LIGHT MELLOW - AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan] (2000)

"Light Mellow" is a compilation series assembled by various Japanese labels featuring artists from their back catalog all revolving around smooth AOR / West Coast music.
So there's Light Mellow compilations made by Warner Bros Japan, BMG Japan, Universal Japan, etc, but I think the best of all it's the first appeared in 2000, initiated by specialized AOR label Cool Sound, a little company legendary for their pristine remasters of long forgotten albums.

That first CD was titled "LIGHT MELLOW: AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan version]", including some hard to find true gems for the first time on CD, remastered, plus a couple of previously unreleased tracks.
Among the great artists featured here we have Sneaker, Heat, Paul Bliss, Bruce Gaitsch feat. Jason Scheff, King Of Hearts (Tommy Funderburk), Joseph Williams and Tony Scuito with his classic 'Island Nights' but in its impossible to find Alternate Mix.

However the real pearls on this release are the 2 previously unreleased tracks: one being 'Heart Don't Change My Mind' by master Robbie Buchanan featuring the awesome lead vocals of the late Warren Wiebe, and Greg Guidry's 'Goin' Down' in a newly re-recorded version of this tune exclusive to this CD.



Of course out of print now, "LIGHT MELLOW: AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan version]" is a much sought after album not only for its quality and collectors item status, but mostly because the CD was strictly prohibited to be sold to foreign customers due legal reasons.
Smooth stuff of the highest quality. Rare.


01 - Heat
Don't You Walk Away
02 - Bruce Hibbard
Never Turnin' Back
03 - Rosie feat. Lynn Pitney
There's a Song In It Somewhere
04 - Robbie Buchannan (feat. Warren Wiebe)
Heart Don't Change My Mind
05 - Greg Guidry
Goin' Down
06 - David Diggs
Lonely Weekend
07 - Paul Bliss
How Do I Survive
08 - Tony Scuito
Island Nights (Alternate Mix)
09 - David Lasley
You Bring Me Joy
10 - Sibling Revelry
Consider the Greatest Love
11 - Kazu Matsui Project
Is That the Way to Your Heart
12 - Bruce Gaitsch feat. Jason Scheff
Letting Go
13 - Michael Gonzales
Love is Forever
14 - Sneaker
Did You Order One
15 - Joseph Williams
I Didn't Do It
16 - King Of Hearts
Lovin' Arms


LIGHT MELLOW AOR Groovin' & Breezin' [Cool Sound Japan]
.

PAUL BLISS - The Edge Of Coincidence (1997)

Keyboardist PAUL BLISS has a vast musical background having played with artists such as The Moody Blues or The Hollies to name a couple, and wrote songs for big names in mainstream music.
In the late seventies Paul cut a couple of good albums with the Bliss Band, and meanwhile recorded his own songs during the eighties.

In 1997, Bliss selected the best of these tapes and released by himself "The Edge Of Coincidence". All these tracks were recorded at different stages during the '80s, with detailed production and pure sweet AOR feeling.
You can't go wrong here; you have songs co-writen with Steve Kipner, Peter Beckett and his former Bliss Band guitarist Phil Palmer.
Perhaps you've heard some of these tracks performed by other artists, such as "Castles On Quicksand" by Think Out Loud (Beckett/Kipner's band) or performed by the 'California Dreams TV series' cast (featured on this blog in one of my AOR TREASURES - The Soundtracks compilations), while the lite AORish "If Love Is Out Of The Question" was made popular by Celine Dion.
Both Bliss takes here are more AOR oriented of course.

My favorites are the Canadian AOR inspired "One In A Million" (check the video below) and the awesome midtempo "Chicago", resembling other Cannuck artists as Paul Janz or Ian Thomas.
But all tracks sums quality like the L.A. WestCoast groove of "Heartache To Heartache" and "How Do I Survive?" and the smooth arrangements in "Unsung Heroes" and the elegant ballad "Musical Pictures".
More Canadian influences can be heard in "Valiant Heart", "Hand On Your Heart" and "Innocent Eyes". Other cuts go more poppy but really well crafted.


Although released by Paul Bliss is the nineties, "The Edge Of Coincidence" is a pure exponent of the '80s. Some guest singers add variation to this album, as said, well recorded and mixed.
The quality here was soon picked up by Japanese label Cool Sound, but this HQ rip was taken from the original, self Paul Bliss release.
A real musical 'bliss'

01 - Castles On Quicksand
02 - Heartache To Heartache
03 - How Do I Survive?
04 - Musical Pictures
05 - Chicago
06 - Rio
07 - I Used To Love The Radio
08 - One In A Million
09 - Valiant Heart
10 - The Eyes Of A Child
11 - Hand On Your Heart
12 - Unsung Heroes
13 - If Love Is Out The Question
14 - Telepathy
15 - Law Of The Jungle
16 - Innocent Eyes

Paul Bliss - vocals, keyboards
Phil Palmer - guitars
Susie Benson - vocals (Track 4)
Micky Feat - vocals (Track 9)
Jackie Rawe - vocals (Track 13)
Ian Palmer - vocals (Track 14)
Sharon Campbell - backing vocals




PAUL BLISS The Edge Of Coincidence
.