The family and I will be heading for the beach for a well deserved vacation, so I am loading up #4 early. Just so you don't think I'm rapid firing these things, that means #5 will be about 10-12 days out...
I hope you enjoy this small feature on the site, its been real fun to pull this together for me. Being the Classic Rock junkie that I am, I never get tired of plowing into the depths of my collection and reconnecting with great artists and their songs. I hope you all have had a chance to sit and listen to a few of these each week, there is some real great stuff here, but I am biased...
Onto the list...
How Can I Refuse, Heart...
Album: Passionworks
Year: 1983
In 1983 many thought Heart had run their course. Their "hits" days were over. Passionworks was released to little fanfare, although I think it reviewed well with some critics. I loved Bebe Le Strange and picked up this follow up and was blown away. Also worthy of note is that this is the predessessor of the their self titled LP which restarted their career. So here again, another hidden gem showing the direction of a band prior to mega-success. This is the lead off track. I'm still looking for a remaster, I would buy it in a second.
I Believe In Love, Kenny Loggins...
Album: Celebrate Me Home
Year: 1977
Loggins first solo effort after breaking away from Messina is a fine fine collection of really smooth, jazzy and melodic tunes. The musicians Loggins uses are so good. Tris Imboden is a great drummer, and George Hawkins is easily one of the best bassists I've ever heard. His production values are stellar, so clear and precise. So it is with this track. A little left of the "rock" center, but Loggins is a great artist who deserves some showcasing.
No Not Again, The Tubes...
Album: Outside Inside
Year: 1983
First release after the success of the Completion Backward Principle. Yielding another big hit for them with She's A Beauty. No Not Again is the track that follows, and its a well written well produced track as most of David Foster's work is. I love this album even if some of the tracks dont seem to fit (e.g. Wild Women of Wongo) its the all-over the map styles that really define The Tubes and thats my expectation when I listen to them.
Couldn't Get Enough, Shooting Star...
Album: III Wishes
Year: 1982
Once upon a time FM radio played new artists just because they were really good and regional artists had a chance as well! I first heard Shooting Star on the radio when they broadcast a concert of them and I was totally blown away. I dont usually sit through an entire concert unless I'm there! This coincided with the release of III Wishes and a radio friendly track named Heartache. I ran straight down to the record store and picked this up. This track grabbed me right away, its lyrics really resonated with me and the chorus, although simple, really came at a good time in my life.
She's Not There, Santana...
Album: Moonflower
Year: 1977
This is the full version not the radio edit. Originally done by The Zombies. As you would suspect the guitar is the hidden gem, just a great melodic track with really cools jams intertwined. Moonflower is a bit of a gem as well because it's an odd mix of live tracks, studio work, and reworks of classics. Probably the last pure Santana work before he headed into a more radio friendly direction.
Leaving Me Now, Level 42...
Album: World Machine
Year: 1985
Whats this? A New Wave band? Yup! Theres a real honesty about this band, top 40 hits aside, the writing and music is A-1. The musicianship is tight and comes across very melodic, emotional, but not forced. This track evokes strong emotion, and thats the hidden gem.
In Circles, Benjamin Orr
Album: The Lace
Year: 1986
Ok, a two-fer in the New Wave department. Orr is fantastic, I miss his music as he was taken way too soon and all we have is this one solo release. In Circles has a great melody and the writing style is all Orr, you can hear the Cars in this and his influence on them in undeniable.
Runnin Away, Eddie Money...
Album: No Control
Year: 1983
If we had the chance to turn the clock back, would it happen all again? What a great lyric! This is from his most prolific era. No Control is a classic release full of great tracks and Top 40 hits. But this is my personal favorite from this release.
Sunspot Baby, Bob Seger...
Album: Night Moves
Year: 1976
This, and Fleetwood Mac's self titled 75 release, were the first LP's I bought. I included Seger in my purchase because I couldn't stop listening to Mainstreet and Night Moves. But that changed when this hit the turntable and track 1 started. She packed up her bags and she took off down the road, she left me here stranded with the bills she owed... hahaha... Still love jammin to this one.
It's Not The Music, Legs Diamond...
Album: Legs Diamond
Year: 1977
Legs Diamond was an album my older brother bought. It's cover depicts an electric guitar with a smoking machine-gun barrel as the neck propped up against a bullet riddled car door with a really cool band logo on it. If I was in a record store its the kind of cover that I would buy without listening to the band. But thankfully my brother saved me a trip on this one at least. It opens with a slow drum beat and then the synth and guitars set the tone. The guys voice really took me back when I first heard, but the track was mesmerizing to me, I couldnt stop listening to it. I would love the hear from anyone who knows anything about Legs Diamond...
And thats a wrap... Enjoy!!!
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Norma Jean Fox
(11/30/1945-9/7/2010)
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