As requested by many, here’s the not easy to find only CD version of cult Canadian rockers TROOPER album “Two For The Show“. Trooper is one of Canada’s best Seventies melodic rockers. From 1975 to 1980, the Vancouver quintet produced five albums and a dozen top 20 hits.
And they’re still around, despite founding members Ra McGuire and Brian Smith announced their retirement last year – giving their encouragement and blessing to remaining members to continue.
In their early era Trooper was huge in Canada selling platinum, but due to MCA inept operations the band never made it big in America. There’s still a legal dispute and Trooper early albums only have been reissued on CD in Canada (and a couple in Japan), now out of print.
This ”Two For The Show” CD – Trooper 2nd album – is being sold for $100, go figure.
After moving from Legend Records to MCA, Trooper added Frank Ludwig on keyboards. Their 1975 debut album was followed by ”Two For The Show” in 1976 which was certified Gold in Canada. The first Trooper LP produced by Randy Bachman of Bachman–Turner Overdrive and The Guess Who fame, delivered the hits “Two for the Show”, and “Santa Maria”. The latter of the two hits was inspired from a trip by boat to Tugwell Island, near Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
Trooper’s second album finds the band getting into the gist of developing radio-tailored rock & roll thanks to Bachman expertise hands. “Two for the Show”, the lighthearted “Santa Maria,” and the roistering guitar-built “Boys in the Bright White Sports Car” all made the Canadian Top 40, verifying the fact that the band members were advancing in their songwriting and in their ability to create marketable music.
Even on the non-singles like “Ready” and “Whatcha Gonna Do About Me,” it’s evident that Bachman’s focus was aimed at the merits of a strong hook and a gripping chorus, which in turn escalated Trooper into the same category as country mates like April Wine, Loverboy, and Prism.
What’s even more noticeable is the added energy coming from vocalist Ramon Maguire, especially on “Sports Car,” and from the significant contributions of Frank Ludwig’s keyboards, which help to give the band a more confident and professional sound, particularly in comparison to Trooper’s self-titled debut album released a year prior.
It was with ”Two for the Show” that Trooper won Canadian fans over, even though they wouldn’t win a Juno award (Canada’s equivalent of a Grammy) for another four years.
Very hard to find CD release.
01 – Two For The Show
02 – Gypsy Wheeler
03 – Santa Maria
04 – Loretta
05 – The Boys In The Bright White Sports Car
06 – Ready
07 – Whatcha Gonna Do About Me
08 – I Miss You Already
09 – What’s Gonna Happen Now
Vocals – Ra McGuire
Guitar – Brian Smith
Drums – Tommy Stewart
Bass – Harry Kalensky
Keyboards – Frank Ludwig
TROOPER – Two For The Show ’76 [Canadian CD Reissue] , MP3+FLAC
 |
can you find the reissue like this for Trooper – Knock ‘Em Dead Kid ??