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Plain and Fancy

Music gives soul to universe, wings to mind, flight to imagination, charm to sadness, and life to everything.

Plato

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Liar - Straight From The Hip (1977 uk, great hard rock ballanced between melodic and pub rockin, with Clive Brooks from Uriel/Egg fame, japan remaster)



Liar was formed in 1975 in Maidenhead in Berkshire by Dave Taylor formerly of Edison Lighthouse. In 1976, the band came to the attention of Chris Demetriou, a freelance producer and A'n'R man for Decca Records. Demetriou took the band into Decca's West Hampstead studios, inviting singer/guitarist Paul Travis, with whom he had worked before, to sit in with them to help with song arrangements and also to provide a channel of communication between studio and control room. 

After various personnel changes, the line-up for the first album, Straight from the Hip, comprised David Burton (lead vocals and guitar), Dave Taylor (formerly of Catapilla; bass and vocals), Paul Travis (guitar and vocals) and Clive Brooks (previously of Egg and The Groundhogs; drums). Lead guitar was provided on a session basis by Geoff Whitehorn, then working with Crawler, although at the time of the album's release this role had been filled by Steve Mann, subsequently with Lionheart, MSG and Sweet, who completed the final line-up. Keyboards on two tracks were by John (Rabbit) Bundrick.

Following the debut album 'Straight From The Hip' in 1977, released on  Decca label during 1977, the band undertook an initial tour of the UK with Slade, followed by two European tours, covering Holland and Germany. A three week tour of Hungary, sharing the stage with top Hungarian band Piramis, followed, and the final show of this tour in Budapest had an audience of 35,000. 


Tracks
1. Soft Light, Sweet Music (Paul Travis, Barrylord) - 3:38
2. Straight From The Hip Kid (Paul Travis, Norma Tager) - 3:16
3. Roll Me Down - 3:23
4. Rich Man's Woman - 4:03
5. Try Lovin' (Paul Travis, Norma Tager) - 3:09
6. Chicago Shakedown (Dave Taylor, Steve Mitchell) - 4:29
7. Full Time Woman (Paul Travis, Norma Tager) - 4:17
8. Born To Rock And Roll - 3:46
9. Light Of The City - 3:34
10.Blame It On The Kids (Paul Travis, Norma Tager) - 4:36
11.Full Time Woman (Paul Travis, Norma Tager) - 4:36
12.Here You Come Knocking - 3:20
All songs by Dave Taylor unless as else stated.
Bonus tracks 11-12 as Paul Travis

Liar
*Dave Burton - Vocals
*Paul Travis - Guitar
*Dave Taylor - Bass
*Clive Brooks - Drums
*Steve Mann - Guitar

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Starwood - Starwood (1977 us, nice mellow rock with country folk rock drops, Vinyl edition)



Starwood formed in Aspen Colorado round the mid seventies.The band made a self-titled album for Columbia; it was recorded at the Caribou Ranch in Nederland, where Elton John, Stephen Stills, Rod Stewart and numerous others would make albums.

 The single “Burning Over You” was released to radio in 1977. The band toured with the Dirt Band for most of a year, appearing at Red Rocks; they finished 1978 with a show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, on a bill with Santana and Eddie Money. 

Starwood didn't quite hit rock-star status. They played a final gig, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, and never made another record, never toured again.

Musically they’re running upon country and folk forms, somehow like  a light version of Crosby Stills and Nash  with sound closest to Little River Band and Firefall, in conclusion an enjoyable album with many good moments.  


Tracks
1. Burnin' Over You (D. J. Holster) - 4:54
2. Almost Monte Carlo (D. J. Holster) - 4:28
3. Simone (D. J. Holster, B. Mysior) - 2:53
4. Always Brings Me Tears (H. Gregg) - 3:22
5. Tortuga (M. Moore) - 3:34
6. (I Gotta) Dance With You (D. J. Holster) - 3:15
7. You Don't Have To Cry (D. J. Holster, H. Gregg) - 3:33
8. Silver And Gold (D. J. Holster, H. Gregg) - 5:46
9. Give A Little Bit (D. J. Holster, H. Gregg) - 3:40
10.Ophelia (D. J. Holster, R. E. Carpenter) - 3:29

Starwood
*David James Holster - Vocals, Guitar,
*Robert E. Carpenter - Keyboards,
*Haden Gregg - Guitar, Vocals,
*Bob Mason - Guitar, Vocals,
*Bernie Mysior - Bass,
*Michael Buono - Drums,
*Bryan Savage - Woodwinds

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