TOWER CITY, the American trio who formed in 1988, are best known for their album ‘A Little Bit Of Fire’ which has a cult following amongst AOR loving fans worldwide, largely in Europe.
The album, recorded back in 1992 with the help of Mike Slamer (Streets, Steelhouse Lane, Seventh Key) features some of the best AOR / Melodic Rock songwriting you are ever likely to hear, sadly looked destined to never be heard, until the now defunct German label MTM Records released the album in 1996 gaining high praise to the band.
With the songs on that album having been written and recorded in the early nineties, by 1996, the band had since become known by the name Colorvine, which delivered a more progressive and alternative form of melodic rock that gained them a solid fan base within the USA.
Now here we are in 2011 and the music of Tower City will be heard in a way it never has before.
The band has remastered a selection of their best songs (including titles from the second '98 album 'All Or Nothing'), along with 4 new tracks that have been recorded in the last 7 years, entitled "The Ones That Matter".
Saltis brothers said; "We have never been inactive as musicians. Our music may not have been represented as we felt it should have the first time around.
We went back and looked at a lot of the tracks, picked some of our favorites, and revamped a collection that we could be proud of presenting to those listeners that still cared.
The 4 new tracks are representative of our growth together after the Tower City days."
For me personally, Tower City's music is littered with virtually everything that I love about the Melodic Rock / AOR genres.
Together with Steelhouse Lane, Tower City carried the flame during the second half of the nineties. In fact, both bands were somehow connected. Steelhouse Lane's mastermind, Mike Slammer, helped this band in the artistic production department, songwriting and playing some guitars.
Tower City is a very, very good band, with a late '80s MR/AOR arena style full of trademark hooks, lush melodies and monster choruses.
As brothers Saltis like to say: "Time passes, people change, but the good music remains!" Highly Recommended.
01 - Moonlight
02 - Little Bit Of fire
03 - Smoke (New track 2011)
04 - In These Arms
05 - Talking To Sarah
06 - Ain't Nobody To Love
07 - Say You Love Me (New track 2011)
08 - Six Strings (New track 2011)
09 - I'll Sleep Tonight
10 - Love And Money
11 - Surrender
12 - Hot Water
13 - When It All Falls Down
14 - Wishbone (New track 2011)
15 - Closer To The Heart
16 - Hungry
Larry Saltis – Lead Vocals, Guitars
Tim Paul Weiner – Bass, Backing Vocals
Heath Saltis – Drums, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Additional Musicians:
Scott Sanders – Guitars & Backing Vocals Mike Slamer – Guitar
Billy Cioce – Drums
Jan 18, 2012 14:12
Melodic Rock | AOR Progressive Rock
Ellsworth Hall is the brain behind the Neo Prog project AETHELLIS and his trademark sound are the keyboards, lots of keyboards, as is heard on the second album "NorthUmbria".
Listening to Aethellis brings me back about 25 years. Even though at times, some twists and turns make it obvious that this album is from the new millennium, there is always a strong early 80's feel about this music.
Tagged a Neo Prog, in my opinion Aethellis style is eighties proggy AOR, with diverse influences ranging from Camel, ELP, Genesis and Tony Banks solo albums, but also a strong Pomp feel in the vein of Shooting Star, Saga, Asia and The Alan Parsons Project.
Ellsworth Hall is an amazing multi-instrumentalist and a good vocalist. As singer, he can be compared to the likes of Greg Lake, Steve Hackett and why not, John Wetton. Musically most of his compositions are short with a classic format, although "NorthUmbria" features a couple of long numbers firmly planted into the classic prog tradition.
The Aethellis style is very melodic based and the keyboard is the main instrument in all songs, but all the instruments find its place in the rhythmic tracks of this album.
Whe have catchy tunes such as the pompy "Dire Need" or "Sounds Good", a great light-prog ballad in "Without A Sound" (where Aethellis sounds like earlier eighties Alan Parsons) and really good instrumentals as the rock-funkish "Celui Qui Soit La Bosse" or the beautiful crafted "The Penal Colony", where Camel comes to mind.
The more classic prog is represented on the two movements of "Northumbria / Mephisto Breeze" which features breezy harmony vocals and "The Peace Path" where the balladry fuses with a commercial Genesis light side.
"NorthUmbria" is a truly enjoyable album of 80's inspired prog including really well crafted songs.
The melody is the rule here, really easy listening and catchy but still adventurous enough to keep you interested from start to finish. Mr. Hall has also put a lot of effort into the production, as despite this is an independent CD the is sound remarkably good.
Hopefully Aethellis will find it's audience even though 80's inspired light prog is not really the flavor of the day, but I'm sure that any fan of the era (including AOR aficionados) will adore "NorthUmbria".
Love it.
01 - Northumbria / Mephisto Breeze
02 - The Awakening
03 - Dire Need
04 - The Penal Colony
05 - Without A Sound
06 - Celui Qui Soit La Bosse
07 - Exchanger Prague
08 - The Peace Path
09 - Sounds Good
Ellsworth Hall (keyboards / vocals / guitar / synths)
Mark Van Natta (guitars / vocals)
Erik Marks (bass)
Chris Marks (guitar)
Joseph Dwyer (sax)
Mike Harrington (drums)
01 All out of Love
02 Even the Nights Are Better
03 Empty Pages
04 Love and Other Bruises
05 Lost in Love
06 Every Woman in the World
07 Chances
08 Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You)
09 The One That You Love
10 Sweet Dreams
11 Young Love
12 Two Less Lonely People in the World
13 Making Love out of Nothing at All
14 Just as I Am
15 The Power of Love (You Are My Lady)
16 Lonely Is the Night
Jan 16, 2012 16:28
Classic Rock Melodic Rock | AOR
Band Roxslyde
Info: Take One
Style: Classic Rock / AOR
Years: 1981
Info: CBR 192 kbs
Info: 51.87 Mb
Info: Canada
Tracklist:
01 - Better Not Lie.
02 - Morning Light.
03 - My Love.
04 - Rock candy.
05 - Sail Away.
06 - Wild Night.
07 - Jonah.
08 - ...Blues.
09 - Love Is Possible.
Rip By: Wes & McKagan
Download :
Unibytes.com Filesonic.com
Paul Thorn – Aint Love Strange (2000)
Jan 16, 2012 16:27
Melodic Rock | AOR
Band Paul Thorn
Info: Aint Love Strange
Style: Roots Rock
Years: 2000
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 124.75 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Ain't Love Strange.
02 - Blue Stew.
03 - I Have A Good Day.
04 - Burn Down The Trailer Park.
05 - What Do You Take Me For.
06 - Fabio & Liberace.
07 - Mood Ring.
08 - Black Rainbow.
09 - Where Was I.
10 - A Lot Of Good Reasons.
11 - Help Me Out, Hook Me Up.
12 - Accept My Love.
13 - Ain't Gonna Beg.
14 - That's All I Know, Right Now.
Rip By: FilesTube
Download :
Unibytes.com Filesonic.com
AIR SUPPLY – SANCTUARY (2011) SINGLE
Jan 16, 2012 12:54
All Exclusive Melodic Rock | AOR
Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo, consisting of Graham Russell as guitarist and singer-songwriter and Russell Hitchcock as lead vocalist. They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight Top Ten hits in the United States, in the early 1980s. They formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1975 and have included various accompanying musicians and singers.
Band Jim Peterik
Info: Don't Fight The Feeling
Style: Melodic Rock / AOR
Years: 1976
Info: CBR 192 kbs
Info: 54,93 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Don't Fight The Feeling.
02 - Daphne With The Laughing Eyes.
03 - Last Tango.
04 - Naugahyde Heart.
05 - Let There Be Song.
06 - Chicago Blues.
07 - Lazy Susan.
08 - Hard Day At The World.
09 - Vendetta.
10 - Lay Back.
Rip By: FileTram
Download :
Unibytes.com
Leslie Phillips – Dancing With Danger (1984)
Jan 14, 2012 11:11
Melodic Rock | AOR
Band Leslie Phillips
Info: Dancing With Danger
Style: Pop Rock / CCM
Years: 1984
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 111.27 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Dancing With Danger.
02 - I Won't Let It Come Between Us.
03 - Strength Of My Life.
04 - Give 'em All You've Got (Tonight).
05 - By My Spirit.
06 - Hiding In The Shadows.
07 - Powder Room Politics.
08 - Light Of Love.
09 - Song In The Night.
10 - Here He Comes With My Heart.
11 - By My Spirit [Radio Version].
Rip By: PoiemaJeremiah
Download :
Unibytes.com Filesonic.com
Lake – Lake (1977)
Jan 13, 2012 18:04
Melodic Rock | AOR
Band Lake
Info: Lake
Style: Melodic Rock / AOR
Years: 1977
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 88,50 Mb
Info: Germany
Tracklist:
01 - On The Run.
02 - Sorry To Say.
03 - Time Bomb.
04 - Chasing Colours.
05 - Do I Love You.
06 - Key To The Rhyme.
07 - Jesus Came Don't.
08 - Between The Lines.
Rip By: Kolushew
Download :
DepositFiles.net
Talk Of The Town – Talk Of The Town (1999)
Jan 12, 2012 16:37
Melodic Rock | AOR
Band Talk Of The Town
Info: Talk Of The Town
Style: Melodic Rock / AOR
Years: 1999
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 168,65 Mb
Info: Sweden
Tracklist:
01 - Free Like An Eagle.
02 - Fever.
03 - Sing To The World.
04 - Undercover Love.
05 - I Love The Look In Your Eyes.
06 - Feel My Heartbeat.
07 - Livin' For Lovin'.
08 - You've Got Your Dreams.
09 - In The Night.
10 - The Power Inside.
11 - Wildcat.
12 - Top Of The Mountain (Bonus).
13 - Reach For The Sky (Bonus).
14 - Strange Love (Bonus).
15 - Come On Closer (Bonus).
16 - Wish I Could Fly (Bonus).
17 - Love Touch (Bonus).
18 - Queen Of The Night (Bonus).
19 - Midnight Cowboy (Bonus).
Rip By: P309kk
Download :
Unibytes.com
Bernie Taupin – He Who Rides The Tiger (1980)
Jan 12, 2012 16:35
Melodic Rock | AOR
Band Bernie Taupin
Info: He Who Rides The Tiger
Style: Lite AOR
Years: 1980
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 107.57 Mb
Info: UK
Tracklist:
01 - Monkey On My Back (The Last Run).
02 - Born On The Fourth Of July.
03 - Venezuela.
04 - Approaching Armageddon.
05 - Lover's Cross.
06 - Blitz Babies.
07 - Valley Nights.
08 - Love (The Barren Desert).
09 - The Whores Of Paris.
Rip By: Vesna80
Download :
Unibytes.com Filesonic.com
Prism – Armageddon (1979)
Jan 11, 2012 16:36
Hard Rock Melodic Rock | AOR
Band Prism
Info: Armageddon
Style: Melodic Hard Rock / AOR
Years: 1979
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 100,26 Mb
Info: Canada
Tracklist:
01 - Comin' Home.
02 - Jealousy.
03 - Virginia.
04 - You Walked Away Again.
05 - Take It Of Leave It.
06 - Armageddon.
07 - Night To Remember.
08 - Mirror Man.
