ACMJ International Blog

Mastedon will be back with the brand new album "3"

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the European release of the brand new MASTEDON album “3” on November 6th 2009.

Mastedon is the Hard Rock band put together by ex KANSAS singer John Elefante, together with his brother Dino in the late 80’s. The band's name was a pachyderm-inspired reference to the brothers' last name. Although John was an accomplished vocalist and performer, the first two Mastedon albums featured multiple lead singers and performances by other artists, creating an eclectic sound anchored by John’s songwriting. His brother Dino played a prominent role, contributing songwriting and handling most of the guitar work. Some of the collaborators in the band's first two albums were Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Stef Burns (Y&T), bassists John Pierce (Richard Marx) and John Patitucci plus guest vocalists David Pack (Ambrosia), David Robbins (X-Sinner), Tom Bowes (Tower of Power), James Dean Longacre (Life9) and Perry Lee (Tracer Fox).

In 1996 John Elefante started a solo career that brought him to release three successful albums more in the Adult Contemporary - Pop Rock vein. After a few years of hiatus, John decided to go back to his roots sound with a brand new Mastedon album that - contrary to the predecessors – would only feature his amazing lead vocals. Musically, the new album, simply entitled “3” harkens back to the best of Mastedon and to his work with Kansas. None other than main Kansas songwriter Kerry Livgren appears on lead guitar on this new release, collaborating on a 11 minute piece of music that any Kansas fan will surely love! More famed musicians and such as Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Anthony Sallee (Whiteheart), Dan Needham (Michael McDonald, Neville Brothers, Amy Grant, Garth Brooks etc) and of course John’s brother Dino Elefante contribute to the performance of this superb new release.

Rich melodic harmonies and melodies are the keys to a Mastedon record and “3” is clearly an instant winner in all its moments and will remain as an hallmark in John Elefante's career for many years to come. Final tracklisting of “3” includes: Revolution of Mind; Slay Your Demons; Nowhere Without Your Love; One Day Down By The Lake (See You Real Soon); Water Into Wine (Fassa Rokka), Questions (It’s About Time); You Can’t Take Anything; Lying; The Western World; That’s What You Do; Dust In the Wind (exclusive bonus track).

As a companion to this new release, Frontiers managed to acquire the rights for the re-release of Mastedon’s legendary debut album “It’s a Jungle Out There!”. Released originally in 1989, it charted at #25 in the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian chart. To this day, this album is still considered classics in the genre and has reached some amazing prices in the trades on E-bay. Frontiers new reissue includes full lyrics and three bonus tracks “Wasn't It Love" (from the compilation “California Metal”) and live versions of “Islands In The Sky” and “Right Hand” recorded live at Cornerstone in 1991. Full tracklisting is below:

It’s A Jungle Out There; Glory Bound; This Is The Day; Love Inhalation; Islands In The Sky; Get Up; Love That Will Survive; Innocent Girl; Shine On; Right Hand; Wasn’t It Love *; Islands In The Sky (Live at Cornerstone '91)*; Right Hand (Live at Cornerstone '91)*

* Bonus tracks

BLANC FACES "Falling From The Moon" available in November

Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the release of BLANC FACES new album entitled “Falling from The Moon” on November 6th in Europe and November 26th in the USA. In 2005 one of the brightest new stars on the Melodic Rock scene appeared during the hot summer time. In July of that year Blanc Faces, headed by the brothers duo, Robbie and Brian La Blanc debuted with their self titled album showing the world that the time for big harmonies was not over. With a stunning production and some truly brilliant songs, Blanc Faces managed to catch the attention of the entire Melodic Rock oriented press and loads of new fans. Following the huge responses, the band appeared for the first time in Europe at the first edition of the United Forces of Rock Festival in Ludwigsburg, Germany where they literally took the crowd by storm. Little by little the two brothers (who by the way have an outstanding career in music including providing background vocals on music involving Toto lead singer Bobby Kimball and legendary singer Ronnie Spector) started putting together musical material for the second album which they completed in the summer of 2009. ”My brother wrote most of the material, I wrote some lyrics for it” says singer Robbie LaBlanc. “It’s fumy when you think back on the time period you write something it parallels what’s going on in your life at that time whether you know it or not. When I’m listening to the new CD I can remember what I was thinking or feeling at that moment. My brother just likes to write melodic songs, I think the approach was pretty much the same as the last CD”. Not wanting to touch a team that gave superb results on the debut record, Blanc Faces worked again with Kyle Woodring (Dennis DeYoung; Survivor; John Mellencamp) on drums, Jeff Batter (Cannata) on keyboards, and Butch Taylor and Michael Patzig on lead guitar. “We are real happy that it’s done and sounding great” continues Robbie, “I took a lot more time with the vocals on this CD. There were songs that I thought were done and I’d listen back and want to do it again. Sometimes you can drive your self nuts with that but I usually know when something sounds right. We hope everyone feels the same way!” Just a few weeks after the completion of the record the sad news of Kyle Woodring passing reached everyone, so the entire album is dedicated to this amazing musician. Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Place Vendome etc.) delivered once again a superior quality in the mixing sessions so once again the end result is an astonishing album that restores the faith in Classic AOR / Melodic Rock music. If you are a fan of Journey, Foreigner and Survivor, you will love this recording!

Marco Taggiasco / Robbie Dupree new single finally available

Finally, Marco Taggiasco / Robbie Dupree new single "Got To Believe This Time" has become available digitally on CD Baby. This tune will also be available on iTunes a month later or so.

George Benson "Songs and Stories" featuring David Paich & Steve Lukather

NEA Jazz Master and 10 times Grammy-winning legendary musician George Benson will release his new album on August 25th entitled "Songs and Stories", a collection of tunes penned by some of the most prolific and enduring songwriters of the last half-century. Some were written specifically for this new recording, such as Bill Withers (who came out of retirement to write A Telephone Call Away for George), Rod Temperton's "Family Reunion" and Lamont Dozier's "Living in High Definition"; while others, including James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", Donny Hathaway's "Someday Well All Be Free" and Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia" were hand-picked by Benson for their ability to convey simple but universal truths about the human experience. You cannot ignore this album because the album includes guest performances by David Paich, Gerald Albright, Lalah Hathaway, Lee Ritenour, Norman Brown, Patti Austin, Steve Lukather, John Robinson, Tom Scott and many others. Here is official video "The Making of Songs And Stories: Show Me The Love" featuring David Paich and Steve Lukather.

Last but not a least, I wonder if you would like to buy Japanese edition because of an exclusive bonus track only for Japan. If so, please click the below link to Amazon.co.jp or CD Japan.

Lance Jyo / LA-Honolulu-Tokyo Re-visited

Honolulu born Lance Jyo's first professional music effort was shaped into the 1992's limited cassette release "The Light Project". Next one was At Second Glance, the duo with Galen Takushi, they released an album for Kabuki Boy Music, Hawaiian local label in 1995. Lance's solo full-album "Dreaming" comprising of his past works and new materials followed in 1997. In April 2003, Lance Jyo released "LA-Honolulu-Tokyo" featuring bunch of AOR/Westcoast musicians and singers including Jay Graydon, Michael Ruff, Bill Cantos and David Pack. The album was welcomed by many AOR/Westcoast lovers. Lance has revisited this album and restructured 4 tunes till he is fully satisfied; "Every Step Of The Way" (track 9) should be noted because of Bruce Gaitsch's additional guitars. Furthermore, this revisited CD includes 3 new materials as bonus tracks, one of which is "In My Dreams" featuring Jay Graydon's amazing guitar solo. In the end of 2009 summer, the album "LA-Honolulu-Tokyo Re-visited" must be added to your CD collection.

• Label: Cool Sound Inc., Japan (COOL-126)
• Release Date: August 19, 2009
• Producers: Lance Jyo, Raul Ferrando, Jon Basebase, Joerg Alfter
• Musicians
  • Lead Vocals: Bill Cantos(Track 1, 7), Dave Toma(Track 2, 13), Junior Tubers(Track 3), Richard Natto(Track 4), Darla Short(Track 5), Michael Ruff(Track 6, 10), Jeff Pescetto(Track 8), David Pack(Track 9), Lance Jyo(Track 11, 14), Joerg Alfter(Track 12)
  • Guitars: Jay Graydon, Bruce Gaitsch, Ramon Stagnaro, Jon Basebase, Dave Toma
  • Keyboards: Raul Ferrnando, David Kauahikaua, Joerg Alfter
• Tracks:
  1. Cool Sound
  2. Carousel (new version)
  3. Destiny
  4. Your Best To Me (new version)
  5. Who’s Fooling Who
  6. Until I Found You
  7. If You Believe
  8. Ariel
  9. Every Step Of The Way (new version)
  10. Diamond
  11. Edge Of Forever (new version)
  12. In My Dreams (bonus track)
  13. The Only One (bonus track)
  14. The Last Goodbye (bonus track)

Dwayne Ford / On The Other Side

Dwayne Ford, a founding member of the band Atkinson, Danko and Ford (which would become Bearfoot), Dwayne recorded five albums for CBS, producing the last one himself. In 2000, Dwayne moved back to his hometown of Edmonton from Palm Springs, California and built a new recording facility with a view toward film scoring and music composition. In 2007, Dwayne Ford released the album entitled "Some Day" evoking Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel and/or a bit Don Henley. And now in the summer of 2009, he completed and released his latest work as the album entitled "On The Other Side".

His hometown news paper "Edmonton Journal" has reviewed this album with Ford's comment about this album on 5th August, and they would give you more via their Soundcheck Podcast featuring Dwayne Ford's latest music and his own comment. So, I would recommend to check this out by clicking the podcast image on the left!

• Label: n/a (DFCD1009)
• Release Date: August 5, 2009
• Producer: himself
• Dwayne Ford: Lead & Background Vocals, All instruments
• Musicians:
  • Guitars: Louis Sedmak
  • Background Vocals: Rhonda Withnell, Shelly Jones
• Tracks
  1. Please Don't Say You Care
  2. Any Fool With A Gun
  3. East Side Girls
  4. Rio Stat (Instrumental)
  5. On The Other Side
  6. Somebody Ought To
  7. Any Fool With A Gun (Instrumental)
  8. Who Did You Do To Us

AOR / Journey To LA

  In 2009, Frédéric Slama ,Tommy Denander and Philip Bardowel have teamed up again for a new album of the project AOR "Journey To L.A", which is due for release in Europe on August 28. With the help of top session players such as Steve Overland (FM), Steve Lukather & Fergie Frederiksen (Toto), Dane Donohue, Bill Champlin (Chicago), Bruno Levesque (Silence), David Williams (Michael Jackson, George Benson) and many more, Frédéric delivers by far his most impressive and melodic work in the vein of Toto, Foreigner or Survivor, mixing elements of westcoast with more aor rock oriented songs. Classic westcoast lovers won’t be disappointed too with several songs taking you back to the L.A. music scene of the early 80’s.

• Label: Escape Music, UK (ESM194)
• Release Date: August 28, 2009
• Producers: Frédéric Slama, Tommy Denander
• Musicians
  • Frédéric Slama : Guitars & Keyboards
  • Tommy Denander : All Instruments (Radioactive)
  • Lead Vocals: Philip Bardowell, Steve Overland, Fergie Frederiksen, Bill Champlin, Dane Donohue
  • Guitars: Frédéric Slama, Tommy Denander, Steve Lukather, David Williams, Eric Barkdull, Bruno Levesque
  • Keyboards: Frédéric Slama, Tommy Denander, David Diggs, David Getrau
  • Bass: Tommy Denander, David Diggs, David Getrau
  • Drums: Joey Heredia
  • Background Vocals: Philip Bardowell, Steve Overland, Fergie Frederiksen, Bill Champlin, Dane Donohue, Johan Sahlen
• Tracks
  1. Waiting In The Darkness
  2. Don't Turn Back
  3. Love Remains The Same
  4. Read The Signs
  5. Just For Love
  6. Desperate Dreams
  7. Never Surrender
  8. The View Of You
  9. Heartless
  10. West Into The Sun
  11. Lost In Your Eyes
  12. You're My Obsessio

Bill LaBounty / Back To Your Star

It was November 2005 when I wrote about this release first on this blog. Next early summer, we had Mr. LaBounty here in Tokyo as the special guest for Robbie Dupree's show, and it was the very first moment we could listen the title tune of this brand-new album "Back to your Star", in addition to his good old melodies; "Livin' It Up", "Dream On", "Mr. O", "This Night Won't Last Forever". Almost 2 years later now, I would be pleased to announce that Bill LaBounty will soon release the album "Back To Your Star", which features some of his favorite Nashville studio players such as Danny Parks, David Hungate, and Larry Carlton, along with some of Bill's favorite Los Angeles players. The album will be available all over the world. Having said so, we, Japanese will have the advanced edition with the acoustic version of himself and Larry Carlton performing "Livin' It Up" only for Japan.

• Label: Chill Pill Records (USA), T.a.c.s Records (Japan) <TACM7>
• Release Date: June (USA, Europe), May 27, 2009 (Japan)
• Producers: Danny Parks and himself
• Bill LaBounty: Lead & Background Vocals, Electric Piano, Keyboards
• Musicians:
  • Bass: David Hungate, Michael Rhodes
  • Guitars: Danny Parks. Larry Carlton
  • Drums: Braian Fullen, Tommy Wells
  • Acoustic Piano: Gordon Mote
  • Sax: Sam Levine
  • Blues Harp, Harmonica: Robbie Dupree
  • Percussion: Steve Wariner
  • Background Vocals: Robbie Dupree, Suzanne Young, Tom Flora, Steve Wariner
• Tracks (Japanese edition) :
  1. California Turnaround
  2. Back To Your Star
  3. Dianne
  4. Hwy 85
  5. Stay High
  6. Old Habits
  7. Fumes
  8. Cinderella
  9. Golden Now
  10. The Wheels Are Coming Off
  11. Fly Away
  12. River Girl
  13. Livin’ It Up (new acoustic version)

• Remarks: US edition will have different track order and "California Turnaround" radio mix will be included in stead of "Livin' It Up (new acoustic version).

The Bossa Nova Hotel / Moon Island

Bossa Nova Hotel is a new group whose members include Michael Sembello, Bruce Gaitsch and Janey Clewer. Together, with the mentoring and guidance of Dick Rudolph, they have created a new concept in music; blending the timelessness of classic love songs with the Brazilian bossa nova and salsa. They have drenched each track with extravagant vocal harmonies and sensual rhythms. The result is something truly unique. As you know, eight of the selected songs are featured on two different compilation CDs for Pronto cafes in Japan along with other artists such as Bobby McFerrin, which were released July 4th of 2008. Included on the Pronto releases and the upcoming full CD release is a song recorded to benefit Kid’s Earth Fund called "Through A Child’s Eyes". Kid’s Earth Fund has been helping children throughout the world for over 20 years. We will have the full CD release for EMI Music Japan in May, 2009. The CD features "La Isla Bonita" written by Gaitsch with Patrick Leonard and originally performed by Madonna "Maniac" written and originally performed by Sembello, one of the Brazilian standard songs "A Day In The Life Of A Fool" ("Manhã de Carnaval") and Bobby Caldwell's "What You Won't Do For Love".

• Label: EMI Music, Japan (TOCP70756)
• Release Date: May 27, 2009
• Tracks:
  1. t's All In The Game
  2. After The Love Is Gone
  3. Maniac
  4. A Day In The Life Of A Fool
  5. Tainted Love
  6. Lovin' You
  7. Let's Groove
  8. Feelin' Alright
  9. La Isla Bonita
  10. Inside My Love
  11. What You Won't Do For Love
  12. That's The Way Of The World
  13. Through A Child's Eyes
  14. Lovin' You

Jim Photoglo / Is It Me?

Jim Photoglo, one of 80's superior melody makers known for his second solo release in '81 with #23 Billboard's pop hit "Fool in Love With You" relaunched his solo career with the brand new album called "Is It Me?" Photogolo's solo career was started in 1980 with debut album featuring Top 40 hit  "We Were Meant To Be Lovers". In 1984 he moved to Nashville to focus on songwriting and has since had songs recorded by numerous Country, Pop and R&B artists, including two #1s on the Country Chart: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's "Fishin' In The Dark" and Alabama's "Hometown Honeymoon". In 2000, Photoglo released "Fly Straight Home" and "Sparks In The Radio" followed in 2005. And in recent years, JIm Photoglo is also known for the co-founded members of Vinyl Kings, which has released two Beatles-influenced good pop albums, "A Little Trip" (2002) and "Time Machine" (2005). Photoglo's latest album "Is It Me?" is a collection of 10 new songs, featuring an eclectic assortment of the kinds of heartfelt tunes with guest appearances including David Hungate, the original bass player of Toto and Larry Lee.

• Release Date: April 29, 2009
• Tracks:
  1. Jesus Saves
  2. Is It Me?
  3. Barlights
  4. Connected
  5. Partners
  6. It Used To Take A Little
  7. Kudzu
  8. Here For You Now
  9. That's What I'm Talkin' About
  10. Daddy's Lullaby