ALPHA - Alpha (1987)

This one was featured here years ago, after a request I am revamping the post because it's a really good one and hard to find.

ALPHA was an American band previously known as Aura which used to have guitar wizard Chris Impelliteri as member.
Their one and only release is this obscure and pretty hard to find self-titled album from 1987, which despite the indie production and being a trio, the record sounds terrific with a polished sound.

After an intriguing and spacey intro, "Throwin' It All Away" blast your speakers with a classy mid-eighties uptempo AOR melody. A really good song with great keyboards all over, solid guitar licks and a catchy chorus. The interesting thing about this band is the harmonic dual lead vocal job of Jon Quinn and Brad Sandlin.
"Run For Your Life" is a pompy-AOR track featuring a marvelous parping keyboard line. Love this kind of songs.
"To The North" has some lite-prog influences, with a style / sound that brings to mind '80s Rush. I really like the way guitars are played, somehow like a violin with a dense tone, very melodic and original.
The canadian style is also present on "In Sync", but this time definitely AOR. Again, lots, lots of keyboards and clever arrangements. You never get bored with this band.

On the semi-ballad "Let The Music" they mix acoustics with electricity with taste. Excellent vocal harmonies and awesome clavinet-keyboard sounds on this one. Awesome track.
Last number "Let It Go" starts climatic with a melodic in-crescendo, a remarkable guitar job by Brad Sandlin (check the intricate arrangements) and a superb solo.




ALPHA is a little gem, sadly running only 7 tracks (6 if you exclude the intro), but if good and short, twice good.
Seems this LP was reissued on CD some time ago with the addition of newer tracks, but it's impossible to find / purchase because only was available through the band's website, now defunct. If you have a copy, please share it with us.
Anyway, this is a rip from vinyl at maximum quality. The LP was terribly wasted, but I am very happy with the restoring result. It took me hours to get it fine, specially track 2 which had a click noise every three seconds.
Good and Rare.


1 - Intro
2 - Throwin' It All Away
3 - Run For Your Life
4 - To The North
5 - In Sync
6 - Let The Music
7 - Let It Go

Jon Quinn - Vocals, Bass, Keyboards
Brad Sandlin - Vocals, Guitars
Randy Jason - Drums


ALPHA 1987 - restored audio
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