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FEE WAYBILL/DON'T BE SCARED BY THESE HANDS
IRS 993.168
Total Score 70%	Production 80%	Songs 75%	Vibe 60%	Attitude 60%
He still sounds great, the 'ol Fee, but it has been a few years since the last record, and he has somewhat mellowed. That's what we have here - a collection of great solid songs, but more acoustic driven than the big AOR of albums like 'Read My Lips'. Still plenty of hooks and grea lines, but definately on the lighter side of things.

JASPER WRATH/ANTHOLOGY 1969-1976
OXFORD CIRCUS OXF-001

Total Score 50% Production 70% Songs 75% Vibe 50% Attitude 60%
Notable for featuring the talents of James Christian and Jeff Cannata in this their debut band. Collectable amongst seventies prog fans, and a bloody good collection for those fans, but for the fans of these two AOR stars most recent work, there is little to offer here. There is nothing to resemble James' solo or House Of Lords work, and the new tracks are simply taken from both their solo albums. But if Yes and other seventies prog acts are your thing.....

JASPER WRATH/ANTHOLOGY 1969-1976
OXFORD CIRCUS OXF-001
Total Score 50%	Production 70%	Songs 75%	Vibe 50%	Attitude 60%
Notable for featuring the talents of James Christian and Jeff Cannata in this their debut band. Collectable amongst seventies prog fans, and a bloody good collection for those fans, but for the fans of these two AOR stars most recent work, there is little to offer here. There is nothing to resemble James' solo or House Of Lords work, and the new tracks are simply taken from both their solo albums. But if Yes and other seventies prog acts are your thing.....

THE VIOLET BURNING/THE VIOLET BURNING
DOMO RECORDS DOM 71010-2

Total Score 50% Production 60% Songs 35% Vibe 50% Attitude 50%
90's style rock, sort of a grunge meets U2 mix of broody and mellow tracks, with solid guiat riffs underneath the whole shebang. Little too slow and maybe not so memorable overall. Few stand out tracks.

THE VIOLET BURNING/THE VIOLET BURNING
DOMO RECORDS DOM 71010-2
Total Score 50%	Production 60%	Songs 35%	Vibe 50%	Attitude 50%
90's style rock, sort of a grunge meets U2 mix of broody and mellow tracks, with solid guiat riffs underneath the whole shebang. Little too slow and maybe not so memorable overall. Few stand out tracks.

GEORGE HAWKINS JR./EVERY DOG HAS IT'S DAY
IRS 993.169

Total Score 60% Production 70% Songs 70% Vibe 50% Attitude 60%
George comes from high AOR pedigree, playing bass with Richard Marx and recently King Of Hearts. Guests included here are such AOR heavyweights as Bill Champlin, Bruce Gaitsch on guitar, Guy Allison and Richard Marx. If you liked the King Of Hearts albums and love Westcoast - this is another album for your collection. If not, then you may find this a little soft and nice!

GEORGE HAWKINS JR./EVERY DOG HAS IT'S DAY
IRS 993.169
Total Score 60%	Production 70%	Songs 70%	Vibe 50%	Attitude 60%
George comes from high AOR pedigree, playing bass with Richard Marx and recently King Of Hearts. Guests included here are such AOR heavyweights as Bill Champlin, Bruce Gaitsch on guitar, Guy Allison and Richard Marx. If you liked the King Of Hearts albums and love Westcoast - this is another album for your collection. If not, then you may find this a little soft and nice!

ROBERT TEPPER/NO REST FOR THE WOUNDED HEART
MTM MUSIC 199611

Total Score 60% Production 70% Songs 50% Vibe 60% Attitude 60%
Kicks off with the great AOR title track and moves along nicely over the next few mid paced aor pop/rockers, but let's himself down a little with the slower tracks. Good sound and good vocals, but I keep thinking there is something missing. Maybe for something like this which has been done many times before, it has to be really special to get anywhere nowdays.

ROBERT TEPPER/NO REST FOR THE WOUNDED HEART
MTM MUSIC 199611
Total Score 60%	Production 70%	Songs 50%	Vibe 60%	Attitude 60%
Kicks off with the great AOR title track and moves along nicely over the next few mid paced aor pop/rockers, but let's himself down a little with the slower tracks. Good sound and good vocals, but I keep thinking there is something missing. Maybe for something like this which has been done many times before, it has to be really special to get anywhere nowdays.

JUSTIN HAYWARD/THE VIEW FROM THE HILL
CMC INTERNATIONAL 0607686202-2

Total Score 60% Production 70% Songs 70% Vibe 60% Attitude 60%
Solo from the Moody blues this is a plesent enough collection of middle of the road pop tunes, with a very similar vein to the Martin Page record from last year.

JUSTIN HAYWARD/THE VIEW FROM THE HILL
CMC INTERNATIONAL 0607686202-2
Total Score 60%	Production 70%	Songs 70%	Vibe 60%	Attitude 60%
Solo from the Moody blues this is a plesent enough collection of middle of the road pop tunes, with a very similar vein to the Martin Page record from last year.

GLENN HUGHES/TALK ABOUT IT EP
ZERO CORPORATION XRCN-1293

Total Score 80% Production 90% Songs 90% Vibe 70% Attitude 60%
This is a four track Japanese EP, that's worth having for the unreleased tracks. Kiss Of Fire - Live, and Coast To Coast and You Keep On Moving acoustic in the studio. Coast To Coast has now been done to death and should be left alone, but You Keep On Moving is a gem.

GLENN HUGHES/TALK ABOUT IT EP
ZERO CORPORATION XRCN-1293
Total Score 80%	Production 90%	Songs 90%	Vibe 70%	Attitude 60%
This is a four track Japanese EP, that's worth having for the unreleased tracks. Kiss Of Fire - Live, and Coast To Coast and You Keep On Moving acoustic in the studio. Coast To Coast has now been done to death and should be left alone, but You Keep On Moving is a gem.

COLUMN A/COLUMN A DEMO TAPE
INDIE DEMO RELEASE

Total Score 80% Production 90% Songs 90% Vibe 70% Attitude 60%
Column A is the product of vocalist Phil Balzano and guitarist Jim Agnello. And I have to say it is one of the best demos I have heard from a new unknown act. It's made up of six tracks in the USA AOR singer/songwriter style. Strong vocals ride over great guitar work, with nice riffs. There is a layer of electric guitar over the acoustic, with offers a richer sound. Naturally limited production quality has been untilised to the max. Great songs, good melodies and I think, a lot to look forward to.

COLUMN A/COLUMN A DEMO TAPE
INDIE DEMO RELEASE
Total Score 80%	Production 90%	Songs 90%	Vibe 70%	Attitude 60%
Column A is the product of vocalist Phil Balzano and guitarist Jim Agnello. And I have to say it is one of the best demos I have heard from a new unknown act. It's made up of six tracks in the USA AOR singer/songwriter style. Strong vocals ride over great guitar work, with nice riffs. There is a layer of electric guitar over the acoustic, with offers a richer sound. Naturally limited production quality has been untilised to the max. Great songs, good melodies and I think, a lot to look forward to.

BLUE RAIN/JUST THE BEGINNING
USA INDIE RELEASE/DEMO DISC

Total Score 50% Production 40% Songs 60% Vibe 70% Attitude 70%
Blue Rain are a new band out of the States, who have put their demo to disc in search of further interest. Good songs and melodies, traditional melodic rock/AOR, with blend of mid paced rock tunes and big ballads. Let down only by poor production, but on a budget you couldn't expect more.

BLUE RAIN/JUST THE BEGINNING
USA INDIE RELEASE/DEMO DISC
Total Score 50%	Production 40%	Songs 60%	Vibe 70%	Attitude 70%
Blue Rain are a new band out of the States, who have put their demo to disc in search of further interest. Good songs and melodies, traditional melodic rock/AOR, with blend of mid paced rock tunes and big ballads. Let down only by poor production, but on a budget you couldn't expect more.

CAPTIVE HEART/HOME OF THE BRAVE
MTM MUSIC - 199614

Total Score 70% Production 60% Songs 75% Vibe 80% Attitude 70%
Debut CD for American commercial rockers. Given a hand with songwriting by Survivor dude Jim Peterik. Shades of Signal, Survivor, Diving For Pearls, just not quite in the same league. Still, nice tunes and good melodies. For fans of USA brand AOR.

CAPTIVE HEART/HOME OF THE BRAVE
MTM MUSIC - 199614
Total Score 70%	Production 60%	Songs 75%	Vibe 80%	Attitude 70%
Debut CD for American commercial rockers. Given a hand with songwriting by Survivor dude Jim Peterik. Shades of Signal, Survivor, Diving For Pearls, just not quite in the same league. Still, nice tunes and good melodies. For fans of USA brand AOR.

IAN MOSS/PETROLHEAD
TWA RECORDS AUSTRALIA

Total Score 73% Production 70% Songs 80% Vibe 80% Attitude 85%
Famous for being in Cold Chisel, and producing a fairly well liked debut solo album, Ian moves past his dismal selling second release, and tries for number 3. Produced by fellow Chisel Don Walker this is a heavier, rawer recording than both previous records. Hints of blues, hard rock, chisel and his first album. Better, more consistant, rockier, and probably won't sell a bit!

IAN MOSS/PETROLHEAD
TWA RECORDS AUSTRALIA
Total Score 73%	Production 70%	Songs 80%	Vibe 80%	Attitude 85%
Famous for being in Cold Chisel, and producing a fairly well liked debut solo album, Ian moves past his dismal selling second release, and tries for number 3. Produced by fellow Chisel Don Walker this is a heavier, rawer recording than both previous records. Hints of blues, hard rock, chisel and his first album. Better, more consistant, rockier, and probably won't sell a bit!

TEN/THE NAME OF THE ROSE
MTM/ZERO/NOW AND THEN

Total Score 77% Production 80% Songs 65% Vibe 60% Attitude 80%
I love the debut Ten album and looked forward to this album. But despite the good reviews for this, I think it's too long and the songs are too overblown. I prefer the first album. I think that had mor melody and better songs. This is a good album and worth having for sure, but it requires a lot more patience to get into. Hard to keep the interest up over 80 minutes.

TEN/THE NAME OF THE ROSE
MTM/ZERO/NOW AND THEN
Total Score 77%	Production 80%	Songs 65%	Vibe 60%	Attitude 80%
I love the debut Ten album and looked forward to this album. But despite the good reviews for this, I think it's too long and the songs are too overblown. I prefer the first album. I think that had mor melody and better songs. This is a good album and worth having for sure, but it requires a lot more patience to get into. Hard to keep the interest up over 80 minutes.

ZAKK WYLDE/BOOK OF SHADOWS
GEFFEN

Total Score 75% Production 80% Songs 70% Vibe 60% Attitude 70%
Cleaver departure for guitar God Zakk here. Moody and mixed between acoustic and electric, traditional and modern. Great sound overall, and original and talented, if not dark songs. Th eonly set back - this may not be for all his fans' tastes.

ZAKK WYLDE/BOOK OF SHADOWS
GEFFEN
Total Score 75%	Production 80%	Songs 70%	Vibe 60%	Attitude 70%
Cleaver departure for guitar God Zakk here. Moody and mixed between acoustic and electric, traditional and modern. Great sound overall, and original and talented, if not dark songs. Th eonly set back - this may not be for all his fans' tastes.

MOONDOG/POSTCARD TO HAWAII
TWA RECORDS AUSTRALIA

Total Score 10% Production 10% Songs 5% Vibe 2% Attitude 2%
Featuring Ex-Models lead man James Freud, this is a project album of Hawaian surf songs. What a shitty idea for a record. I hope he has served his indulgences here, because I don't know a single person interested in buying this crap record. Starts with a cover of the Beach Boys tune 'Do It Again' and goes down hill from there. Crap sound, bad drum machine, terrible songs, hollow production. Dire.

MOONDOG/POSTCARD TO HAWAII
TWA RECORDS AUSTRALIA
Total Score 10%	Production 10%	Songs 5%	Vibe 2%	Attitude 2%
Featuring Ex-Models lead man James Freud, this is a project album of Hawaian surf songs. What a shitty idea for a record. I hope he has served his indulgences here, because I don't know a single person interested in buying this crap record. Starts with a cover of the Beach Boys tune 'Do It Again' and goes down hill from there. Crap sound, bad drum machine, terrible songs, hollow production. Dire.

HARLAN CAGE/HARLAN CAGE
MTM MUSIC

Total Score 70% Production 60% Songs 75% Vibe 75% Attitude 75%
Featuring that awesome man of Soundtracks Larry Greene (Top Gun and Over The Top) with Roger Scott Craig, and guests Aussie Brett Garsed, Billy Liesegang and Steve Porcaro. Didn't like this album first up, but don't toss it there, it grows on you nicely. Features AOR to hard rock in the USA stadium vein. Great songs, if not immediately idetinfiable.

HARLAN CAGE/HARLAN CAGE
MTM MUSIC
Total Score 70%	Production 60%	Songs 75%	Vibe 75%	Attitude 75%
Featuring that awesome man of Soundtracks Larry Greene (Top Gun and Over The Top) with Roger Scott Craig, and guests Aussie Brett Garsed, Billy Liesegang and Steve Porcaro. Didn't like this album first up, but don't toss it there, it grows on you nicely. Features AOR to hard rock in the USA stadium vein. Great songs, if not immediately idetinfiable.