ONE EYED GYPSY - ST (2000)

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

Quite rare it's this only, self-titled recording by West Virginia quintet ONE EYED GYPSY which existed from 1998 to 2003. Their bio claims to have opened shows for Bad Company, Molly Hatchet, .38 Special, among other major acts.
Despite its year of release (2000), sound & style in "One Eyed Gypsy" is based in late '80s / early '90s US Melodic Hard Rock. The songs are solid and really well arranged / performed.

Favorites include opener "It Takes No Prisoners", a mid-tempo rocker with sharp riffs and a Dokken atmosphere, follower "Give It Up", a catchy melodic rock tune with a Bon Jovi feel circa 7800º Fahrenheit, and power ballad "Not Gonna Fall In Love Again" akin Warrant / Jani Lane.
Talking about the aforementioned vocalists, grand part of One Eyed Gypsy's charm belongs to Ray Whitlock's smooth vocals, a singer previously trained as member of the pretty successful country group Cry Wolf. He plays nice keyboards too, and together with guitarist Tim Kitchen (also producer) are the core of the band.



Other good cuts are the AORish mid-tempo "Waiting For You", hard rocker "In My America" with interesting lyrics about America's violent society, and "Livin' Like You Choose" blending Dokken / Bon Jovi, this time, into one song.
Released by themselves, "One Eyed Gypsy" was quite well produced by guitarist Tim Kitchen, panning some guitar tracks to one side of the stereo spectrum for good effect. Overall mix could be better to provide more tightness to some songs, but this is minor flaw.
Really nice stuff, private release, out of print.


01 - It Takes No Prisoners
02 - Give It Up
03 - Feel Your Love
04 - Not Gonna Fall In Love Again
05 - Waiting For You
06 - Heart Attack
07 - Fix Daddy Broke
08 - In My America
09 - Livin' Like You Choose
10 - Touch Tomorrow

Ray Whitlock: Lead Vocals, Keyboards
Tim Kitchen: Guitar, Backing Vocals, Production
Phillip Osborne: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Randy Morgan: Bass
Bobby Hensley: Drums





ONE EYED GYPSY (here)
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LORIN ROWAN & The Edge - Supply & Demand (1985)

This rare album was requested several months ago; the private 1985 LP release of "Supply & Demand" by LORIN ROWAN & The Edge, a San Francisco Bay Area band.
Rowan and the guys play here that characteristic mid-Eighties American blend of melodic rock with radio friendly poppy melodies and some lite AOR touches.

Despite its indie origin, "Supply & Demand" was recorded with a high production standard, featuring a layered multi-track technique.
Opener 'Waited Too Long' includes a varied kind of guitar sounds, synths, regular plus Simmons drums, and lots of singers performing harmony vocals in the chorus accompanying Rowan's sweet vocals.

'Whatever I Got To Say' has more 'clean' and atmospheric guitar work and a lullaby melody akin Franke & The Knockouts, 'War Games' is not far from Rick Springfield circa 1983, then 'I Spy' could have been recorded by Preview.
'Oh Girl' is poppy little ditty without major pretension, but things get back on track with 'Tell Her You Love Her' with its strong guitars, 'mysterious' synth background and AORish vocals.



I'd said the LP is so scarce that I couldn't find a better Lp-rip than this one, there's some clicks here and there, and even last track 'Golden Boy' is cut at the end. But I think it's enough to enjoy this really nice slice of mid 80s American rock music.
RARE


01 - Waited Too Long
02 - Whatever I Got To Say
03 - War Games
04 - I Spy
05 - Oh Girl
06 - Tell Her You Love Her
07 - Firin' Line
08 - Golden Boy

Lorin Rowan: lead vocals, guitar
Rick Wilson: lead guitar, lead vocals on 1
Mark Stein: bass
Ozzie Ahlers: keyboards, synths
Jeff Myer: drums
add. musicians:
Sterling Crew: synths, guitar
Billy Lewis: drums, backing vocals
Mike Mann: synths, programming
Stephen Fontano: drums





LORIN ROWAN & The Edge - Supply & Demand (1985)


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