THE FRONT

Artist: THE FRONT

Title: Sideways

Format: Vinyl LP      

Year: 1984

Songs: 9

Label: Foam Records

Style: Power Pop – New Wave

The Front was an indie new wave rock outfit from Miami, FL.  Their lone private press album “Sideways” is a very stylish new wave-power pop scarcity.  ‘Aluminum Room’ and ‘One Of Those Things’ are quick paced synth wave pearls.  The electro/industrial touches on ‘I’m Not A Machine’ add an additional element of cool.  Catchy power pop moves dominate on ‘Play’, ‘Jet Set Jenny’ and album closer ‘Bored’.

EVAN BRADFORD

Artist: EVAN BRADFORD

Title: A Flash Of Color        

Format: Vinyl EP

Year: 1985

Songs: 6

Label: Left Lane Records

Style: New Wave 

Catchy indie new wave from Jackson, MS based SSW. 

RYE

Artist: RYE

Title: The Beginning

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1969

Songs: 11

Label: Beverly Hills Records

Style: Hard Rock

This obscure late 60’s California based band’s one off is a private press delight, full of all original songs. There’s a bunch of quick paced tracks on tap - some having brass/horn work, others more hard rock geared with dominant guitar and organ work…while other tracks mix it all together for some fierce sounds.  Rural flavors come out to play on ‘Soggy Mountain Shack’ and then a huge fuzz guitar riff ends it.  Cool hard rocking tribal rhythms weave in and out with big fuzzy guitar on standout ‘Be A Brother To Your Brother’.  Hard rocker ‘Just A Dream’ blows out with a highly emotive male Janis Joplin delivery. The patriotic themed ‘Color Me Free’ buzzes along with tight drumming, organ flares and more killer fuzz guitar splashes – another album highlight.  This obscurity is a pleasant surprise and should be more well known for being well over four decades old.

IMPORTS

Artist: IMPORTS

Title: Self-Titled       

Format: 7” Vinyl EP

Year: 1985

Songs: 4

Label: Rhythm Dezian Records

Style: Power Pop

Houston, TX quartet of indie pop rockers who played a melodic guitar driven power pop tinged alternative rock.  There’s also prominent drumming arranged up front in their sound delivery.   

JOE MURRAY

Artist: JOE MURRAY  

Title: Renegade       

Format: Vinyl EP

Year: 1987

Songs: 6

Label: Self Released

Style: Melodic Rock

Look at the album cover and you see Joe Murray wielding a cool looking rifle guitar.  What we have here is an obscure SSW, who happens to also be a guitar hero, putting out his solo private press EP.  Solid guitar work against melodic rock arrangements.

PETER DAVIS

Artist: PETER DAVIS 

Title: Shadow Loving

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1987

Songs: 10

Label: Trust The Night Music

Style: AOR

Slick polished new wave based AOR tunes emanate out of this indie solo artist’s private press LP.  The lead off track ‘She’s Always On My Mind’ was tailor made for rock radio rotation.  The title song is a mid-paced lush melancholic AOR rocker.  ‘Hand In Hand’, ‘These Things For You’ & ‘Tonight’ crank it up a notch with a bit more heft in overall melodies – standouts.  

RADIO ARCHITECTURE

Artist: RADIO ARCHITECTURE

Title: To Have Or To Be      

Format: Vinyl LP

Year: 1988

Songs: 8

Label: Self Released

Style: New Wave  

A Scottsdale, AZ based indie new wave band from the mid-80’s.  This local foursome self-released this exquisite private press obscurity.  Eight songs brimming with uplifting melodic new wave pop rock.