DAG LAUVLAND - 1 Step Closer (1989)

Norwegian singer & composer DAG LAUVLAND started his career in the mid-Seventies as part of Rock Shelter and worked as session musician / songwriter during the next decade.
Released in 1989 (as far I know only in Scandinavia), "1 Step Closer" is Dag Lauvland's only solo album.

Featuring some of the most renowned musicians from Norway at the time, including Lava drummer Per Hillestad and super-talented local legend Marius Müller who also produced with a pristine sound, "1 Step Closer" delivers uber polished tunes mixing poppy lite AOR, WestCoast and a pinch of Hi-tech.
The overall feel is very European, not far from masters Lava or their singer Egil Eldøen solo works, but also John Parr, Richard Page / Mr. Mister, and alike.

With a track called "Hearts Of The 80's" (btw one of my favorites here) you should know what to expect here. Everything is smooth and breezy, but while the slow songs abound ("Stonewall" is a little gem), we find many uptempo numbers like "One Step Closer", "Back To Original" and the techie "I Wanna Be Your Love".
This CD version features an extra track in "All There Is To It", a very John Parr sounding AORish song with a typical mid-80s sound.



Dag Lauvland's "1 Step Closer" never was reissued on any format, suffice to say this one has become a rarity with used copies sold at prohibitive prices. 
A collector's piece


01 - Back To Original
02 - Stay Inside You
03 - (Intro)
04 - I Wanna Be Your Love
05 - Hearts Of The 80's
06 - Yeylah Korino
07 - High Adventure
08 - One Step Closer
09 - Stonewall
10 - Comin' On Stronger
11 - Gideon
12 - All There Is To It (CD exclusive track)

Vocals, Guitar – Dag Lauvland
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards – Marius Müller
Keyboards – Geir Langslet
Horns – Jens Wendelboe
Saxophone – Sigurd Køhn
Bass – Mats Englund
Drums – Per Hillestad




DAG LAUVLAND - 1 Step Closer (1989)
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LAVA - Prime Time (1982)

LAVA was founded around 1977 in Årdal, Norway, by Svein Dag Hauge (guitars) and Per Hillestad (drums), starting as an instrumental jazz rock band with several line-up changes through the years.
After two LP's, for this third effort "Prime Time" and with the addition of talented bass player / arranger Rolf Graf and singer Egil Eldøen, Lava changed their musical approach to a more commercial delivery, something that eventually developed into a Westcoast / AOR affair in albums to come during the Eighties.

"Prime Time" still shows the refined, elaborated arrangements from Lava's origins, but this is a record strongly influenced by earlier TOTO, Airplay, Steve Lukather first works, etc.
The musicians in Lava are (the band is still active) widely known for their session work for many Scandinavian artists from the most diverse genres, but also melodic hard rock acts such as Fate, Aina, Tindrum or Ole Evenrude to name some, so expect top notch quality in this department.



Lava's "Prime Time" is specially recommended for lovers of delicate Westcoast AOR, humming smooth sounds.
Very rare LP never released on CD, with a restored audio done by me.


01 - Hard Times
02 - Juliet
03 - Empty Shadows
04 - 2.12
05 - Prime Time
06 - Late At Night
07 - Tea Beat
08 - Holiday

Egil Eldøen - lead and backing vocals
Svein Dag Hauge - guitars
Per Kolstad, Geir Langslet - keyboards, synthesizer
Sigurd Køhn, Arne Frang, Torbjørn Sunde - horns
Rolf Graf - bass
Per Hillestad - drums, percussion
Sidsel Endresen - backing vocals




LAVA Prime Time
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