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Friday, March 20, 2020

Sterling - City Kids

Name: Sterling
Album: City Kids
Year: 1980
Style: Power Pop, Arena Rock
Similar Bands: Journey, ELO, Knack, Cheap Trick, Cars
"One-Word" Review:
Based Out Of: NYC, NY
Label: A&M Records
 Cover, Record
Back, Record
City Kids (1980)

  1. It's Me 3:00
  2. City Kid 2:53
  3. And She's Mine 2:44
  4. Good Girl 2:57
  5. It's Only Love 6:21 /
  6. Baby It's You 3:43
  7. Robosexual 2:31
  8. Are You Sleeping Alone 3:10
  9. Phony People 2:51
  10. Oh Yeah 2:28

Album Rating (1-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:

  • David Kershenbaum - Producer
  • John Hill - Associate Producer
  • Stevie Pickett - Lead Guitar, Synth, Vox
  • Steve Kehr - Drums, Vox (Urgent)
  • David Kissell - Bass, Vox
  • Michael Kehr - Rhythm Guitar, Vox (Urgent)
  • Bob Clearmountain - Engineer
  • Ray Willhard - Asst Engineer
  • Lucy Laurie - Asst. Engineer
  • Frank Deluna - Mastering
  • Dennis Held - Mgmt
  • Rocky Nigro - Mgmt
  • Paddy Reynolds - Photography - cover
  • Harlan Kayden - Photography - back

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band...but the band pic on the cover looks like a bunch of roughnecks who were told by A&M's CEO to weat bright pastels, cause that's the look that sells right now. Even the spine is a rainbow of pastels. The live action shots on the back look like they're an energetic power-pop / pub band.

Album Review: These tracks are arena ready Journey tunes with a bunch of ELO harmonies. Been reviewing a bunch of albums that all sound like this style...so it seems the studios had a template that they'd throw $$$ at to hope and see what sticks. Not to say they could not add in their own identity...Robosexual is a little silly about a robot girlfriend & being attracted to robots, but it is a fun, driving song. It looks like between this album, and the Kehr brothers follow-up band (with a third Kehr) Urgent, there is really nothing else these gentlemen did in music.

Stand Out Track: City Kid

Links:
Discogs
allmusic
Music ruined my life
A&M blog
La Bible de la Westcoast Music
Youtube

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