Showing posts with label COSMO-SMITH. Show all posts
Showing posts with label COSMO-SMITH. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

V.A. - Heard It On The Radio Vol.3 [Renaissance] (1999)

V.A. - Heard It On The Radio Vol.3 [Renaissance] (1999)
Volume 3 from "Heard It On The Radio" CD series released by the now disappeared Renaissance label, comprising long lost 45 rpm singles from the late seventies / earlier eighties never obtainable on digital format before.
Ironically, few or these were radio hits - in fact, many of them are rather obscure - but should have been.
Renaissance prime intention was rescue from oblivion these good '80s songs and made them available in good audio quality not only for musicologists and archivists, but for true lovers of the AOR / rock&pop style that once ruled FM radio airwaves.

All volumes are interesting, but I think this number 3 is the best of the series because features very rare cuts and all are good.
DNA was a rare project produced by Spencer Proffer and formed by Rick Derringer (vocals, guitar), Carmine Appice (drums) and Duane Hitchings (keyboards) in 1984, and "Doctors Of The Universe" is a really fun track (that somehow reminds me Night Ranger).
We also find Jim Steinman doing a pre-Meat Loaf version of "Rock and Roll Dreams Come True", the cool Gary Myrick & The Figures "She Talks In Stereo", or the very hard to find catchy rocker "It's All Right, It's O.K." by Iowa-based band The Hawks never previously released on CD as far I know.
Of course there's some well known names by AOR fans such as Orion The Hunter, Hughes-Thrall, Trillion and many more.
A highly enjoyable compilation.

V.A. - Heard It On The Radio Vol.3 [Renaissance] (1999) back cover

Heard It On The Radio Vol.3
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Friday, April 12, 2013

COSMO-SMITH - The Lost Demos [unreleased] (1985)

COSMO-SMITH - The Lost Demos [unreleased] (1985)
Amongst the many requests in REQUEST & FILL CORNER section, there's some that deserve to be full-filled here on the main blog, to be enjoyed by all of you. This is the case with COSMO-SMITH "Lost Demos"
Singer Fran Cosmo and Bruce Smith (bass, guitar, vocals) both were part of
of Orion The Hunter, whom released the self-titled LP in 1984, essential in AOR / Melodic Rock collection.

Orion The Hunter was a short lived band, and after they broke up Cosmo & Smith continued writing and recording material together.
The songs from COSMO-SMITH remain unreleased and it's a shame, because these are shining melodic tunes even more mid-eighties AOR oriented than the duo previous band.
Only four tracks, but all are pure AOR delight, professionally recorded and with an excellent sound.
Enjoy & Collect!

1 - Highway In Your Eyes
2 - Sad Affair
3 - You're The One
4 - Is It Love

Fran Cosmo: Vocals
Bruce Smith: Guitar, Bass, Backing Vocals
Keyboards: ?
Drums: ?



COSMO-SMITH - The Lost Demos
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