THE HEARTBEATS

Artist: THE HEARTBEATS                         

Title: By Donation

Format: Vinyl EP

Year: 1982

Songs: 4

Label: Self Released

Style: Power Pop Rock

Rare private power pop rock obscurity from Venice, CA.  Three quick paced melodic and catchy tunes along with a slower ballad that’s pretty good with it’s guitar work and subtle keyboard arrangement. 

TIM ABBOTT

Artist: TIM ABBOTT

Title: Time & Space

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1980

Songs: 9

Label: Gopher Records

Style: New Wave

This is a killer little new wave rocker – it has great synth action, catchy melodies, power pop leanings and strong drumming.  Sure, Tim’s vocals aren’t the greats – but he uses them to great effect.  The closing 'Sci Fi Man' is a stunning synth wave monster!

CANYON

Artist: CANYON       

Title: Heart Of Ice

Format: Vinyl EP

Year: 1986

Songs: 4

Label: Mice-Elf Records

Style: New Wave Rock  

Private new wave rock band hailing from Connecticut.  The title song is a galloping new wave rocker, complete with parping keys and a very catchy chorus.  The rest is just as good.

THE DIVEKINGS

Artist: THE DIVEKINGS       

Title: Self-Titled

Format: Vinyl EP

Year: 1980

Songs: 6

Label: Rogue Elephant Music

Style: Pop Rock

Private rock from Kansas – the group was quite big at eight members.  Probably a great live band as they have novelty goofiness spots in their music.  This is hit and miss – they have a few covers that are lame.  There are two solid songs – ‘Too Much To Dream’ a psych rocker and new wave power pop rocker ‘Girls In Nurse Socks’.

SOMEWHERE A VOICE

Artist: SOMEWHERE A VOICE        

Title: Love, Logic + Ego

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1982

Songs: 10

Label: Peyote Records

Style: New Wave

United Kingdom based new wave post punk trio.  The mid-paced ‘Shalott’ is a cool track with its striking synth washes and strategically placed saxophone play.  ‘Maze’ treads along with a somber post punk vibed arrangement.  Against a sharp post punk arrangement, the band employ some interesting instrumentation on ‘Bitter Sweet’ and ‘Face On A Wall’.  An enjoyable set of moody new wave laced post punk.

OSCAR DECKER

Artist: OSCAR DECKER

Title: Self Titled

Format: Vinyl EP

Year: 1986

Songs: 4

Label: SkyTemple Records

Style: AOR

SSW guitarist out of Austin, TX.  Has some catchy AOR songs with one slow closer at the end. 

KEITH SMITH

Artist: KEITH SMITH

Title: Apprehended At Daybreak

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1981

Songs: 11

Label: Passion Records

Style: AOR

This private press from Sacramento, CA is mostly a duo with Keith Smith leading the effort and his right-hand man being guitarist Glen Granthem.  There’s also a variety of session musicians brought in to balance things out on drums, saxophone, bass and additional guitars.  Standouts include the driving ‘Coming Back To Me’, the tempo changed up ‘I’ll Never Hear You Again’ and hard rock guitar rhythms in ‘Right Now’.  The passionate chorus and punchy piano arrangements in ‘The Changes’, ‘Inside Of Me’ and ‘I Wouldn’t Want To Be With You’ turn out additional solid ear pleasing offerings.  There’s a couple slower ballads and a countryfied slow pacer in ‘Hey Lady’.