Tuesday, June 14, 2011

LUBA: EP (1982) + FRONTIERS: Front Page (1986)

Another two-pack rare vinyl miniLP's into one file, with restored audio as requested.


LUBA - Luba EP (1982)

LUBA - Luba EP (1982)
With an Ukrainian origin, Luba Kowalchyk born in Montreal, Canada in 1958.
After the recording of a new-wave/pop oriented indie disc in the beginning of the eighties, legendary manager and producer Paul Levesque signed her personally to a new deal with a major label.

A four-track miniLP under his moniker was released in 1982. This is a superb AOR / Melodic Rock female fronted EP.
Opener "Scarlet Letter" sets the style of this recording from the first note: killer up-tempo rocker with a lot of bite, sharp guitars and wonderful keyboards. Luba's vocals are deep and energetic, with a distinctive tone.
"Everytime I See Your Picture" is a monster AOR power ballad, tons of emotion with a tempo and vocals to die for. This was the radio single which become a hit across the Montreal area. The song was re-recorded later for Luba's next album, but this original version is far superior.
The classic AOR-rock pattern of "Paramour" makes this tune another winner. Luba sings like a cat in heat and the awesome keyboard line gives you chills.
Last track "Raven's Eyes" is a marching melodic rocker with a great guitar work right up in quality with the best of Tane Cain, earlier Fiona or Martee LeBow.

Luba became a star during the eighties, releasing interesting albums more rock&pop / lite AOR oriented, but this miniLP is her MR/AOR gem.
One of these 'essential female fronted' albums that you can not miss in your collection.
Vinyl audio restored by me.


1 - Scarlet Letter
2 - Eveytime I See Your Picture
3 - Paramour
4 - Raven's Eyes


Luba - Lead & background vocals
Mark Lyman - Guitars
Michael Bell - Bass
Pierre Marchand - Keyboards, background vocals
Pete Marunzak - Drums




FRONTIERS - Front Page (1986)

FRONTIERS - Front Page (1986)
Frontiers was a 6-piece band from Avesta, Sweden, founded by guitarist Peter Söderström and drummer Johan Kullberg halfway the '80s.
As many of local bands at that time, their music is heavily influenced by american AOR acts, being in this case Journey (also noticeable by the group's name) but with the addition of the characteristic Scandi sound.

Their one and only album, the miniLP "Front Page" is a very nice slice of melodic rock / AOR, sometimes naif and wimp, although precisely in that point resides their charm.
"Time Will Tell" has a 'spacy' AOR style with ethereal keyboards, remiscent of primal Journey, with a vintage guitar sound. This is a real cool track with a pompous middle section.
On "Help Me Now" is where their indie origin is more evident, I really like the vocal arrangement on this one. This track has a New England vibe.
The ballad "This Feeling" has that scandi stamp only possible to find in swedish bands and last track "Separate Worlds" takes its inspiration in Giuffria and again, Journey.

Some people argue this young band was unoriginal and generic, to me, this mini-album has some kind of fascination not always present into indie recordings.
Years after, Kullberg went on to join Talk Of The Town and later Lion's Share, and together with Söderström formed in 2003 a new project called Ignition.
Cool miniLP. Vinyl audio restored by me.


1 - Time Will Tell
2 - Help Me Now
3 - This Feeling
4 - Separate Worlds


Tony Brorsson - Lead Vocals
Peter Söderström - Guitar, Piano, Bkg Vocals
Hans Asp - Guitar, Bkg Vocals
Patrik Söderström - Bass, Bkg Vocals
Peo Gaasvik - Keyboards, Bkg Vocals
Johan Kullberg - Drums



LUBA '82 + FRONTIERS: Front Page '86 Restored

15 Comments:

zak said...

Great, Thanks CB

troynew said...

I wrote a little poem for you, called 'You Rock' (working title: 'Ship Of The Desert')

You sway back and forth in a gentle rocking motion
just like a pair of knockers or a vessel on the ocean
You explore old Frontiers and re-Lub(r)a-cate a few
then put them on your Front Page sounding flawless and brand new
You stun us with your insights and you dazzle us with facts
but as a keen observer there's a pattern I detect
Request behavior studies will alarmingly foretell
we'll be grateful for 5 seconds, then demand something else

(Eat your heart out, Will Shakespeare!) :oP

Camelblue said...

...sway back and forth in a gentle rocking motion just like a pair of knockers ... on the ocean. this phrase is a winner!
I don't know about Shakespeare, but Cleese/Chapman would be proud of it. Haha.
This is the first time a man wrote me a poem, and to be honest, I prefer to leave it this way. Remember your opinion about hugs?

Peo (keys) said...

On the "Frontiers" - review, great analysis (thank you...). Brings back memories of the time we had with the band. Naive is probably spot on. At the time, we thought the production was phenomenal, although later I tend to think we wanted it to be heavier...

Camelblue said...

@ Peo Gaasvik:
Nice to read you.
Peace and Keep Rockin'

Steve said...

Wow, I can't believe I missed this. Is there any possibility you could re-up it? I would be forever appreciative! Thanks, Steve.

Camelblue said...

@ Steve:
As you requested, link updated July 20, 2012

Steve said...

Thanks so much for this, you rock!
Steve.

Anonymous said...

I actually have this album on vinyl. I'm so glad I found this!

Peo (keys) said...

Only 500 copies made - more or less never in circulation, so they're not easy to find...

Camelblue said...

Hey Peo, nice to read you!

Anonymous said...

Any chance of having the Luba reuploaded? I haven't seen it anywhere else! :)

Greg said...

Hello. Great site! Any chance for a Luba reup? It would be most appreciated!

Walter Nudo said...

Hi Camelblue. Can you please reup your rip of Luba 1982 EP here or in the R&F corner? thanks a lot.
W

Greg said...

Hello from Canada! Is there any chance you could re-up the Luba EP? I would so love to hear it. Many thanks!!