WARBUX

Artist: WARBUX

Title: Self Titled       

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1977

Songs: 7

Label: Baby Grand

Style: AOR

Highly scarce & mysterious Baby Grand Tax Scam label one off project.  Warbux was led by a passionately soulful female singer who is quite capable to belt out the vocals.  Side 1 starts off with two fantastically cool funk hard-edged AOR songs, with ‘Bang Zoom’ really grinding it out.  Side 2 opens with emotive female swaggering and cranking guitar riffs on ‘Can’t Be Love’.  Blues rock makes an appearance on ‘Waiting On A Rainy Day’ and then a major shift to the early 70’s sounding AOR chorus filled ‘Terms Of Two’, great stuff!  Well produced to boot!

TRAFALGAR

Artist: TRAFALGAR

Title: Quite A Show

Format: Vinyl EP

Year: 1986

Songs: 5

Label: Judan Productions

Style: New Wave

Trafalgar was a music studio project created and co-produced by Judi Washington.  Judi and her supporting band hailed out of Southern California.  Heavy synthesizer based new wave with a solid female vocal lead is their sound.  The standout track is the moody ‘Falling Over The Edge’, which has a great underground club flair.  The more pop AOR oriented ‘Chokin’ was more than likely the promoted song off the EP as it had an Extended Version included.

PAULINE GILLAN BAND

Artist: PAULINE GILLAN BAND

Title: Hearts Of Fire 

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1985

Songs: 8

Label: Powerstation Records

Style: Melodic Rock AOR

Here we have a female fronted UK based rock band pumping out emotive high energy songs – full of sturdy guitar work and strategic keyboard stabs.  This one off album looks to have been a Europe only release.  ‘Lady Of The Night’ kicks things off with a prominent keyboard arrangement and powers through a mid-tempo hard rocking treat, as well as the prodding ‘Rain Rain’ with its song ending drum solo.  Catchy AOR elements work their way into ‘Stop Messin’ My Heart Around’ and ‘Fire In My Life’.  Highly recommended for the private press female fronted melodic rock collectors.

THE FURY

Artist: THE FURY

Title: A Dozen Thorns         

Format: 7” Vinyl EP

Year: 1990

Songs: 4

Label: Network International Records

Style: Heavy Metal

This private obscure New York metal EP has two thrash metal songs ‘Mannequin Boys’ / ‘The Institution’ and two heavy metal songs ‘Fate’ / ‘Masquerade’.  Cool fold out poster and lyrics packaging.

BLONDE WALTZ

Artist: BLONDE WALTZ

Title: The Perfect Dark       

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1987

Songs: 9

Label: Chrome Angel Records

Style: Alternative

Blonde Waltz was an indie alternative rock trio hailing out of Nebraska.  The trio has a consistent guitar oriented sound with low slung vocals that sound reminiscent of The Church or The Waterboys.  Lead off ‘Everything Tonight’ is a fast paced single worthy cut that would have fit nicely on college or alternative radio stations back in the day.  Other notable songs: ‘That’s When Love Hurts’, ‘I Love A Russian’, the mid-pacer ‘I Hear An Army’ and the angular guitar work in ‘Wild Boys’.