CARYL MACK - Caryl Mack (1984) + bonus

Caryl 'Mack' Parker is an award-winning, Americana singer / songwriter established in Nashville since the mid '90s, enjoying to this day considerable success as solo artist, session vocalist and writer for other musicians.
But Caryl started his career in the Eighties in the independent music scene of Portland with the stage name CARYL MACK, recording this, his self-titled debut in 1984.
A private release only appeared on vinyl LP "Cary Mack" has all the classic female fronted melodic rock winks from the era, an admixture of soaring vocals, sharp guitar riffs and melodic choruses.

There's driving rockers in 'You Were Right There', 'Take A Number' and the spiraling 'Down On My Knees', radio-ready AOR in 'If You Want Me' and the excellent 'Selfish Lover', some pop on 'Hit & Run' (akin Pat Benatar), and a superb ballad 'Between The Lines', where you can appreciate Caryl's velvet vocals aplenty.



Nowadays a mega-rare LP and a collector's piece, "Cary Mack" - very well produced for an indie - it's a really enjoyable '80s MR / AOR disc. I did a little sound clean-up on this quite good vinyl-rip (not mine) to remove the pop&crackle.

But there's more... after her self-titled LP, while composing and performing as session vocalist, Caryl Mack continued recording.
In 1987 appeared the 7'' single "Secrets Of Your Heart", including the title track and the song 'Armed And Dangerous', both tracks produced by no-other than AOR genius Dann Huff.
Expect a true second half of the '80s sound here.



An EP using her name and four new tracks was issued in 1988 (Caryl's first release on CD), and then in 1989 Caryl Mack released "Tried & True", a six-track indie only appeared on cassette.
Three tracks from "Tried & True" are included in this file, all pure late '80s AOR tunes plenty of magic.
I have added as well a demo recorded by Cary Mack of a song penned by talented Mark Baker (Signal, House Of Lords) in a time when vocalists were hired to perform songwriting demos to be tested by record company executives as potential singles.
A really good collection of '80s songs.


01 - You Were Right There
02 - If You Want Me
03 - Hit & Run
04 - Between The Lines
05 - Selfish Lover
06 - It's Alright To Cry
07 - Take A Number
08 - Down On My Knees
09 - Secrets Of Your Heart
10 - Armed And Dangerous
11 - It's You
12 - Tried & True (Torches)
13 - I'll Be The One
14 - Ready Heart [demo]

9/10 from Secrets Of Your Heart 7''
11/12/13 from Tried & True cassette

Caryl Mack Parker - vocals, keyboards
Ken Carpenter - guitars
Chriss Beveridge - bass, synth bass, backing vocals
Jim Finley - drums
Scott Parker - guitars, , backing vocals
Paul Ostermayer - sax
James Fenne - percussion
Oscar - various instruments
Joe Mower - keyboards
Dann Huff - guitars
Ronn Chick - guitar, backing vocals
Lee Schneider - bass, backing vocals
Brian David Willis - drums




CARYL MACK (1984 LP) + bonus
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