BYRNE & BARNES-AN EYE FOR AN EYE

Byrne & Barnes-An Eye For An Eye [1981]

1. An Eye For An Eye
2. Standby Lover
3. Crack The Whip
4. Keep On Running
5. One More Try For Love
6. Never Gonna Stop Lovin' You
7. Love You Out Of Your Mind
8. I'll Try A Little Everyday For You
9. Making Love For The First Time
10. Be My Baby
11. Right Through The Heart
12. That's The Way She Goes
13. Who's That Look In Your Eye?

In 1981, Robert Byrne followed up his 1979 album, Blame It On The Night, by hooking up with multi-instrumentalist Brendan Barnes and heading down to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record this WestCoast classic. It features contributions from Steve Lukather, Andrew Gold, Lenny LeBlanc among others. My favorite tracks are Keep On Running & Never Gonna Stop Lovin' You. Neither recorded another album after this one, but both went on to produce others such as Patti Austin and Brian McKnight.

THE NORWEGIAN FORDS-THE NORWEGIAN FORDS

The Norwegian Fords-The Norwegian Fords (2008)

1. Smile Like Sammy Davis
2. Not Even Onions Make Her Cry
3. Hop Up Pop
4. I Can't Say I Love You
5. Billy Ocean
6. Twice
7. Sophisticated Sister
8. Still Better Than Chocolate
9. Monique's Unique Technique
10. Let Me Stalk You Home

Not many current albums can capture the West Coast sound and still sound as fresh as this duo from Norway. Erik Enzo & Paul Call released their debut in 2008. Mixed by Bill Schnee, who has produced or engineered many albums, such as Boz Scaggs' Middle Man as well as Steely Dan, Pablo Cruise & Leo Sayer to name a few. They will be released their followup later this year, so start off with this.

EVIE SANDS-ESTATE OF MIND

Evie Sands-Estate Of Mind (1975)

1. A Woman's Work Is Never Done
2. Love In The Afternoon
3. You Brought The Woman Out Of Me
4. Take It Or Leave It
5. Call Me Home Again
6. One Ting On My Mind
7. Yesterday Can't Hurt Me
8. I Love Makin' Love To You
9. Early Morning Sunshine
10. (Am I) Crazy Cause I Believe
11. Music Man
12. Signed Sealed Delivered (I'm Yours)
13. You Can Do It
    
14. The Way You Do The Things You Do
    

Produced by Dennis Lambert & Brian Potter on Haven Records, this 1975 album should have taken singer/songwriter Evie Sands to new heights. How was this overlooked? It's a great mix of pop, rock & R&B, sultrier than Helen Reddy on a tune like I Love Makin' Love To You[#50] and tougher than Linda Ronstadt on a tune like A Woman's Work Is Never Done [#50], both of whom were enjoying a lot more success at the time than Evie. The album featured keys by Michael Omartian, bass by David Hundgate, guitars by Dean Parks and drums by Ed Greene. Her tunes, from this album alone, have been covered by Dusty Springfield, Jose Feliciano, Cher, Barbra Streisand, Frankie Valli & the Manhattans to name a few. But Evie has the definitive versions here on this LP.

Stay tuned!

There will be new music coming soon

ORLEANS-ONE OF A KIND

Orleans-One Of A Kind (1982)

1. One Of A Kind

2. I Found Someone

3. Let It Be Me

4. Beatin' Around The Bush

5. Save The Planet

6. Keep On Singing

7. Gotta Lotta Money (Big Deal)

8. Give In To It

9. Circles

10. Move On

This forgotten Orleans LP spawned the minor hit, Let It Be Me.

HELEN REDDY-REDDY

Helen Reddy-Reddy (1979)

1. Trying To Get To You
2. Perfect Love Affair
3. The Magic Is Still There
4. Make Love To Me
5. Minute By Minute
6. Let Me Be Your Woman
7. You're So Good
8. Words Are Not Enough
9. Sing My Heart Out

Helen Reddy always had some West Coast flavor in her music. But on this LP she also added some disco to the mix. She had members of Chicago & Tower Of Power help her out on the Doobies' Minute By Minute and Valerie Carter's Tryin To GetTo You. Make Love To Me was a minor hit, reaching #60.

MICHEL COLOMBIER-MICHEL COLOMBIER

Michel Colombier-Michel Colombier (1979)

1. Sunday
2. Take Me Down
3. Dreamland
4. Queen's Road
5. Overture
6. Bird Song
7. Layas
8. Do It
9. Spring
10. The Dancing Bull
11. Autumn Land

Enjoy some great West Coast jazz fusion from keyboardist, Michel Colombier while you enjoy the warmth of early Spring. The Godfather of French Fusion enlisted a host of great session players to play on this LP, such as Herbie Hancock, Lee Ritenour, Jaco Pastorius, Steve Gadd and others.

STEVIE WOODS-TAKE ME TO YOUR HEAVEN

Stevie Woods-Take Me To Your Heaven (1981)

1. Fly Away
2. Just Can't Win Em All
3. Take Me To Your Heaven
4. Steal The Night
5. Through The Years
6. Wanna Be Close To You
7. Read Between The Lines
8. Throw A Little Bit Of Love My Way
9. Gotcha

This was the debut album for vocalist Stevie Woods, who had Top 40 hits with Steal The Night & Just Can't Win Em All. The album features a multitude of West Coast players and even as a version of Through The Years, which became a hit for Kenny Rogers just a few months after this release.

NITEFLYTE-NITEFLYTE

Niteflyte-Niteflyte (1979)

1. All About Love
2. If You Want It
3. Sunshine
4. Make It Right
5. Get On The Fun
6. Tryin' To Find
7. I Wonder
8. Easy Come
9. No Two Alike

Niteflyte was formed & led by singers, Sandy Torano & Howard Johnson (not the restaurant). Their 1979 debut yielded a Top 40 hit in If You Want It. The album also featured such notable players as, the Brecker Brothers, David Sanborn & Hamish Stuart.

BRENT BOURGEOIS-BRENT BOURGEOIS

Brent Bourgeois-Brent Bourgeois (1990)

1. Real Things
2. Compromise
3. Dare To Fall In Love
4. Can't Feel The Pain
5. Scene Of The Crime
6. Wild Child
7. Evil Run Riot
8. My Little Island
9. Time Of The Season
10. Shit Out Of Luck
11. Long Way From Home

This was the first solo album from Bourgeois Tagg member, Brent Bourgeois. Produced by Danny Kortchmar, the song, Dare To Fall In Love, reached #32 on the Pop Charts & #11 on the AC charts. Also features a great cover of the Zombies' Time Of The Season and has Chrstine McVie sing back up on Can't Feel The Pain.

ALAN O'DAY-APPETIZERS

Alan O'Day-Appetizers (1977)

1. Soldier Of Fortune
2. Satisfied
3. Started Out Dancing, Ended Up Making Love
4. Gifts
5. Slot Machine
6. Undercover Angel
7. Do Me Wrong, But Do Me
8. Catch My Breath
9. Angie Baby
10. Caress Me Pretty Music

The author of Rock & Roll Heaven by the Righteous Brothers & Angie Baby by Helen Reddy (his version included here) released his 2nd LP and had a big #1 smash with Undercover Angel. Produced by Steve Barri with Michael Omatian, it reached #109 on the album charts and features many West Coast musicians such as Jeff Porcaro, Dean Parks and Jay Graydon.
O'Day himself is working on a possible digital release of all of his music.

AVERAGE WHITE BAND-CUPID'S IN FASHION

Average White Band-Cupid's In Fashion (1982)

1. Easier Said Than Done
2. You're My Number One
3. You Wanna Belong
4. Cupid's In Fashion
5. Theatre Of Excess
6. I Believe
7. Is It Love That You're Running From
8. Reach Out (I'll Be There)
9. Isn't It Strange
10. Love's A Heartache

Happy Valentine's Day!
For all you West Coast lovers, enjoy the long out of print final AWB album (before they got back together in the early 90's), released on Arista Records in 1982.

BOB WELCH-THREE HEARTS

Bob Welch-Three Hearts (1979)

1. Three Hearts
2. Oh Jenny
3. I Saw Her Standing There
4. Here Comes The Night
5. China
6. The Ghost Of Flight 401
7. Precious Love
8. Church
9. Come Softly To Me
10. Devil Wind
11. Don't Wait Too Long
12. Little Star

This was Welch's follow-up to very successful debut, French Kiss. It hit #20 on the Top Album Charts, spawning the Top 20 hit, Precious Love and the minor hit, Church. Along with a Beatles cover and some help from Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood & Christine McVie, Welch writes some good pop rockers as well as the spooky The Ghost of Flight 401. This album should have received more play than it did.

PRATT & MCCLAIN

Pratt & McClain-Pratt & McClain (1976)

1. Happy Days
2. Raised On Rock
3. Summertime In The City
4. Night Ride
5. Tonight We're Gonna Fall In Love

6. Our Last Song Together
7. California Cowboy
8. Who Needs It
9. Whachersign
10. Devil With The Blue Dress

Pratt & McClain were a couple of commercial jingle singers in Hollywood. They were chosen by the ABC networks to record the new version of the Happy Days theme and the rest is history. The song was released on 45 and made it to #5. So they got the chance to record a full album. Produced by Steve Barri & Michael Omartian (Rhythm Heritage), the album is a mix of sunny California pop and 50's nostalgia. But the hidden track is the funky rare groove of Whatchersign.

PETER ALLEN-TAUGHT BY EXPERTS

Peter Allen-Taught By Experts (1976)

1. Puttin Out Roots
2. She Loves To Hear The Music
3. Back Doors Crying
4. I Go To Rio
5. Planes
6. Quiet Please, There's A Lady On Stage
7. This Time Around
8. The More I See You
9. Harbour
10. (I've Been) Taught By Experts
11. Six Thirty Sunday Morning/ New York, I Don't Know About You

Another long lost out-of-print Peter Allen album, released in 1976. This one features the original version of I Go To Rio, later a hit for Pablo Cruise. This was the last album of his to feature his more intimate songwriting before adopting a slicker West Coast sound. Back Doors Crying features Brenda Russell and Dusty Springfield on backing vocals.

IMAGES

Images by K-Tel (1980)

1. Should've Never Let You Go-Neil & Dara Sedaka
2. Shining Star-The Manhattans
3. Only A Lonely Heart Sees-Felix Cavaliere
4. Desire-Andy Gibb
5. One Fine Day-Carole King
6. Gee Whiz-Bernadette Peters
7. Do That To Me One More Time-Captain & Tennille
8. Take A Little Rhythm-Ali Thomson
9. Let Me Love You Tonight-Pure Prairie League
10. Three Times In Love-Tommy James
11. Suspicions-Eddie Rabbitt
12. Too Hot-Kool & The Gang
13. We Were Meant To Be Lovers-Photoglo
14. Please Don't Leave-Lauren Wood

Here's a special treat for you. A 1980 K-tel collection filled with lots of hard to find songs. Each one of these songs was a Top 40 hit, many in the West Coast style.

JOHN STEWART-BOMBS AWAY DREAM BABIES

John Stewart-Bombs Away Dream Babies (1979)

1. Gold
2. Lost Her in the Sun
3. Runaway Fool of Love
4. Somewhere Down the Line
5. Midnight Wind
6. Over the Hill
7. The Spinnin' of the World
8. Comin' Out of Nowhere
9. Heart of the Dream
10. Hand Your Heart to the Wind

In remembrance of John Stewart, who passed away one year ago today, here is the biggest album of his career, criminally out of print. It reached #10 on the album chart and spun off 3 Top 40 hits: Gold (#5), Midnight Wind (#28) and Lost Her In The Sun (#34). With contributions from Stevie Nicks & Lindsay Buckingham, this 'daydream believer' made one of the best California folk rock albums of the 1970s.

ROGER VOUDOURIS-RADIO DREAM

Roger Voudouris-Radio Dream (1979)

1. Get Used To It
2.Just What It Takes
3. Does Our Love (Depend On The Night)
4. We Can't Stay Like This Forever
5. Radio Dream
6. Anything From Anyone
7. We Only Dance 'Cause We Have To
8. The Next Time Around
9. Reprise

This is Roger's 2nd album, which was produced by Michael Omartian, and included the Top 40 hit, Get Used To It. Guest musicians include the Brecker Brothers and Jay Graydon.

BERNIE TAUPIN-HE WHO RIDES THE TIGER

Bernie Taupin-He Who Rides The Tiger (1980)

1. Monkey on My Back (The Last Run)
2. Born on the Fourth of July
3. Venezuela
4. Approaching Armageddon
5. Lover's Cross
6. Blitz Babies
7. Valley Nights
8. Love (The Barren Desert)
9. The Whores of Paris

This was Bernie's first LP after his split from Elton John in the late 70's. He teamed up with ex-Buckinghams guitarist, Dennis Tufano to write and sing 9 originals along with Richie Zito on electric guitar, Kenny Passarelli on bass, Joey Carbone on keys and Carlos Vega on drums. Guest musicians include a West Coast who's who: Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather, David Hungate, David Foster, Jai Winding, Jeff Porcaro, Tommy Funderburk, Bill Champlin, Tom Scott...the list goes on. Elton even shows up to backup on Love (The Barren Desert).
Play this one a few times. It will grow on you.

RUPERT HOLMES-SINGLES

Rupert Holmes-Singles (1976)

1. Who What When Where Why
2. Weekend Lover
3. I Don't Want To Get Over You
4. You Make Me Real
5. Aw Shucks
6. Last Of The Romantics
7. For Beginners Only
8. Touch & Go
9. Annabella
10. Singles

This album was the first in a "relationship" trilogy for Rupert Holmes, the others being Pursuit Of Happiness & Partners In Crime. It's been out of print for a long time, only available as part of his limited edition box set, Cast Of Characters, or as a ridiculously expensive Japanese import.