ILLUSTRATOR - Somewhere In The World (1989)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Part of the American CCM AOR movement, Gaube's bros. band ILLUSTRATOR released two solid albums in the second half of the '80s. This kind of bands developed an interesting performance during the era launching radiable and commercial discs with a very good artistic production.
Illustrator's self-titled debut (posted on the blog) gained considerable success in CCM circles and mainstream radio, but it was their 2nd "Somewhere In The World" which achieved recognition between secular AOR fans, thanks to its catchy melodies and lush harmonies.

With a crisp production by Freddie Piro (Fortress, 707, Ambrosia) the overall sound on "Somewhere In The World" is typically polished '80s AOR with a pumping rock&pop punch, nice riffs, cool synths, and smooth lead vocals by Nathan Gaub helped by great harmony vocals provided by his two brothers and some stellar contributors such as Tim Miner and Cindy Cruse.
Speaking about additional personnel, the one & only Dann Huff (Giant) provides most the guitar solos on the album raising the bar.

Opener 'New Way To Love' is a highlight with its bouncy rhythm, sparkling keys and a killer Huff-trademark guitar solo. 'Dying To Meet You' has some Toto on it, then ballad 'Hold My Heart' brings to mind Illustrator's mates in the CCM, Liaison (a band featured on the blog aeons ago).
The 'mysterious AOR' of 'Cryin' Time' is another fav of mine, with that cadence akin the 'slash flick' soundtracks from the era. Love it.

There's a nice cover of Glenn Shorrock / Little River Band 'Help Is On It's Way', and some Canadian influences on the elegant semi-ballad 'Listen'.
If you need more sumptuous '80s AOR look no more and press play on the delicious 'Shoulda Been Love', a track that always brought to my mind Mickey Thomas' Starship.



After this record Illustrator taped another album but it was shelved, finally appearing in 2011.
"Somewhere In The World", alongside the self-titled debut were re-released some time ago as 2-on-1 CD, but honestly, I didn't liked the sound transfer.
This is taken from the original 1989 Ocean Records CD release which sounds much better, complete with artwork.


01 - New Way To Love
02 - Dying To Meet You
03 - Hold My Heart
04 - Cryin' Time
05 - I Surrender
06 - Help Is On The Way
07 - Listen
08 - Shoulda Been Love
09 - Feels Like
10 - Carry The Cross

Nathan Gaub - lead vocals, keyboards
Dan Gaub - guitars, vocals
Dawndee Gaub - keyboards, vocals
Mark Matthews - lead vocals, bass, keyboards
Kirk Allen - drums, vocals
additional musicians:
Dann Huff - guitar solos
Don Wallace - keyboards
Randy Lee - saxophone
Tim Miner, Cindy Cruse, Alan Ebensberger, Julie Philpott - backing vocals




ILLUSTRATOR Somewhere In The World (1989)
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TIM MOORE - Flash Forward [Japanese Ltd Edition remastered] (1984)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Philadelphia-based songwriter, musician and singer TIM MOORE released five solo albums and in-between was part of various bands and worked as session multi-instrumentalist. Several of his penned songs were successful singles for other artists.
Moore's first record was produced by Nick Jameson (which very nice solo album was featured on this blog), then his second effort included what remains his best-known song in the US, 'Rock and Roll Love Letter', a hit for the Bay City Rollers a year later. Moore's guitar work on the song got the attention of Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards, and since then the two became friends and collaborators.

Despite of being signed by L.A. based Asylum Records, Moore didn't record in California until his third album, featuring the likes of Jeff Porcaro, Michael McDonald, David Foster and the Eagles Timothy B. Schmit as session musicians, among others.
All these albums received very good reviews but failed to chart and Moore concentrated in songwriting, achieving success in hands of other performers.

However, in 1984, Tim Moore recorded this "Flash Forward", entirely performed by himself layering guitar, keyboard, bass, keyboards, drums and programming, even the backing vocals alongside the lead.
Produced by Blondie engineer, Rob Freeman, the album scored a moderated single in the US, but for the first time, Moore found success outside North America when the ballad 'Yes' was used in a Brazilian soap opera. The single went straight to #1 for three months and Moore toured all over Brazil.

Musically, this is pure middle-Eighties rock&pop with elaborated arrangements and delicate vocals from Moore. There's a new version of 'Rock and Roll Love Letter' with a true '80s sound, the aforementioned ballad 'Yes', a great midtempo in the AORish 'Body And Soul' with a sound akin Canadian bands of the era, and a very cool keyboard filled tune in the radio-ready 'Surrender'.



"Flash Forward" is a quite unknown and nice '80s product, very well recorded & produced.
This is, as far I know, the only reissue of the album appeared in Japan on a mini-LP replica / Paper Sleeve, remastered. It was a Limited Edition - now out of print - including as bonus track a remixed version of 'Yes'.
Very rare.


01 - Let's Get Activated
02 - Yes
03 - Body And Soul
04 - I'll Find A Way
05 - Anything And Everything
06 - Rock & Roll Love Letter
07 - Surrender
08 - Telepath
09 - Theodora
10 - Get It Outta My System
11 - Yes (Brazilian Machine Version) [Japan bonus]

Tim Moore: all Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keys, Synths, Drums, Programming







TIM MOORE Flash Forward (1984)
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IN 3-D - Barrage (1987)

Requested in "REQUEST & FILL CORNER" section...

Hailing from Waukegan, IL, IN 3-D was a fleeting band from the mid-Eighties which anyway managed to release two LP's. They were part of the fruitful American CCM movement from the era aiming for non-secular exposure mixing rock&pop melodies with the typical '80s clean Lite-AOR sound.

"Barrage" was their second an final album before split. IN 3-D was often compared in some ways to The Police due the strong bass-guitar presence, but musically on this album there's a lot guitar riffs, keyboard flourishes and song skeletons more in common with Lite AOR.

Songwriting is mature, at places pretty elaborated for a band of this musical ilk still retaining catchiness. Some tracks aren't exactly my cup of tea in style, but overall you can file "Barrage" as a Lite AOR effort.
'Some Other Day', title track 'Barrage' and 'Holding On' are really fine tunes, with compelling arrangements and production.



Very rare CD and quite hard to track down (plus very expensive) this is the European Edition of "Barrage" appeared via a small indie company with a slightly different artwork.


01 - Now You Did It
02 - Barrage
03 - Too Much To Lose
04 - Some Other Day
05 - Anytime
06 - Holdin' On
07 - Love Will Find A Way
08 - Face To Face
09 - Love Is Lost
10 - Dunga Dunk
11 - Final Fire

James Neave - Vocals, Bass
Nail - Keyboards, Guitar
Randy Kerkman - Guitar
David Geer - Drums, Percussion




IN 3-D - Barrage (1987)
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REQUEST & FILL CORNER 19

From now, all request & fills goes in this post Comments.
If you need an album or a single track, request it here, if you have it, be kind with other readers, upload the file and post the link here as well.
Access to this page will be placed at the right column ------>
(the "CLICK HERE" neon sign)
It will be opened in a new window.

Check this section regularly.
You'll find many albums uploaded by readers, not present on the main blog ...

Help each other people!


and don't forget to check out ARCHIVES:

ARCHIVES PART 14

ARCHIVES PART 15

ARCHIVES PART 16

ARCHIVES PART 17

ARCHIVES PART 18


take a deep look at the end of each part...


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LION (USA Pomp) - Lion (1982)

Requested in "Request & Fill Corner" section...

It's time for some Pomp-AOR for the soul... this LION from Washington state, released this unknown and very good private LP of Pompy AOR in 1982, clearly influenced by Styx. But musically they go forward and some songs are really uptempo, full of analog keyboards (I mean A Lot), and elaborated guitar solos.

There's two vocalists (Kurt Hansen [R.I.P.] would later sing on Head East cult classic album 'Choice Of Weapons') spanning multi-part harmony vocals and layered choruses.
All tunes are goodies, but my pick is last track 'Time Won't Wait' featuring an over a minute flaming guitar solo.



If you're still wondering what is 'Pomp Rock', listen this little gem: you have keyboard / guitar duel galore, hyped up vocals and swirling analog keyboard effects. That's it.
Styx, Roadmaster, Head East, Ziggurat and why not, New England fans, must have this one. And aficionados of early '80s AOR variants will rejoice as well
Very good vinyl rip cleaned by myself.


01. On The Run
02. Over Your Shoulder
03. The Palace
04. Send Up A Rainbow
05. Queen Of The Forest
06. Where You Are
07. Waters Waiting
08. Time Won't Wait

Kurt David Hansen - lead vocals, bass
Kevin Wakefield - lead vocals, keyboards
Gary Hanson - guitars, vocals
Alan Clark - guitars
Rick Wakefield - drums, percussion


LION (USA Pomp) - Lion (1982)
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