Darts - Across America

Name: Darts
Album: Across America
Year: 1981
Style: Oldies, Doo-Wop
Similar Bands: That band that played your uncle's wedding, Pipettes, Martha & the Vandellas
"One-Word" Review: Grandpa's Youth Revisited
Based Out Of: Brighton England
Label: Magnet Records, Kat Family Records, CBS Records

Cover & Record

Back & Record

Across America (1981)

1. Think 2:36 (The Five Royals cover)
2. Reach Out, I'll Be There 3:24 (Four Tops cover)
3. Peaches 2:33 (Ikettes Cover)
4. Speedo 2:39 (Cadillacs cover)
5. Cover to Cover 2:47 / 
6. Sad & Lonely 3:17
7. Let's Hang On 3:13 (Manhattan Transfer cover)
8. False Alarm 1:42 (Re-Vels cover)
9. Hit & Run 2:26
10. Show Me / Do You Love Me 1:54 (Joe Tex & Contours Cover)

Album Rating (1-10): 6.5

Members & Other Bands:
Russell Shaw - Liner Notes
Tommy Boyce - Producer
Richard Hartley - Producer
Phil Chapman - Producer
Bob London - Mgmt
Doc Field - Kat Family PR
Mike McCarty - Art Direction
Simon Fowler - Photography
Kenny Andrews - Vox (Dave Kelly)
Nigel Trubridge/Horatio Hornblower (Rocky Sharpe, Razors)
Ian Collier/Griff Fender (Charly Bacher, Rocky Sharpe, Razors)
Rita Ray/Lydia Sowa (Mint Juleps, Rocky Sharpe, Razors)
Rob Davis (B-Real, Breakneck, Golden, Movement 98, Mud, Rob & Ray, Roly, Roy Peters & Friends, Stuntmasterz, Sweet Connection, Tak Tix, The Escort Agency, The Speech, Young Guns)
Henry Colclugh

Unknown-ness: Never heard of the Darts. Looking at the cover, it has the feel of a pub rock band...posing as well dressed travelers, and the art quality has an old-timey or hazy feel. The back offers a write up of doo-wop and a melting pot of many styles of music, so not sure what to think

Album Review: The majority of songs are 50's oldies and doo-wop covers. The band members and what they do is not listed anywhere (maybe i'm missing the sleeve). The back cover does not list the songs in the correct order,  It really feels like a wedding band, where each person  in the band is at ready with a different genre specialty, like a Swiss army knife of music. The write up speaks of their stage show being amazing energy and mostly sold out, which may or may not be artistic exaggeration. Their original Hit & Run combines the Sesame Street theme + Martha & the Vandellas Heatwave

Stand Out Track: Hit & Run

Links:
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Sound on Sound - Rob Davis inrterview
Louder than War
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