April Wine ~ Animal Grace / Walking Through The Fire CD 2022 BGO Records ••NEW••

Description: April Wine Animal Grace / Walking Through The Fire 2CD SET BRAND NEW & FACTORY SEALED Beat Goes On Records (BGO) BGOCD905 UPC | 5017261209054 Made in Great Britain 1984, 1985, 2022 TRACK LISTING DISC 1 Animal Grace (1984) 01. This Could Be The Right One 02. Sons Of The Pioneers 03. Without Your Love 04. Rock Tonite 05. Hard Rock Kid 06. Money Talks 07. Gimme That Thing Called Love 08. Too Hot To Handle 09. Last Time I'll Ever Sing The Blues DISC 2 Walking Through Fire (1985) 01. Rock Myself To Sleep 02. Wanted Dead Or Alive 03. Beg For Your Love 04. Love Has Remembered Me 05. Anejo 06. Open Soul Surgery 07. You Don't Have To Act That Way 08. Hold On 09. All It Will Ever Be 10. Wait Any More DESPITE WHAT some history books might tell you, Canadian rock music didn't start and end with Rush and Bryan Adams; back in the Seventies, loud proud Canucks April Wine were the very epitome of the arena-rock genre that was so popular at the time. Though now just a curious footnote in history to many rock fans, they released some high-quality, consistent collections right through to the mid Eighties, showcasing their characteristic blend of tender commercial ballads and hard, bombastic boogie. Since 1969 the band have released over 20 albums and forged a live reputation that continues to see them drawing devoted concert crowds across Canada and the world over 40 years since their formation. And you hold two of their most notable albums in your hands. April Wine have their origins way back in 1969 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, when David Henman recruited talented vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Myles Goodwyn to join himself and his cousins Jim and Ritchie Henman as the original line-up. Moving to Montreal and a management deal with Terry Flood, the group had a Canadian chart hit with their third single 'You Could Have Been A Lady' spending 11 weeks and peaking at Number 32 on the Billboard charts. (It was also a hit in the UK for Hot Chocolate!) After a low-profile recording debut in 1972, by the following year main songwriter Goodwyn was now fronting a newer, tighter, more vital line-up, featuring bassist Jim Clench, guitarist Gary Moffet and drummer Jerry Mercer. The founding Henman family were now nowhere to be seen. The band's third album, 'Electric Jewels', was met with instant acclaim from an ever-increasing army of fans. Songs like 'Weeping Widow' 'Just Like That' and 'Lady Run, Lady Hide' would be staples of the band's set-lists for many years. The accompanying tour was also a huge success and featured a massive lighting and pyrotechnic show typical of the era. Momentum was more than maintained and April Wine's self-produced 'Stand Back', released in 1975, became the first Canadian LP to achieve double-platinum status. Soon after this Steve Lang arrived on bass. In 1976 'The Whole World's Going Crazy' became the first Canadian album to achieve platinum status purely on pre-sales, with the supporting tour grossing the biggest ever figure achieved by a Canadian act in the domestic market to that date. All well and good. But April Wine were still unknown within the commercially vital United States, however, and a reliance on their Canadian success led to the band's initial impetus beginning to stall. A live album, recorded in Toronto, followed - and 'Live At The El Mocambo' had quite a story behind it. The Rolling Stones had decided to record a live gig (which became one side of their 'Love You Live' double album) at the aforementioned club. As they were determined to keep things low-key, April Wine were employed to pose as the headliner for the charity event, with an unknown collective called 'The Cockroaches' advertised as the act fortunate enough to open for them. To the audience's surprise it was the Rolling Stones! This offering was indicative of their act of the time but failed either to capture both their live potency or raise their sales profile. Finally in 1978 the band managed to secure a US deal with a major label in Capitol Records, with 'First Glance' (featuring additional guitarist/vocalist/keyboard player Brian Greenway) proving their first real exposure to many American rock fans. A single lifted from the album, 'Roller', cracked things open nicely as a US Top 30 hit, while extensive touring established the band as a major Stateside act for the first time. Next album 'Nature Of The Beast' also achieved chart status, rising to an impressive Number 26 during a three-month stay in the Top 40. Indeed, '...Beast' proved to be their first million-seller outside of Canada, and 'Just Between You And Me' followed 'Roller' in registering a high placing in the US singles charts. At Number 21, it was their greatest success. The aptly named 'Harder...Faster' took a heavier direction built on their new success and, after rave live reviews supporting Scots rockers Nazareth on their US tour, the band looked towards Europe as the next step. The album sold well enough in the UK on import to prompt an appearance at the inaugural Monsters of Rock festival at Donington in 1980, on a bill topped by Rainbow and Judas Priest, and this again raised some much-appreciated European interest. Although 1982's 'Power Play' again hit the US Top 40, peaking at Number 37, it did not prove to hove the same staying power as earlier albums. In hindsight it saw the band take their eye off the ball creatively, and it did not meet with the same critical response its predecessors had achieved. By the time of 1984's superb 'Animal Grace' (Capitol EST12311), focus in the US had moved on to other young guns like Van Halen and Motley Crue. With a typical Eighties sound and production, the album had the usual AW hallmarks; great melodies, catchy hooks, and - somewhat unusually for the time - sympathetic use of synthesizer; this was never overpowering but merely added some deft color to the usual caustic guitar edge. Although sounding dated now, the associated synth drums added additional punch. The emotional 'This Could Be The Right One' kicks things off in a Journey-esque way. 'Without Your Love' and 'Gimme That Thing Called Love' pre-empted Def Leppard's ' Pyromania' sound, and sit easily alongside the upbeat, fist-clenched and irresistible hook that is Money Talks' and the boogie stomp of Rock Tonite'. Things then take an interesting twist with the unusual left-field rocker Sons Of The Pioneers'. April Wine's harder, brittle take on the Sharp Edges cover 'Hard Rock Kid' is also a highlight, reminding this particular listener at least of a sound approaching the likes of Rush's 'Tom Sawyer'. ‘Too Hot To Handle' has hit single all over it, while the blues get a real contemporary workout for 'Last Time I'll Ever Sing The Blues'. Although the band members had now decided to pursue solo careers, the band remained contracted to Capitol for a final album. Featuring a core of Goodwyn and Greenway, the duo now recruited Daniel Barbe on keyboards, Jean Pellerin on bass and drummer Marty Simon, September 1985 saw "Walking Through Fire' (Capitol EST 12433) released. The stigma of contractual obligation was hard to deny at the time, particularly with no less than four cover songs in the collection - an understandable creative shift in emphasis by main writer Goodwyn. (He had relocated to the Bahamas where he would work on a solo album.) However, the chosen covers proved particularly suited to April Wine's sound and were strong material to boot. The opener is a case in point; written by Katrina and the Waves songwriters Kimberley Rew and Vince de la Cruz, Rock Myself To Sleep' stomps all over the more famous Starship version! The infuriatingly catchy 'Wanted Dead Or Alive' features a Robert Plant-like vocal (the song was written by fellow Canadians Arc Angel and featured on their 1983 debut album). 'Open Soul Surgery' was another cherry-picked gem, written by Bryan Adams co-writer Jim Vallance and also recorded by his then band Prism, the guitar and organ-driven combo highlighting what should have been a huge hit single. The album did, however, provide 'Rock Myself To Sleep' which scored high as a single. The plaintive piano-led ballad Love Has Remembered Me', with its haunting sax solo, blends seamlessly with the coolly laid-back Eagles-like AOR of 'You Don't Have To Act That Way'. Chart-wise the album had a short life, limping in with four weeks in the low hundreds. The writing was on the wall by this time, and April Wine wisely folded. The band reformed in 1992 for a tour of America, with Goodwyn, Mercer, Greenway and Clench adding Aldo Nova guitarist Steve Segal. A favorable reaction prompted more live and studio work. In 1993 the band released the first true' April Wine album in almost a decade, 'Attitude', which was certified gold in Canada soon after its appearance. By 1994 'Frigate' had been released, while the band still records material on a regular basis, 2001 's Back To The Mansion' well worth a listen. April Wine came back to the fore in 2001 when Roller' was featured in the hit comedy movie Joe Dirt. An excellent 2003 collection 'Greatest Hits Live' spawned two completely new tracks and extensive bouts of touring ensued, including a 2005 support tour to Deep Purple with former Coney Hatch man Carl Dixon on board. In late 2006, Clench departed for the second time, to be replaced by bassist Breen Le Boeuf in 2007. A year later, Mercer also announced his retirement. But April Wine continue to tour their homeland regularly, consisting these days of Goodwyn, Greenway, Le Boeuf and drummer Blair Mackay. Just as with the two albums presented here, their continuing presence reminds all and sundry that April Wine remain the epitome of a potent 40 year-old vintage beverage. ~ Roy Davies, 2009 SHIPPING TO USA ONLY Buyer Pays Shipping $3.99 1st CD $3.99... each additional $1.50 CDs will only be combined with other CDs or DVDs To qualify for the combined discount, all items must be purchased together, paid for with 1 payment, and shipped all together in 1 shipment. Please use the add to cart feature, once you have ordered all your desired items, proceed to checkout to complete your order with the combined total.

Price: 16.79 USD

Location: Gold River, California

End Time: 2024-01-04T10:10:20.000Z

Shipping Cost: 3.99 USD