OFF COURSE - Back Streets Of Tokyo (1985)

Re-posted as requested 'cos it's really hard to find (and good)

Regarded by the Japan press as one of the best native Westcoast AOR groups, OFF COURSE have recorded a handful of albums only released in Asia.
"Back Streets Of Tokyo" is their 'more international' effort, produced & mixed in Los Angeles with PETER WOLF (Chicago, Nielsen-Pearson, Jack Wagner) in front of the table to make them sound more 'Western'. All songs were carefully arranged in the L.A. Session style with some greats involved such as Tom Kelly or Tommy Funderburk (also providing backing vocals).



"Back Streets Of Tokyo" is a smooth record were melodies abound, you have nice guitars, pretty good choruses and an overall polished product, wrapped by a pristine mix and production.
Reissued on CD in 1994 - only Japan, again - it has become a hard to find collectors item.


1. Fool (What Does a Fool Do Now)
2. Second Chance
3. Love's Determination
4. Her Pretender
5. Eyes In The Back Of My Heart
6. Melody
7. Love's On Fire
8. Endless Nights

Kazumasa Oda: vocals, keyboards
Hitoshi Shimizu: bass
Jiri Oma: drums, percussion
Kazuhiko Matsuo: guitars
Peter Wolf: keyboards, arrangements, production / mix
Tom Kelly, Tommy Funderburk: backing vocals, arrangements


OFF COURSE Back Streets Of Tokyo HQ
.

ANGELES - Fade In Love (1991)

This one was requested by a reader and I thought it's a good moment for some nice West Coast here.
"Angeles" was a project by Japanese AOR / Adult Contemporary guru Kaz Masumoto. With the help of Brett Raymond (Jay Graydon band) playing, arranging and producing, they went to California to record these tunes recruiting the cream of the L.A. Session musicians.

The tracks in the Angeles project are songs from popular Japanese AOR group Off Course (already presented in this blog, follow the tags & labels) re-arranged with an American West Coast AOR flavor and played by Michael Landau, Gregg Bissonette, James Kottak and Raymond itself among other luminaries of the genre.



The vocalists are top notch as well; Peter Beckett, Joseph Williams, Gene Miller, Tom Keane, etc. The songs are really good, mixing uptempos with ballads. Needless to say that production is first class.
Rare album only released in Japan.


01 - Prologue (instrumental)
02 - Don't Stop The Love (Peter Beckett)
03 - This September Feeling (Gene Miller)
04 - Eyes In The Back Of My Heart (Brett Raymond)
05 - Sleepless Night (Joe Retta)
06 - Endless Nights (Brett Raymond)
07 - Yes-No (Joe Retta)
08 - My Wish (Gene Miller)
09 - Sayonara (Joseph Williams)
10 - Epilogue (instrumental)

Producer: Kaz Masumoto
Guitars: Michael Landau
Keyboards, Hammond, Arranger: Brett Raymond
Drums: Gregg Bissonette, Richie Hayward, James Kottak
Percussion: Paulinho Da Costa, Sean Yarbrough
Sax: Dave Koz
Strings: Peter Kent, Sid Page, Bob Becker
Lead Vocals: Peter Beckett, Gene Miller, Brett Raymond, Joe Retta , Joseph Williams
Background Vocals: Tom Keane, Marc Jordan, Brett Raymond, Joe Retta & Joseph Williams




ANGELES - Fade In Love 1991

OFF COURSE - Back Streets Of Tokyo (1985)

Regarded by the Japan press as one of the best
Westcoast-Pop groups, this band have recorded a handful of albums only released in Asia.
This is their more international effort, produced and mixed in Los Angeles with PETER WOLF in front of the table, to make them sound more 'Western'.
Melodies abound, nice guitars, pretty good choruses.
Round and polished sound, clean mix and production.
Reissued on CD in '94.
Only Japan, hard to find.

1. Fool (What Does a Fool Do Now)
2. Second Chance
3. Love's Determination
4. Her Pretender
5. Eyes In The Back Of My Heart
6. Melody
7. Love's On Fire
8. Endless Nights

Kazumasa Oda: vocals, keyboards
Hitoshi Shimizu: bass
Jiri Oma: drums & percussion
Kazuhiko Matsuo: guitars, harmonica
Peter Wolf: keyboards
Tom Kelly, Tommy Funderburk: backing vocals


DOWNLOAD