Turner, Fiona, Martee LeBow, Franke And The Knockouts) Norman Mershon

offers in this recording all his vocal abilities and tasteful tone.

'One More Try' is a moody syncopated westcoast tune, followed by the superb pure classy AOR 'Walkin' The Line', in the vein of BALANCE debut.

'Hang On In' is a totally eighties melody and you can hear the typically "Poncia touch" here.

'Love You Till It Hurts' seems to be recorded by TOTO, one of the highlights here.

'Let It Down' is a sweet commercial ballad, 'This Island Earth' features a curious arrangement during the verses and 'C'mon Over' is simple but catchy.

The title track 'Turn Out The Lights' has a candy-floss piano very TOTO's Hold The Line, also remembers me a Little River Band tune. A really good one.

Regarded as a true and obscure AOR gem by many fans, this album is criminally ignored on almost every Classic AOR list.

Maybe it does not reach the cult status, but it's a great record that failed to sold well and rank in the charts due to the label lack of promotion.

This is a rip from the Renaissance 2 in 1 remastered CD release, featuring their self titled debut and "Turn Out The Lights", which tracklist has been changed (I think it works better than the original) plus 2 extra tracks added: 'Yes Men' and 'Over My Head'.

As said, a very good album, well respected by serious AOR connoisseurs.

At this point, maybe you're tired by my repetitive footprint notes from my last posts : 'Highly Recommended'... I mostly share with you albums that I like a lot (except some requests) or consider worth to investigate, and this one fits that rule, hence... ;

Highly Recommended

01 - One More Try

02 - Walkin' The Line

03 - Can't Take That Away

04 - Hang On In

05 - Love You Till It Hurts

06 - Call The Police

07 - Yes Men

08 - Let It Down

09 - This Island Earth

10 - C'mon Over

11 - Over My Head

12 - Turn Out The Lights

Norman Mershon - vocals

Mark Kreider - bass, vocals

Bobby Messano - guitars, vocals

Jon Gordon - guitars, vocals

Keith Taylor, Michael Fonfara - keyboards

Mark Rivera - sax, vocals

Mike Braun - drums

TYCOON... UNKNOWN AND GOOD