Ellen Foley - Nightout

Name: Ellen Foley
Album: Nightout
Year: 1979
Style: Light Rock, Power Pop, Pub Rock
Similar Bands: Linda Ronstadt, Pat Benetar, Patty Smyth, Bonnie Tyler
"One-Word" Review: Pub Rock Theater
Based Out Of: NYC
Label: Epic, Cleveland International, CBS

 Cover, Sleeve, Record

 Back, Sleeve, Record

Nightout (1979)

1. We Belong to the Night 5:18 (single)
2. What's A Matter baby 3:37 (LJ Reynolds / Timi Yuro cover) (single)
3. Stupid Girl 4:06 (Rolling St0ones Cover) (single)
4. Night Out 5:14 /
5. Thunder and Rain 3:02 (Graham Parker cover)(b-side single)
6. Sad Song 3:30 (single)
7. Young Lust 5:27 (b side single)
8. Hideaway 3:42 (b side single)
9. Don't Let Go 3:56 (single)

Album Rating (1-10): 6.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Ellen Foley - Vox (Meatloaf, Clash, Joe Jackson, Pandora's Box, Blue Oyster Cult, Ian Hunter, Gait MacDermot, Sorrows, Iron City Houserockers, Hilly Michaels, Jim Steinman, Dan Hartman, Bonnie Tyler, 5 Chinese Brothers)
• Ian Hunter - Producer, Arrangement, Keys, Guitar, Percussion (Mott the Hoople, At Last the 1958 Rock & Roll Show, Charlie Woolfe, The Rant Band, Overnight Angels, Pompeii, Apex Group, Hunter Ronson Band, the Scenery, more)
• Mick Ronson - Producer, Arrangement, String Arrangement, Lead Guitar, Keys Backing Vox, Percussion (Arnold Corns, David Bowie, Mott the Hoople, Pompeii, Ronno, Spiders from Mars, Hunter Ronson Band, The Rats, Rolling Thunder Revue, Tony Visconti Trio, The Treacle, The Voice, Mariners, Crestas, The Wanted, The Hype, more)
• Bob Ludwig - Mastering
• Harvey Goldberg - Engineer
• Phil Shrago - Asst. Engineer
• Bob Clearmountain - Engineer
• Rory Dodd - Harmony Vox (Jim Steinman, Fire INC, Meat Loaf, Ted Nugent, Garland jeffreys, Ian Hunter, Suzanne Fellini, Eddie Schwartz, Karla DeVito, Rex Smith, Steve Forbert, Peter Criss, Bel-Air Bansits, Didi Stewart, Air Supply, Billy Joel, Barry Manilow, Bonnie Tyler, Blue Rose, Clarence Clemons, Lou Reed, Martin Brilley, Julian Lennon, Barbara Streisand, Billy Squier, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Sheena Easton, Patty Smyth, Kevin Rowland, Scritti polittim, Survivor, Eddie Rabbit, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion)
• Tom Mandel - Keys (Pins, Miamis, Ian Hunter, David Johansen, Children of the World, Hilly Michaels, Iron City Houserockers, Bryan Adams, Sylvain Sylvain, Klaus Nomi, Gary Private, Amy Kanter, Martin Briley, Payola$, Dire Straits, John Waite, Bon Jovi, Nils Lofgren, Denise Williams, Matthew Sweet, Lone Justice, Tina Turner,  Price, Pretenders, Fleetwood Mac, Peter Wold, Little Steven, B-52's, Cyndi Lauper, Sadistic Mika Band, Foreigner, Violent Femmes, Pavarotti, Christine Lavin, Joey Ramone)
• Hilly Michaels - Drums (Sparks, Joy, Peach & Lee, Roger C Reale, Delta Cross band, Johnny Cougar, Dan Hartman, Van Duren, Bram Tchaikovsky, Tommy Mandel, Espionafe, Scott McCarl, Prix, Ian Hunter)
• Martin Briley - Bass (Green slade, Ian Hunter, Mandrake, Prowler, Starbuck, True Adventure, other credits)
• Kerryn Tolhurst - Slide Guitar (Country Radio, Sundown, Dingoes, others)
• Gene Greif - Design
• Benno Friedman - Photography

Unknown-ness: I've seen this album around for a while at various thrift shops (or maybe it was the same copy multiple times at one store), but finally decided to buy it in hopes it might be some sort of power pop female lead album, or at least one stand out track I'd like a lot. I've never heard of Ellen Foley.

Album Review: Ellen Foley is and was a music, theater and tv actress performer, with four albums, numerous high profile theatrical roles (Broadway: Me and My Girl, Hair, Into the Woods. Off-Broadway: Beehive), she was in films Hair, Fatal Attraction, Married to the Mob and Cocktail, and she was the original public defender on Night Court, Billie Young. Her big break was singing with Meatloaf on "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" in 1977. She has also worked with Blue Oyster Cult, Joe Jackson, Utopia,  The Blockheads and The Clash. In fact, "Should I Stay or Should I Go" was written about his, (Mick Jones) relationship with Foley. In the Mid-00's she was a teacher at the Manhattan branch of Paul Green's School of Rock. This album reached #1 in the Netherlands, and is a mix of guitar heavy, pub rock style songs, theatrical ballads, and vocal pop songs to showcase Foley's range.

Stand Out Track: Young Lust

Links:
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Wiki
IMDB
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discogs
allmusic
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Moving Pictures - Days of Innocence

Name : Moving Pictures

Album: Days of Innocence

Year: 1981

Style: Power Pop, New Wave, Monster Ballads

Similar Bands: Journey, White Snake, Billy Joel + Twisted Sister.

One Word Review: Barroom Metal Allspice

Based Out Of: Sydney, Australia

Label: Network

 Days of Innocence - Cover & Record

Days of Innocence - Back & Record

Days of Innocence (1981)

1. Nothing to Do 3:28
2. What about Me 3:32
3. Round Again 4:06
4. Bustin' Loose 4:37
5. Wings 4:53 /
6. The Angel and the Madman 4:28
7. Sweet Cherie 3:38
8. So Tired 4:03
9. Joni and the Romeo 3:31
10. Streetheart 7:01

Album Rating (0-10): 7.0

Members & Other Bands:
Charlie Cole - Keys, Trumpet, Vox (1927, The Shuffle Kings, Ed Kuepper, Greedy's People, Lovetones, Colin Buchanan)
Paul Freeland - Drums  (Robert Miles)
Garry Frost - Guitar, Vox (1927, Gyan, Roberts Frost)
Ian Lees - Bass (This Side Up, Chasin' The Train, Wild Colonial Boys, Tommy Emmanuel, Mondo Rock, James Blundell, Audrey Auld, Travis Collins)
Alex Smith - Vox, Guitar (This Side Up, Bilgola Bop Band, AS & the Volunteers/DBM, The Blue Liners, )
Andrew Thompson - Sax (Bilgola Bop Band, Elton John, Chasin' The Train, The Flood, Australian Crawl, Reene Geyer,Glenn Terry, Jenny Morris)
Charles Fisher - Producer
David Bianco - Asst Engineer
Steve "Stig" Bywaters - Engineer
Paul Grupp - Engineer, Producer
Colin Stead - Photography, Cover Concept
Rick Sutton - Management
Alan Thorne - Overdub Engineer
Russell Hogan - Crew
James P. Murrie - Crew
Tim Walsh - Crew
Paul Fullbrook - Back Cover Photos
Marc Christowski - Back Cover Photos
Stuart Spence - Back Cover Photos
John Barr - Design

Unknow-ness - I had never heard of this band. The simple image on the front gives a vague idea as to what the band will sound like. The young girl jumping offers a possible energy, although the image more likely supports the album title. There are live action shots on the back, so they lay energetic music, but again, the album art reminds me of power pop bands I’ve reviewed here like Great Buildings. So I’ll guess it will be a power pop, easy listening, AOR style record.

Album Review: The album, first of three, reached #1 on the Kent Music Report in Feb’82, supported by the #1 status of their single What About Me (#29 on the Billboard 100). They have a single that was used in the film Footloose. They broke up in 1987, but reformed in 2011, and are still touring at the writing of this review.

“Nothing to Do” sounds like any typical pub rock song: driving beat with roll-along lyrics, minimal sax and piano accompaniment, and a lighter bridge into a catchy chorus. It builds up into the end, and carries it’s aggression all the way through.

“What About Me” was their second single, reaching #1 in Australia’s Kent Music Report, and second in record sales behind Eye of the Tiger in Australia. And I’ve heard this song. Swirling synth starts it off with punctual percussion behind it. It is a nice piano ballad that could be the soft boy song in any metal band’s record. This is the underdog wanting to dance with the tall cool girl at the middle school dance song. And maybe he gets to here.

“Round Again” is another jolly piano rock song with a bit heavier guitar for the verse. The catchy hook in the chorus feels a little Allman Brothers, southern rock. The tedious part happens when they finally get to the title of the song, it loops to project a feeling or tedious repetition, and it definitely comes through.

“Bustin' Loose” was their first single. Starting off with a jolly Billy Joel piano intro, it then settles into a driving power pop song with lyrics a little like a scratchier Queen. Plus sax.

“Wings” comes in a little lighter and gentle, with delicate vocals and pleasant piano. It kicks up a gear and invoked a simple guitar hook and bouncy bass. These two slow-quick tempo sections make up for a split personality song.

“The Angel and the Madman” begins with a slow awakening, and develops into a training montage in tempo. The two sections rotate, and offer pause for the driving tempo.

“Sweet Cherie” Was also a single. It has a little of a medieval feel to it with sax, perhaps a Dexy’s Midnight Runners style, and then abandons that feel to transition into a mid-tempo 70’s rock song.

“So Tired” continues the brass and sax theme, and another mid-tempoed blue eyed soul track.

“Joni and the Romeo” is a good relationship story song, fitting right in with The A’s and Billy Joel. It is fun with lyrics that roll off the tongue like they were predestined.

“Streetheart” gets off to a slow dark-tones start. It’s slinky and secretive. And the new wave nasally vocals are in full force. The short chorus vaguely sounds like another Aussie band, The Shout Out Louds song Oh Sweetheart. About halfway through, the song starts to wind down, back into the dark sinister beginning, but really, it is just building into the second half of the song, mostly instrumental, bringing reprise versions of the previous two melodies together with an extra stanza. By the end of the song, it feels like they’re just taking up space on the record with some talking and an extended wind down.

Stand Out Track: Joni and the Romeo

Links:
Wiki
Official
ABC Audio Interview
Debbi Kruger Interview
2005 Reunion article
Allmusic
Discogs

Aztec Camera - Stray

Band: Aztec Camera
Album: Stray
Year: 1990
Style: Adult Alternative & British Rock/Pop
Similar Bands: Trash Can Sinatras, Elvis Costello & Squeeze - lite, Tears For Fears
"One Word" Review: Bi-Polar-Acoustic Lounge-Pop
Based Out Of: Glasgow, Scotland
Label: Sire, Reprise, Warner

Stray: Cover Side

Stray (1990)

1. Stray 5.35 (sample)
2. Crying Scene 3.37 (sample)
3. Get Outta London 3.41 (sample)
4. Over My Head 5.54 (sample)/
5. Good Morning Britain 4.05 (sample)
6. How it Is 3.58 (sample)
7. Gentle Kind 5.34 (sample)
8. Notting Hill Blues 6.42 (sample)
9. Song for a Friend 2.32 (sample)

Album Rating (1-10):
06.5

Members & Other Bands:Roddy Frame - Guitars Vox, Production
Paul Powell - Bass
Gary Sanctuary - Keyboards
Frank Tontoh - Drums & Backing Vox
Paul Carrack - Guitar (Ace, Mike & the Mechanics, Squeeze)
Edwyn Collins
Mickey Gallagher
Mick Jones (Clash, Big Audio Dynamite)
Steve Sidelnyk - Percussion
Eric Calvi - Producer, Engineer
Simon Dawson - Engineer
Cameron Jenkins - Asst Engineer
Nick Davies - Mix Engineer
Chris Blair - Mastered
Recorded @ Rockfield, Monmouth & Powerplant, London
Richard Burns - Photography

Unknown-ness: I believe I had heard the name Aztec Camera before I got this tape, but I was not sure what they were like. I was under the impression that they were just another brit-wave band from the late 80's early 90's, with mellow yet complex songs, and smoothly produced vocals. The look in the eye on the cover looks of boredom, complacency, and twee-ness, so I am anticipating moody, tedious songs.

Album Review: The first track is a quiet, very Jellyfish-like song. It creates the mood of comfortably waking up, rubbing the crust from your eyes, to a rich, youthful, perfect bedroom. A slow bass line gently guides the song, along with minimal quiet piano & cymbal percussion. The acoustic guitar adds dimension, but does not draw attention to itself. It also is reminiscent of Elvis Costello's Juliet Letters in production. The second song wakes you up. More aggressive, but smooth vocals cover over a fake-electric guitar. A slow bass builds foundation in the background. The hook in the chorus certifies the tune as a catchy little pop number. "Get Outta London" starts off with just vocals and bass. But it builds in aggression and pace. This is an anthemic track; the syllables are exaggerated to put emphasis on each and every piece of every word. And it ends with an XTC like reprise of the chorus. Over My Head is a rainy ballad, which starts off with a minute and a half of guitar, sailing lovingly along before vocals come in just as slow and caressively as the guitar. Piano and bass are added, creating a slow slow jazz ensemble. The song creates the same mood and is remarkably similar to Elvis's version of "My Funny Valentine."

An Australian-sounding fuzz-bass begins side 2: "Good Morning Britain." This is another Anthemic song, sung with Mick Jones (of B.A.D. & The Clash) in a wrap around call back rap style. There is even a hint of electronic mixed down in this song. The song has a driving musical base and the chorus is slow yet strong, holding onto each word, stretching it over the driving music. This sounds somewhat like the Alarm and James. The next song begins just as rocking, with an electric whiny guitar, familiar to John Cougar Mellencamp songs. In fact, this song has the feel of and is sung like a mid-western small-town rock song. "Gentle Kind" is much lighter, like adult contemporary alternative. This is the burned out, grown up voice of a formerly angsty kid. Very much like Squeeze in their latter days. The album gets even quieter with the six and a half minute "Notting Hill Blues:" A loungy, echo-y lament. A quiet organ and slow jazz bass float the song along. The mood is sad, but it still seems to hold onto an optimistic point of view. His voice sounds a little like Duran Duran and George Michaels at the same time when his lament takes on a louder, more emotional nature toward the end of the song. And the album ends with a folky, acoustic campfire ballad. This song shows a more confident, knowledgeable, grown up, and aware voice.

Stand Out Track:
Crying Scene

Links:
Aztec Camera Wikipedia
Roddy Frame Fan Site
Brief History
Roddy Frame Allmusic
Aztec Camera Allmusic
Aztec Camera Live-Italy 1984
7 Aztec Camera VH1 Videos
Aztec Camera - Myspace
Roddy Frame - Myspace