SLASH PUPPET - No Strings Attached '89 + Slash Puppet '93

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

SLASH PUPPET were one of those bands arriving too late into the Melodic Hard Rock scene, thus, never made it big. But their musical quality was on par with any major North American '80s band in this genre.
This Canadian 5-piece made a name in the Toronto area with some energetic shows. The band recorded 8 songs and put 'em on cassette only, with the 2,500 copies sold out soon. Titled "No Strings Attached" bust mostly known as "The Demo", it was in fact a vehicle created to get signed by a recording label.

That never happened but Slash Puppet gained better exposure (also helped by a video featured on MuchMusic channel) and secured many gigs in the US. "No Strings Attached" / "The Demo" was a collectors piece until in 2007 Australian label SunCity Records remastered the original tape and released the album for the first time on CD. Despite of being a self-financed recording, the sound quality is pretty good.



By 1993 Slash Puppet released their first 'official' CD via small label Fringe, in fact an EP simply titled "Slash Puppet" quite well produced & recorded. But with the musical climate drastically changing, the band split next year.

And, what's Slash Puppet sound & style?
On both recordings, the band keeps faithful to classic second half of the '80s L.A. fancy Melodic Hard Rock with a touch of glam. Many references come to mind ranging from Britny Fox, Ratt or Autograph to country-fellas Sven Gali (Canada's answer to Skid Row).
There's punchy, energetic but a the same time melodic and polished rockers in 'Slow Down' (also re-done for the EP), the groovy midtempo 'Squeeze It In', the sexy 'Hard On Love' or the hook-filled 'Evil Woman' with a sound akin Autograph's catchiness.



'Some Kind O' Lady' is among my favorites, the kind of songs that made this genre so great including clean guitars mixed with distorted, a Dokken-esque riff, lots of harmony vocals and an overall Skid Row sonic vibe. Also power ballad 'Eyes Of A Child' has great atmospheres, and the Tesla-like bluesy 'Hitch A Ride (On A Train)' provide more variation.
All Slash Puppet members contributed banking vocals all over (not only during the choruses) resulting in a highly harmonized material and very melodious.
"No Strings Attached" & "Slash Puppet" are really good albums, quality musicians and quality songs.


No Strings Attached '89
1 - Slow Down
2 - Squeeze It In
3 - Hard On Love
4 - Bad Girls
5 - Turn It On
6 - Evil Woman
7 - Some Kind O' Lady
8 - Overload

Slash Puppet '93
1 - When The Whip Comes Down
2 - Rippin' On A Wishbone
3 - Eyes Of A Child
4 - Stop Tellin' Me Lies
5 - Hitch A Ride (On A Train)
6 - Slowdown

Anthony 'Mif' Mifsud: lead vocals
Frank Bartoletti: guitars, backing vocals
Lou Garscadden: guitars, backing vocals
Pete Dove, Dave Carreiro: bass, backing vocals
Franklin Wyles: drums, percussion, backing vocals




SLASH PUPPET No Strings Attached + 1993 EP
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ANGRY ANDERSON - Blood From Stone (1990)

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

Frontman of Aussie hard rockers Rose Tattoo, in the secod half of the '80s ANGRY ANDERSON embarked himself into a solo career. In fact, the great 1986's album Beats From A Single Drum, although released under the Rose Tattoo moniker, was an Anderson own record.
For his second solo album, this "Blood From Stone" appeared in 1990, Anderson hired the services of talented Mike Slamer (Streets, City Boy, Seventh Key) not only to produce, but also play on the record and manage the overall project.

The result was a punchy Melodic Hard Rock album with ballsy AOR moments wrapped by a glossy production and a bright sound. Slamer turned Anderson's usually raspy throat into a clean and polished vocal delivery, and the the album simply rocks but with melodies galore.

There's hooky rockers like ‘Bound For Glory’, ‘Heaven’, and the pretty Americanized ‘Wild Boys’, but also melodic rockers sometimes bordering AOR like in the intense 'Fire And Water' or the groovy 'Bad Days'.
'Born Survivor' is pure melodic rock, and we find a L.A. sounding cover of Steppenwolf's classic 'Born To Be Wild'
You can hear Mike Slamer's master touch on the arrangements, always focused in a main melody although never losing the grip and the rockin' attack.



There were rumors back in the day that "Blood From Stone" would be released by major label Atlantic in the USA but the deal never crystallized. Hence, despite of being appeared in Europe via Music For Nations this CD is pretty hard to find.
A cool rocking album plenty of melody and hooks.


01 - Bound For Glory
02 - Wild Boys
03 - Heaven
04 - Stone Cold
05 - Fire And Water
06 - Born Survivor
07 - Motorbike Song
08 - Love From Ashes
09 - Born To Be Wild
10 - Bad Days

Angry Anderson: vocals
Mike Slamer: guitar, keyboards, production
Slice Rhammel, Mirke Leams: guitar
Leachim Armsel, Andy Cichon: bass
Tim Gehrt: drums




ANGRY ANDERSON Blood From Stone (1990)
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THE MAX - Shadows In The Shade (1989)

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

Hailing from an unusual US state for rock music, the Livingston, Montana based trio THE MAX was founded by brothers Kyle & John Brenner in the mid-Eighties.
The group is still active playing basically covers in clubs and weddings, but between '88/'92 they faced crowds as large as 80,000 opening for major acts such as Styx, REO Speedwagon or The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

In 1989 The Max released their first album "Shadows In The Shade" via a small Canadian label.
There's not much info in the CD booklet (in fact; zero) but the band managed to obtain a superb sound from their own written tracks. Seriously, the production is on par with any of the big-budget from the era.
The Max plays here a very nice collection of lovely AOR / Melodic Rock tunes with a radio commercial approach, sometimes poppy, sometimes rockier, including a couple of ballads.
The best track for me is the pure AOR title track "Shadows In The Shade", complete with lots of synths, a strong guitar riff and a cool chorus.
But the rest of the songs offer high quality melodies in the vein of The Outfield, 8084, Glass Tiger or Fahrenheit, with really good vocals and musicianship.



"Shadows In The Shade" is a pleasant listen from start to finish, with fine songs and excellent production.
The album was re-issued not so long ago by a retro label but on a cheap CD-R. This a high quality rip done by my friend totalaor (I miss you man) from the original CD press, including artwork.
Very Rare. Recommended music.

01 - You're Sorry
02 - Western World
03 - Shadows In The Shade
04 - Hardly Walking
05 - Got What I Wanted
06 - The Only Thing
07 - Shake The Chill
08 - Where Pride Runs Deep
09 - Hand In Hand

Kyle Brenner Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards
Eddie White Bass, Vocals
John Brenner Drums, Keyboards, Vocals




THE MAX - Shadows In The Shade HERE
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MARC JORDAN - Talking Through Pictures [Japan edition '91] (1987)

Canadian singer-songwriter, session musician and record producer, MARC JORDAN won the '94 'Best Producer Juno Award' (equivalent to Grammy), and has worked with the likes of Jay Graydon, Rod Stewart, Cher, Stan Bush, etc.
So as you could imagine, he's a sound perfectionist, and this "Talking Through Pictures" released in the second halg of the '80s is not an exception, immaculately produced and recorded.

"Talking Through Pictures" isn't strictly an AOR album, nor Westcoast or rock&pop, but all at the same time. How is that? The man has rounded a heterogeneous set of songs/styles, ranging from Hi-Tech, Lite AOR and WestCoast, but none in the traditional mood.
Atypical songwriting and concept, varied, and sometimes complex to keep you interested.

To give you an idea, this recording reminds me of Trevor Rabin's '80s works, solo and alongside with YES Big Genereator era - not strange 'cos Trevor plays guitars, keyboards and who knows what else here. Listen 'Seek And You Shall Find' and then tell me.
You have also other great session cats like guitar master Michael Landau, Tony Berg, super pump bass-man Stu Hamm, Stan Bush, Timothy B. Schmit, etc.
Does not 'Inside The Glass Bead' sounds a bit like an Alan Parsons mid-Eighties song? Oh yes. But all this is crafted with an elegant 'lite Aorish feel' and all kind of keyboards here and there (again; not in the traditional way).



Marc Jordan's "Talking Through Pictures" is a quite unknown album, at least from his discography, a pretty different from the usual hyped material posted here, something to refresh your ears.
There has been a recent digital reissue by a so-called Legacy Recordings, but it's poorly transferred from a dubious source. This Japanese edition appeared in 1991 it's the real deal.


01 - This Independance
02 - Kensington Garden
03 - Catch the Moon
04 - I Ching
05 - Talking Through Pictures
06 - Soldier of Fortune
07 - Seek And You Shall Find
08 - Inside The Glass Bead
09 - Human Race
10 - I Was Your Fool

Marc Jordan: Vocals, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Trevor Rabin: Guitar, Keyboards
Michael Landau, Tony Berg : Guitar
Stu Hamm: Bass
Tony Braunagel: Drums
Stan Bush, Timothy B. Schmit, Graham Nash: Backing Vocals
and many more...


MARC JORDAN Talking Through Pictures [Japan edition '91] (1987)
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PETER FRAMPTON - Breaking All The Rules [remastered] (1981)

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

"Breaking All The Rules" always has been PETER FRAMPTON's lesser known / heard album in part due to the record company clumsiness to properly promote the record and because Frampton indeed broke some rules here; he decided to make a rocking LP instead a Top 20 hit generator.
Of course there's a brilliant sweet melody in the slow, touching 'Going To L.A.' which should have been a hit in the charts, but most the material here rocks, and pretty hard.

For this matter Frampton enlisted a terrific back-up band including the half of Toto; Steve Lukather & Jeff Porcaro.
Lukather trade some killer licks with Frampton (the title track is awesome) but also contributing with his trademark, distinctive rhythm guitar, while Porcaro provide his unique 'groove-touch' all over the recording.

A proof of the guitar driven nature of this album is opener 'Dig What I Say', starting the record in a rocking mood with solos all over it, something unusual for a Frampton release. Here he also uses guitar synth to good effect.
The cover of 'I Don't Wanna Let You Go' is done in an absolutely classic Frampton vein but even here the guitar swirls like never before. Check Porcaro's hi-hat fills here, a master in this game.

Written by the Alessi Bros 'Rise Up' is another tune with a hit potential, there's an elegant midtempo on 'Wasting The Night Away', a rocky version of the classic 'Friday On My Mind' (also done by Gary Moore), while 'Lost A Part Of You' is the ballad on the album with some hints to Frampton's biggest hit I'm In You.



For the end we have the aforementioned title track 'Breaking All The Rules', a seven minute tour de force plenty of killer riffs, a melodic verse and a superb Frampton / Lukather duel in an almost hard rocking piece.

This is the 2005 release of the album for the first time on CD, and there's has been some controversy about the 'remastering' statement.
Obviously you need to digitally master the original analog tapes for a digital transfer, but that's not necessarily a re-mastering. I have read in some audiophile forums some people arguing the album was digitized 'as it is', some saying it was indeed re-mastered.
To my ears, this hard-to-find 2005 CD edition of 'Breaking All The Rules' has been re-mastered, with some 'air' added to the sonic atmosphere, but overall preserving the original feel of the LP.
Anyway, this baby rock, and rocks good.


01 - Dig What I Say
02 - I Don't Wanna Let You Go
03 - Rise Up
04 - Wasting The Night Away
05 - Going To L.A.
06 - You Kill Me
07 - Friday On My Mind
08 - Lost A Part Of You
09 - Breaking All The Rules

Peter Frampton - vocals, guitar, keyboards, guitar synthesizer
Steve Lukather - guitar, background vocals
Jeff Porcaro - drums
John Regan - bass guitar
Arthur Stead - keyboards, background vocals
Ed Mantleone - add. guitar




PETER FRAMPTON - Breaking All The Rules [remastered]
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FEE WAYBILL - Read My Lips [remastered] (1984)

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

Frontman of melodic power-pop wonders The Tubes, FEE WAYBILL recorded in 1984 his first solo album "Read My Lips", much more AOR oriented than his main band.
While The Tubes already flirted with radio-friendly AOR on their excellent '83 album, Waybill definitely turn things in that direction here, spiced with touch of smooth of LA West Coast.

Many called this "Read My Lips" as a 'missing Toto album', as the overall sound & style here are in the vein of Isolation or Fahrenheit. Not strange, as Steve Lukather co-wrote most the songs and play here alongside the Toto crew including Jeff Porcaro, Steve Porcaro and Bobby Kimball contributing backing vocals.
But also top 'cats' like David Foster, Mike Landau, Paul Jackson, Jr., Jerry Marotta, Michael Boddicker, Bill Champlin, Tom Keane and Richard Marx (also involved in songwriting)... as you see, an AOR dream-team.
Although the poppy 'Who Said Life Would Be Pretty' is not exactly my cup of tea, the rest of the material is like a delicious cherry pie for '80s suckers.

Just check the punchy, guitar driven numbers such as the title track, the flamboyant and quite heavy 'Thrill Of The Kill', or the killer 'Saved My Life' (my favorite), mixed with the dynamic 'Nobodys Perfect', the slightly funky 'Who Loves You Baby' (very Toto-ish) and the superb power ballad 'I Don't Even Know Your Name', again with a Toto feel.
More in a West Coast trait yet plenty of AOR there's 'Caribbean Sunsets', a terrific tune akin Player / Toto and where you can hear David Foster's touch and Lukather in its full potential, then the elegant 'I Could've Been Somebody' closes this really good album.



Despite its horrible cover artwork, Fee Waybill's "Read My Lips" packs inside some of the finest AOR / musicianship you could find in any '80s record. Great songs co-written by the likes of Lukather, David Foster, Richard Marx, etc provide varied material, you have top notch performances by the who's who in the genre, and production is huge.
This BGO remastered edition sounds million bucks.


01 - You're Still Laughing
02 - Nobody's Perfect
03 - Who Loves You Baby
04 - I Don't Even Know Your Name
05 - Who Said Life Would Be Pretty
06 - Thrill Of The Kill
07 - Saved My Life
08 - Carribean Sunsets
09 - Star Or The Show
10 - I Could've Been Somebody

Fee Waybill - vocals
Steve Lukather, Mike Landau, Paul Jackson, Jr - guitars
David Foster - keyboards, backing vocals
Michael Boddicker, Erich Bulling - keyboards
Steve Porcaro - keyboards, synthesizers
Tom Keane - keyboards, backing vocals
Larry Klein - bass
Jeff Porcaro, Jerry Marotta, Tris Imboden, JR Robinson - drums
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
Humberto Gatica - percussion overdub
Larry Williams, Marc Russo, Gary Grant - horns
Richard Marx, Bill Champlin, Bobby Kimball - backing vocals




FEE WAYBILL - Read My Lips [remastered]
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PATRICK SIMMONS - Arcade [remastered CD reissue] (1983)

Guitarist and vocalist PATRICK SIMMONS has been The Doobie Brothers' only consistent member throughout their career.
In 1983 Pat released his first solo album "Arcade", pretty away in terms of sound from the Doobie's, much more commercial with the typical '80s rhythms.

Co-produced by John Ryan (Styx) and Ted Templeman (Michael McDonald, Van Halen), "Arcade" counted with invaluable contribution of the great Chris Thompson co-writing four tracks and doing more than back-up vocals.
With top session musicians such as Mike Baird, Leland Sklar or John Elefante (just check personnel), "Arcade" includes lovable radio friendly tunes like the uptempo poppy AOR "Out On The Streets" and "Don't Make Me Do It".
Although the top-ten first single "So Wrong" is definitely pop (and a good one) and also had an extended dance version, this is the only track in this style on the album.

The beautiful Doobie Brothers influenced "Why You Givin' Up" is the first song in the tracklist leaning into Westcoast territory, as later the soft "Have You Seen Her" is in a true Michael McDonald style with good orchestrations, while "Sue Sad" has that classic L.A. Session flavor.
The uptempo AOR "Knocking At Your Door" (penned by Andy Fraser) reminds us that Simmons can rock good, and the melodic "Dream About Me" sports a memorable refrain and melody.



I always loved the true '80s "Arcade" sound and style, and this remastered CD reissue really hits home (courtesy of my good friend Nitderock).
Funnily enough, this CD reissue by a US label came to avoid the expensive Japanese-only digital version of this album, but it was pressed in limited quantities and now fetches around $150 on auction sites.
Pure Eighties sound. Guaranteed.

01 - Out On The Streets
02 - So Wrong
03 - Don't Make Me Do It
04 - Why You Givin' Up
05 - Too Long
06 - Knocking At Your Door
07 - If You Want A Little Love
08 - Have You Seen Her?
09 - Sue Sad
10 - Dream About Me

Patrick Simmons: Lead & Backing Vocals, Guitars
Chris Thompson: Lead & Backing Vocals
Michael McDonald: Keyboards, Synths, Backing Vocals
John McFee, Jeff Baxter: Lead Guitar
Alan Pasqua: Keyboards
Patrick Henderson: Organ
Jude Cole: Guitars
Leland "Lee" Sklar, Dennis Belfield: Bass
Bill Payne: Fender Rhodes
David Campbell: Strings Arrangements
Victor Feldman: Percussion
Mike Baird, Rick Shlosser: Drums
John Elefante, David Pack, Jeff Wilson: Backing vocals
and many more...




PATRICK SIMMONS - Arcade [remastered CD reissue]
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LIGHT MELLOW - AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan] (2000)

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

"Light Mellow" is a compilation series assembled by various Japanese labels featuring artists from their back catalog all revolving around smooth AOR / West Coast music.
So there's Light Mellow compilations made by Warner Bros Japan, BMG Japan, Universal Japan, etc, but I think the best of all it's the first appeared in 2000, initiated by specialized AOR label Cool Sound, a little company legendary for their pristine remasters of long forgotten albums.

That first CD was titled "LIGHT MELLOW: AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan version]", including some hard to find true gems for the first time on CD, remastered, plus a couple of previously unreleased tracks.
Among the great artists featured here we have Sneaker, Heat, Paul Bliss, Bruce Gaitsch feat. Jason Scheff, King Of Hearts (Tommy Funderburk), Joseph Williams and Tony Scuito with his classic 'Island Nights' but in its impossible to find Alternate Mix.

However the real pearls on this release are the 2 previously unreleased tracks: one being 'Heart Don't Change My Mind' by master Robbie Buchanan featuring the awesome lead vocals of the late Warren Wiebe, and Greg Guidry's 'Goin' Down' in a newly re-recorded version of this tune exclusive to this CD.



Of course out of print now, "LIGHT MELLOW: AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan version]" is a much sought after album not only for its quality and collectors item status, but mostly because the CD was strictly prohibited to be sold to foreign customers due legal reasons.
Smooth stuff of the highest quality. Rare.


01 - Heat
Don't You Walk Away
02 - Bruce Hibbard
Never Turnin' Back
03 - Rosie feat. Lynn Pitney
There's a Song In It Somewhere
04 - Robbie Buchannan (feat. Warren Wiebe)
Heart Don't Change My Mind
05 - Greg Guidry
Goin' Down
06 - David Diggs
Lonely Weekend
07 - Paul Bliss
How Do I Survive
08 - Tony Scuito
Island Nights (Alternate Mix)
09 - David Lasley
You Bring Me Joy
10 - Sibling Revelry
Consider the Greatest Love
11 - Kazu Matsui Project
Is That the Way to Your Heart
12 - Bruce Gaitsch feat. Jason Scheff
Letting Go
13 - Michael Gonzales
Love is Forever
14 - Sneaker
Did You Order One
15 - Joseph Williams
I Didn't Do It
16 - King Of Hearts
Lovin' Arms


LIGHT MELLOW AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan]
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20/20 BLIND - Never Far (1994)

Requested by one of you...

20/20 BLIND were an underground band based in Houston, TX, and I said underground mostly because they were playing American Hard Rock in the second half of the '90s, an era when the genre and 'hooks' were almost a bad word.
The band had a CCM background, hence it's not strange that Benson Music Group accepted to distribute their debut album "Never Far" released in 1994.

20/20 BLIND style is US Hard Rock with the trademark sound from bands of this ilk circa 1991/92, especially the guitars, where still retaining the melody and catchiness from the '80s, added more thickness to the riffs.
There's steady tracks here like 'Show Each Other Love', 'Washed', the melodic 'Do I', the acoustically filled title track 'Never Far' and the heavier closer 'Sleepyland'. 
They do as well a nice semi-ballad on 'Love Keeps Me Reaching', more melodic hard rock oriented.



"Never Far" is a nice and quite unknown record, nothing ground-breaking but pretty solid and especially very well produced for the genre / era with Brian Garcia (Galactic Cowboys) behind the desk. Throw me a pile of stones but I found 20/20 BLIND sound similar to Blue Murder / John Sykes solo around the same year, and some Extreme also.

01 - Wash
02 - Soul Song
03 - Love Keeps Reaching
04 - I Am Blind
05 - Do I
06 - Easier Way
07 - Never Far
08 - Show Each Other Love
09 - Only Hope
10 - Sleepyland

Wallace Chase: Lead Vocals
Doug Middleton: Guitars, Backing Vocals
Mike McNeely: Guitars, Backing Vocals
Schon Alkire: Bass, Backing Vocals
Chris Laurents: Drums, Backing Vocals
Phil Beck: Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Charles Powell: Backing Vocals




20/20 BLIND - Never Far
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