You Were Robbed – Dog Society

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

I have a lot of sympathy for musicians and bands that tried to make it in the mixed up musical times of the early 1990s. The rise of grunge and difficulty of genuine rock bands to distance themselves from the hairband stigma made it doubly hard to find an audience. The debut record from Dog Society, “Test Your Own Eyes”, probably didn’t rise above the radar because of these environmental reasons – it surely couldn’t have been because of poor songwriting or lousy musicianship or lack of creativity. 1993’s “Test Your Own Eyes” is one of the few records from that era that still sounds great to my ears.

The first single was “Love Is All Gone”, a rousing anthem that is as catchy as it is smart. Radio should have found a home for this little nostalgic funk rock tune in-between the noise of Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots.



Other highlights include the stormy opening cut, “When You’re Dead”, the gritty “Time To Go”, and the funk-rock mash up of “Blind To the Fact”. And while it sounds better on the record, here is a live version of the excellent melancholy ballad, “Word Salad”.



“Society Dancer” is another epic cut from the record, a seductive mid-tempo ballad.



So go check out this critically acclaimed band now – you can get the CD for pennies. Our spotlight on this band could not have been better timed – after two decades the band will be releasing their long, long-awaited follow-up called “Emerge”, due September 25. Watch this space for our review!

You Were Robbed – The Pursuit of Happiness

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Well known in their native Canada, The Pursuit of Happiness (TPOH) never made it as big in the States. Led by the hilarious and talented songwriter Moe Berg, TPOH did achieve a modest level of success with the amusing rock track “I’m An Adult Now” in 1989.




Maybe the song pigeonholed them into a novelty act, so the other spectacular cuts on their “Love Junk” debut went largely unnoticed by the mainstream. Take a listen to the melodic charm of “She’s So Young” and try to figure out why it wasn’t a crossover smash. The powerpop legend Todd Rundgren produced this record, and his influence comes through the best on this track.



Yes, those beautiful female harmonies supplied by Lelie Stanwyck and Kris Abbott! Those backing vocals became a signature sound for TPOH and they are omnipresent on all of their records. Although, Stanwyck and bassist Johnny Sinclair left the band after the solid sophomore record, “One Sided Story”, to form Universal Honey.

The third single from “Love Junk” was a gritty pop rocker about cheating, the only one I know to rhyme the word “beguiling”. Again, catchy melodies and wry lyrics make it a mystery why this song didn’t give the charts a beating.



Virtually every track is wonderful and sticks in the head easy. I’ll leave you with one final example that should convince you that TPOH was robbed: the acoustic-based pop rocker “When The Sky Comes Falling Down”.

You Were Robbed – Diving For Pearls

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

The debut self-titled album from pop rock band Diving For Pearls came out in 1989, spawning the minor hit “Gimmie Your Good Lovin’”. Danny Malone was the key force behind this outfit, but despite their airplay, a top 20 ranking by KERRANG, and a CD filled with potential radio-friendly hits, the album barely made a blip on the radar screen.



After this opening track, the album just gets better and better. “Have You Forgotten?” is a terrific melodic rocker that holds you attention to the more sultry tune, “I Close My Eyes”.



The band could also deliver an excellent ballad – check out “New Moon” as an example.



And that is just the first half of the album! The second half kicks off with another driving rocker called “You’re All I Know”.



Other highlights include “Mystery To Me” and “Keep You Love Alive”, as well as another notable ballad, “I Don’t Want To Cry”.

Remarkably, Malone returned in 2006 with the long-awaited follow-up record called “Texas”. While using the Diving For Pearls name, it was really a Malone solo effort. It was a solid release, and Malone sounded great, but the songs just didn’t capture the magic of their debut. Track down the debut – no melodic rock collection is complete without this lost gem.

You Were Robbed – Choirboys

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Led by frontman Mark Gable, The Choirboys were one of the biggest bands in Australia during the 80s. Their debut album was a crunchy hard rock fest in the spirit of their AC/DC mates, but this was followed up by a markedly more melodic and commercial record, “Big Bad Noise” (1988). The band toured with the likes of Deep Purple and Bon Jovi, and scored a minor hit in the US with the anthem “Run To Paradise” – who remembers this terrific song?



The song was much more successful in their homeland and it is puzzling why it failed to raise more attention in the US. The strength of this song led me to check out the entire album and I was pleasantly surprised when track after track delivered strong, catchy melodies and unique baritone  harmony vocals. “Boys Will Be Boys” recalls a bit of their grit from the debut, but is very slick and radio-friendly.



The band exercised some storytelling muscle with the infectious track called “James Dale” – no video was made for this one, but I found a snippet of a live version of the song good enough to give you an idea of how great it is.



Unfortunately, there aren’t many Choirboys videos available, so I highly encourage you to seek out this band and give them a listen. Other highlights from the record include “Struggletown”, “Struck By Lightning”, and the title track. Beyond “Big Bad Noise”, their 2004 album “Evolver” is my second favorite, largely due to the amazing track “Fuel”. More recently, they released “Big Bad and Acoustic”, which contains beautifully reworked versions of their classics.

You Were Robbed – Ratt

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

After getting thrust into the limelight in 1984 with their remarkable full-length debut, “Out of the Cellar”, the L.A. based band Ratt struggled throughout the 80s to maintain that phenomenal out-of-the-box success. The efforts were mixed commercially speaking, but one thing is for sure: they built a devoted fan base that loved what they have termed Ratt N Roll. The fifth album, 1990’s “Detonator” was probably the most polarizing release the band made in their history to that date. Produced by Sir Arthur Payson, and bringing in monster AOR songwriters like Desmond Child and Diane Warren, represented a shift from the raw rock of their early days to a more radio-friendly melodic style. The album performed well, but this one should have been a huge crossover comeback for the band.

I think the album would have done even better had it not been for the two lead off singles, “Lovin’ You’s A Dirty Job” and “Shame Shame Shame”. They are what you’d expect from Ratt, but weren’t exciting or catchy enough to compete with the droves of hairbands fighting for airtime.



While perfectly good tracks, there are much stronger songs here that I believe would have charted well and pushed “Detonator” into the stratosphere. There was no one hotter than Bon Jovi at the time, so I am puzzled why his duet with Ratt on “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” was not released as a lead single. This song is crazy infectious and Jon Bon Jovi’s guest vocals are brilliant.



Then there is the song, “One Step Away”, which contains one of the best choruses to grace a Ratt song, featuring a sugary sweet melody and some amazing harmonies.



Arena-ready power ballads were also ubiquitous on radio and MTV in the late 80s, and “Detonator” contained a whopper in “Givin’ Yourself Away”.



This record pretty much spelled the end for Ratt as most people remember. However, there was a reunion in 2009 that led to the recording of “Infestation”, which for many recaptured the essence of the band’s early days of Ratt N Roll.

You Were Robbed: Child’s Play (RIP Brian Jack)

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

I’ll never forget driving home from Baltimore one night in 1990 and hearing a song called “When Hell Freezes Over” playing on my favorite radio station at the time, 98 ROCK.


I soon learned this powerhouse rocker was by a band called Child’s Play, which featured Brian Jack on lead vocals and guitar, Nicky Kay on guitar, a guy named Idzi on bass, and John Allen on drums (and also some lead vocals). 98 ROCK soon started playing all sorts of cuts from the band’s major label debut, named after the single, “Rat Race”.

In addition to super catchy melodies, brilliant vocal tag-teaming by Jack and Allen, a thundering rhythm section, and sizzling guitar leads, what really drew me to the band were the amazing vocals of Brian Jack. When I finally saw the band live – probably at Hammerjacks – I couldn’t believe such a big sound was coming out of this guy. I guess I was expecting to see something like Hulk Hogan at the mic, but Jack looked - and acted - just like some buddy you’d befriend at the bar on any given night.

“Rat Race” featured 12 tracks of grade-A blue collar rock n roll. Nothing sums up the band’s philosophy better than the lead off anthem, “Good ol’ Rock n Roll”. Just good ol’ boys playing good ol’ Rock n Roll!



When considered with the single “Rat Race”, which features Jack and Allen trading lyrics every young man dreamed of singing, these Baltimore boys seemed destined to join the ranks of working class bands that hit the big time, like Bon Jovi or Skid Row.



While making an appearance or two on MTV, the song just didn’t take off…but no worries, there was an awesome acoustic-based ballad called “Wind” – surely that would seal the deal?



No, Child’s Play was robbed. Big time.

Other great tunes on this fantastic record included “Knock Me Out”, “Day After Night”, and “Girl Like You”. Child’s Play should have been remembered as a talented band of rock and roll purists, not a B movie horror flick. Brian Jack would go on to release a couple solo records that took a hard left turn from the Child’s Play sound into light rock territory. He transitioned into this format well and sold a ton of records without label support. I memory that still sticks in my mind to this day is seeing him play at a club in Ocean City, Maryland, doing an acoustic rendition of "No Woman, No Cry". It was utterly beautiful.

John Allen joined SR-71 and recently resurfaced in a hard rock band with Nicky Kay called “Charm City Devils”. There was a Child's Play reunion show in 2011, igniting hopes that we might get to hear some new material soon. But sadly, Brian Jack passed away last week. His music and stunning vocal prowess should be heard, so track down some Child's Play or his solo work today.

You Were Robbed – American Hi-Fi

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

In 2001, the L.A. pop punk band American Hi-Fi splashed onto the scene with the hit “Flavor of the Week”. In many respects, the band unfortunately was a victim of that theme as they were rapidly crowded out by hundreds of similar bands capitalizing on this popular sound. “Hearts On Parade” was their third effort released in 2005. The band appeared poised for a major comeback – “Parade” took a markedly more mainstream approach and was produced by songwriting and recording guru Butch Walker (Marvelous 3). But this just didn’t happen – some long-time fans were not happy with the catchier tunes and the new label fumbled the release date stateside.

“Hearts On Parade” should be revisited by any fan of pop rock. There is no end to the string of ear candy on this record and it still sounds good after all these years. You can hear the switch to the pop end of the rock spectrum right at the get go in the chorus of the excellent lead off track, “Maybe Won’t Do”:



“The Geeks Get The Girls” was the official lead single that should have been a repeat performance of “Flavor of the Week”. Very Blink-182.



The band ventures into some sugary sweet harmonies with the near bubblegum feel of “We Can’t Be Friends” and explores some very tasty chord changes on the terrific “The Everlasting Fall”.



The record ends strong with the pleasant mid-tempo feel of “Where Do We Go Wrong” and an epic power ballad in the title track.



For just a penny, you can’t go wrong with this CD. What has become of the band? 2010 saw the release of a follow-up record called “Fight The Frequency” (reviewed here http://nowthisrocks.blogspot.com/2010/07/review-american-hi-fi-fight-frequency.html). While it didn’t reignite the band’s career, we’re excited about recent news of a fall 2012 release (press release follows).

March 28, 2012 – Goomba Music is proud to announce the signing of American Hi-Fi. The original line-up--Stacy Jones (singer/guitarist), Drew Parsons (bass), Jamie Arentzen (guitars) and Brian Nolan (drums)¬is currently recording their as-yet-untitled new album in Los Angeles, CA with an expected worldwide release date this fall. It's being produced by the band and John Fields (Switchfoot, Jimmy Eat World) and recorded at Stacy Jones' studio, The Deathstar.

"It feels great to make music with these guys,” exclaims Stacy Jones. “11 years in, American Hi-Fi is a brotherhood. We made this record because we feel like the world needs a few more guitar bands. We are just doing our small part to keep Rock-N-Roll alive!"

For the past six years, members of American Hi-Fi have been working with Miley Cyrus. Singer Stacy Jones has been her music director and drummer, Jamie Arentzen has been her guitarist and Drew Parsons has played bass at a few concerts. Stacy and Jamie have been featured in everything Miley Cyrus since the beginning of her “Hannah Montana” days, including the 2009 movie and “Best Of Both Worlds” concert film/DVD.

Over the course of their 10-year career, American Hi-Fi has sold over 1 million albums thanks to hit singles such as the Top 10 smash “Flavor Of The Weak,” “Another Perfect Day” (which was used as Coca-Cola's theme for the 2002 Winter Olympics) and “The Art Of Losing,” and they've toured the world with artists such as Elvis Costello, Matchbox Twenty, Bon Jovi, Sum 41 and Fall Out Boy. Before teaming up as American Hi-Fi, the band members performed as part of various influential bands from the '90s Alternative Rock scene, including Veruca Salt and Letters to Cleo, and with Tanya Donelly, Tracy Bonham, Aimee Mann, and Juliana Hatfield individually. Their songs have been heard on TV shows and commercials such as Coors, Labatt Blue, Verizon, “Boston Public,” “24” and “Dawson's Creek,” video games including “Guitar Hero 3,” and in movies including “American Pie 2,” “Freaky Friday,” “Van Wilder” and “Superman Returns.” And Stacy has produced albums at The Deathstar for such artists as The Downtown Fiction, Ingrid Michaelson, Meg & Dia, The Cab, Plain White T's, Hey Monday and Academy Is… and many others.

Tour dates and other news from American Hi-Fi here.

You Were Robbed – Dada

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

1995 was a tough time for Dada. After exploding onto the alternative rock music scene with the unlikely hit, “Dizz Knee Land”, the band went on to obtain critical acclaim for the other cuts on their remarkable 1992 debut, “Puzzle”. Despite an outstanding sophomore release, the band was beginning to lose its foothold and got caught in the crossfire of its label’s demise. MCA picked them up and a revitalized Dada released their fourth album (self-titled) in late 1998. With famed producer Danny Kotchmar at the helm, the band had a promising launch pad for a massive comeback.

But that didn’t happen. Not at all. The first single is probably to blame: “California Gold” is a lackluster and confusing tune, more experimental than melodic. Hearing this song probably made a lot of fans – not to mention radio – write the band off. Shame. The vast majority of the other songs on this fantastic record are nothing short of amazing and should have been all over late 90s radio. Take the lead-off track for instance, “Information Undertow”. The topic is even more relevant today and the infectious chorus keeps you coming back for more.

The band lets its thoughtful, reflective side shine through all of these songs, and the trademark harmonies of Michael Gurley and Joie Calio have never sounded better. I really miss hearing these two sing together like this. The quality of the songwriting and performance is exemplified on the track “Beautiful Turnback Time Machine”.



Unfortunately, I can’t find any other videos for the songs here, but go to Amazon and sample these spectacular cuts: “Where You’re Going”, “Spinning My Wheels”, and “The Ballad Of Earl Grey And Chamomile”. Highlights of the band’s balladry can be heard on “Goodbye” and “Outside”. Don’t let another day go by without discovering the majesty of this wonderful record.

Keep up with Dada here.

You Were Robbed – White Lion

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

The band White Lion roared onto the late 80s melodic rock scene with their “Pride” record, which featured big hits like the catchy “Wait” and the tender acoustic ballad, “When The Children Cry”. The band inexplicably fell prey to the sophomore jinx with their excellent follow up, “Big Game". What should have been the comeback of the year, the band’s third album “Mane Attraction” was tragically ignored.

I was inspired to write this post when I heard that an American Idol contestant actually did a cover of “Broken Heart”, one of the first songs White Lion wrote as a band (and was incidentally re-recorded for “Mane Attraction”).



Here is White Lion’s version from “Mane Attraction”:


The real surprise was that the super catchy leadoff single, “Love Don’t Come Easy”, with a great video to boot, failed to ignite a third chapter in this band’s career.



Infinitely popular at the time was the majestic power ballad – White Lion delivered big time on these with the beautiful acoustic “You’re All I Need” and the piano-driven tune “Till Death Do Us Part”, which I’ve heard at several weddings.



“Mane Attraction” also shows the bad evolving a harder edge with epic cuts like “Lights and Thunder” and “Warsong”. "It's Over" is another well done melodic song. In listening to the closing track, “Farewell To You”, I get the sense that perhaps the band had a gut feeling that the ride was coming to an abrupt end.



The record also contains a stunning instrumental called “Blue Monday”, a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan. This song, like all the others on the record, is testament to the sheer brilliance of Vito Bratta as a guitarist. His retirement soon after this record is a catastrophic loss to the entire music community. Anyone know what he is doing now? As for lead singer/songwriter Mike Tramp, he’s gone on to release a number of solid solo records, and his latest work with Rock N Roll Circuz is just fantastic (see review here).

You Were Robbed – Richie Sambora

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Richie Sambora has gotten plenty of love in the context of Bon Jovi, but his first solo record, 1991’s “Stranger In This Town”, didn’t capitalize on his fame to the extent that I expected. The record barely cracked the top 40 on the Billboard charts and its rousing lead single, “Ballad Of Youth” struggled to reach a dismal 63 on the singles chart. The subsequent singles, the soulful ballad “One Light Burning” and title track, didn’t even chart. Admittedly, the choice of singles was a bit perplexing, and probably has a lot to do with why the album wasn’t as warmly received as similar melodic rock records dominating the time period.

“Stranger In This Town” contains plenty of Bon Jovi-ish anthems (for example, “Ballad of Youth” and “Rosie”), but infuses the blues and a touch of soul that distinguish it from his day job output. In fact, the one and only Eric Clapton guests on the track, “Mr. Blueman”. Sambora’s voice harmonizes with Jon Bon Jovi perfectly, but this record shows he can stand on his own vocally. His voice also has more of an everyday man’s quality to it that exudes a charm all on its own.





Two of my favorite cuts on his debut solo record are saved until the end. “Father Time” is a huge power ballad that continues to resonate with me to this day, and “The Answer” is a rare and beautiful acoustic treat that makes us wonder why Sambora doesn’t put down his electric guitar more often.





Some other cool bits of trivia – Randy Jackson (American Idol dawg judge) played bass on “One Light Burning”, Desmond Child co-wrote “Rosie” and “Father Time”, and Dean Fasano (Message/Prophet) contributing backing vocals.

Bottom line: I would take this solo release from Sambora over any of Jon Bon Jovi’s solo efforts. This record is no "New Jersey", but surely should have performed much better than it did.

You Were Robbed – Survivor

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

How in the world can I be crying that 80s AOR giants Survivor were ever robbed? The band enjoyed phenomenal success with two distinct Rocky soundtrack classics, and their completely non-Rocky album “Vital Signs” (1984) is considered one of the finest melodic rock records of all time. The band even “survived” a change in lead singers (from “Eye of The Tiger’s” Dave Bickler to “Burning Heart’s” Jimi Jamison). 1986’s “When Seconds Count” stayed true to the band’s synergistic mix of guitars and keyboards, and squeezed out a couple more hits. In 1988, the band released a markedly harder record called “Too Hot To Sleep”, and this marks when the band was robbed. “Too Hot To Sleep” stalled at #187 on the US charts and inexplicably failed to generate much interest at radio.

It defies the imagination why this record was ignored to the extent that it was – it contained a masterful mix of Survivor standards fans would expect and a lot more riffy crunch to capitalize on the glam/hairband style so popular at the time. The first single, “Didn’t Know It Was Love” deserved to be just as huge as past hits like “Is This Love” or “Can’t Hold Back”.

Here it is, in all its late 80s glory:


Another fan favorite is the keyboard-driven “Desperate Dreams”:


The harder-edged material comes in the form of tracks like “Here Comes Desire”, “Burning Bridges”, and “She’s A Star” – while more guitar driven, the band never strayed from catchy melodies and big arena-ready choruses. And towards the back half, “Tell Me I’m The One” and “Can’t Give It Up” are just blistering hot pieces of rock.



“Too Hot To Sleep” contained requisite tender moments as well, such as the sparse but beautiful ballad, “Across The Miles”.


“Too Hot To Sleep” should have revitalized Survivor and further cemented their status as kings of melodic rock. It is the Survivor album that best balanced Sullivan’s guitars and Peterik’s keyboards. And who knows? If the album did better, fans might have been treated to more AOR gems in the 90s.

You Were Robbed – Teenage Fanclub

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Teenage Fanclub “Bandwagonesque”

1991 was a tumultuous time for music. But who was honored with Spin magazine’s poll for best album of the year? Was it Nirvana’s “Nevermind”? R.E.M.’s “Out Of Time”? No. It was “Bandwagonesque” by Teenage Fanclub. This band from Glasgow took a markedly different approach on this, their third, record. Leaving behind the dissonant fuzzy noise, they aimed for slick melodies and keen harmonies the likes of Big Star. The change in direction hits fans right in the face with the first track, “The Concept”.



As with most of the other songs on this brilliant record, Teenage Fanclub carved out a unique niche that brought in the grungy noise we craved at the time and combined it with supersweet 70s bubblegum pop. Another fine example of this is the amazing ballad, “December”.



Bringing in their love of 60s groups like The Box Tops, Teenage Fanclub struck gold again with “What You Do To Me”.



And if there was any song that could capture the sentiment of the day and relationships better than “Alcoholiday”, please let me know.



Over the years, the band has released a string of follow up records and shuffled personnel, mostly to mixed reviews. While some songs shine here and there, the band hasn’t quite recaptured the magic that made “Bandwagonesque” such a perfect listening experience.

Time has shown that “Bandwagonesque” deserved to be among the ranks of Nirvana and R.E.M. for that year, but it still remains unknown to too many people. More info on the band can be found here.

You Were Robbed – Hoodoo Gurus

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Hoodoo Gurus “Blow Your Cool”

There are any number of albums in the extensive Hoodoo Gurus discography that I could pick as a demonstration of how this Australian band was robbed. But after a fun afternoon of revisiting their catalogue, followed by very careful deliberation, I have to go with 1987’s “Blow Your Cool” to be the biggest head scratcher - why this record didn’t catapult the band to superstardom in the States is the eighth wonder of the world.

The band released two albums prior to “Blow Your Cool”, which were well received at college radio and started earning the guys a rabid following. The debut and sophomore effort, 1984’s “Stoneage Romeos” and 1985’s “Mars Needs Guitars!” are now classics in garage pop rock, but were probably a bit too eclectic for mainstream listeners at the time. But flash forward to 1987 and we hear the band like we’ve never heard them before – slick, polished, and full of radio-friendly hooks. Just give a listen to the kickoff tracks “Out That Door” and “What’s My Scene”:





Can you imagine anything more tasty for late 80s rock radio? How about a duet their touring partners, The Bangles, one of the hottest groups around at the time? But not even that harmonious pairing in “Good Times” could ignite DJs.



The band shared a new dimension of their talent with fans on this record, too, in their first real – and most amazing – ballad, “I Was The One”, featuring some rip-roaring sax that was ubiquitous in the 80s.



The Hoodoo Gurus should have had success in excess of their INXS brethren. If you like “Blow Your Cool”, there is plenty more where that came from, including a new best of collection coming in March entitled, "Gold Watch: 20 Golden Greats".

Learn more about the Hoodoo Gurus here.

You Were Robbed – Company of Wolves

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Company of Wolves “Company of Wolves”

You might faintly remember a tune called “The Distance”, an amazing breakup song that won a smattering of airplay on rock radio in 1990, boasting lines line “You think we’ll work it out in some restaurant…well I’ve got my reservations, girl” and “Guess I’ll never learn to play it smart…if I twist your arm, you break my heart”.



The band was Company of Wolves and this track was featured on their self-titled debut, one of the most "classic rock" records to come along amidst all the glam and hairband clones. Kyf Brewer (formerly of the popular Baltimore band The Ravyns – remember their hit “Raised on the Radio” from “Fast Times At Ridgemont High”?) and brothers Steve and John Conte led the charge, cranking out track after track of melodic rock goodness. Why “Call of The Wild” didn’t catapult these guys above the crowd I’ll never understand.



There are even better tracks here, including the hugely catchy “My Ship”, “Girl”, and the surprisingly moving acoustic ode to a stripper girlfriend, “Everybody’s Baby”.





Drummer Frankie LaRocka, who played with everyone from Scandal to Bryan Adams, would go on to produce The Spin Doctors, but sadly passed away from complications following heart surgery in 2005. Kyf Brewer would go on to release a number of solo records, frequently collaborating with powerpop favorite Cliff Hillis. He now leads a wildly entertaining Celtic band called Barleyjuice. The Conte brothers formed Crown Jewels and you can follow their latest endeavors here.

Company of Wolves is a must have, folks – it is cheap, so track it down today and enjoy.

You Were Robbed – Pay The Girl

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Pay The Girl “Pay The Girl”

This self-titled debut by the Cincinnati rockers calling themselves “Pay The Girl” bowed in 2003 to deaf ears. After hearing this set of radio friendly pop rock tunes, it makes the mind wonder why they couldn’t sneak above the crowd to match the success of like-minded bands such as Matchbox 20 or Goo Goo Dolls. These songs boast potent production and a perfect mix of gritty guitars with pop sensibilities. Lead vocalist Jason Allen Phelps has a warm rock voice that fits into the band’s tasty rock groove effortlessly.

The track “Freeze” received modest attention at adult rock radio, but should have been much bigger in my opinion. A snippet of the video is below – check it out and see if you agree.



“Beverly” is even more radio friendly with its pop hook aping the megahit “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” from Nine Days. But my favorite track is “All You Are”, a biting breakup song with a huge sing-a-long chorus.



The back half of the record is quite strong as well, with smoldering cuts like “Traded”, “I’m Not Like You”, and the moving closer “We Both Lose”. The chord changes in the chorus are quite unique but a strong melody still emerges that sticks with you.



True, the record is not a masterpiece, but surely deserved more attention than it got. Unfortunately, the band would release no more records after this one fizzled – a real shame considering that their debut was so impressive. I imagine these guys would have reached great heights. If anyone knows what happened to them, let us know!

You Were Robbed – The Posies

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

The Posies – “Dear 23”

The dynamic duo behind the The Posies is Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, who first started writing together in the mid-1980s. Their 1990 record, “Dear 23” is an undisputed masterpiece of acoustic-based, hook and harmony driven pop rock. The record gained some momentum and became an instant favorite of many in college radio, but for some reason The Posies failed to become a household name.

What I find so captivating about “Dear 23” is the shimmering sound of those beautiful upbeat acoustic guitars, lifting the expertly crafted melodies to lofty heights. Auer and Stringfellow simply sound magical together, and to top it all off they wrote songs that had deep meaning. I can’t imagine anyone taking a listen to “Golden Blunders”, “Suddenly Mary”, or “Help Yourself” and not being impressed.



If not, try the more contemplative ballads like the brilliant “Apology”, “You Avoid Parties”, or heartbreaking “Everyone Moves Away”.



The Posies released a couple very good follow up records during the 90s, with each release gravitating more towards a harder, darker edge at the expense of that bright acoustic sound that won over their initial fanbase. Auer and Stringfellow have released numerous solo projects, but none that could ever capture the chemistry of their work as a team. In 2010, The Posies reunited to release their seventh album, “Blood/Candy” (reviewed here), which was hailed by many as a welcome return to form.

As we often see with these tragically ignored releases, they are available for pennies. So you have no excuse for not getting yourself into The Posies now!

You Were Robbed – Material Issue "Destination Universe"

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!



Powerpop
At the dawn of grunge, Material Issue went against the grain to deliver concise pop rock songs stuffed to the gills with hooks and sensational harmonies. While most people would site the full-length debut “International Pop Overthrow”, from which the famous powerpop festival derived its name, as the best album by Material Issue, I will go against the grain and announce that their sophomore effort “Destination Universe” (1992) is my favorite. Blessed with astounding instincts for tasty melodies, this trio of Jim Ellison, Ted Ansani, and Mike Zelenko wrote some of the greatest pop songs of the early 90s, besting idols such as Cheap Trick during this decade (“Woke Up With A Monster” anyone?).

“Destination Universe” is devoid of filler and provides a wonderfully satisfying listen from the opening rush of the single, “What Girls Want” to the closing riffage of “If Ever You Should Fall”.



While “What Girls Want” did earn the band a little bit of attention, tracks like “Next Big Thing” and “Don’t You Think I Know” should have launched this band into superstardom. Ellison had a knack for writing about the everyday things in such moving ways.



“Who Needs Love”, “Girl from Out of This World”, and “The Loneliest Heart” also feature stellar powerpop arrangements and insightful lyrics. The record also houses one of my all-time favorite songs - the deceptively simple and achingly beautiful acoustic ballad, “Everything”. How could this not have been a hit? Wrong place at the wrong time, I guess.



The record was followed by another strong release in “Freak City Soundtrack”, but in 1996 chief songwriter, guitarist, and singer, Jim Ellison took his own life. You may be able to catch Mike Zelenko and Ted Ansani performing under the name of Material Reissue. Fans may also be interested in picking up the recently released "20th Anniversary" edition of their breakout record, “International Pop Overthrow”.

You Were Robbed - Marty Casey and Lovehammers

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!


Modern rock
Marty Casey was the runner up to J.D. Fortune on the reality show Rock Star: INXS. This self-titled 2006 effort – which you can find used for only a penny – is a modern rock extravaganza that no fan of Nickelback or Theory of a Deadman should be without. Marty Casey and Lovehammers have a sound that captures the power of Shinedown but retains the commercial hooks that have carried the Goo Goo Dolls to the top of the charts. Casey is a knockout vocalist and superb songwriter, but this record just didn’t set the world on fire for some reason.

While “Marty Casey and Lovehammers” is their major label debut, the album contains a collection of re-recorded songs from previous indie albums released by The Lovehammers. The opening three tracks, “Casualty”, “Hold On”, and “Trees”, represent a hat trick of radio-friendly rock, putting muscle behind lyrics of encouragement and empowerment. More hooks await you in the driving “The Tunnel” and post-grunge affair called “Eyes Can’t See”. Just as good are mid-tempo rockers like the pleasant “The Riddle” and “Call of Distress”. As far as ballads, don’t miss “Clouds”.

The band released a follow up in 2009 once again as just The Lovehammers called “Heavy Crown” that I look forward to checking out in the near future.

More on Marty Casey here.

Check out a video for “Trees”

You Were Robbed - Athenaeum

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!

Athenaeum. Say what? ATH-A-NEE-UM. In Latin, it is a school in ancient Rome for the study of arts. The strange name is probably one reason this fantastic band never took off...DJs were too embarrassed they would mispronounce it!

Athenaeum formed in Greensboro, North Carolina about 20 years ago, pulling off their first EP in 1995, known simply as the "Green Album". Some of these songs made their way to the band's first major label release, 1998's "Radiance". They had immediate success with the radio-friendly tune "What I Didn't Know", but never matched it despite the record being full of additional melodic rock gems. Their self-titled follow up was an even bigger disappointment at radio. "Hourglass" was their final album, released in 2002 - while a compilation of rare and unreleased material, it plays like another ace studio album.

The band uses intricate harmonies and sophisticated songwriting to decorate the intelligent lyrics, and their melodies stick with you for days on end. They should have been huge. Maybe it was the name. Maybe some people couldn't get used to the deep vocal tone of Mark Kano, or maybe the second record being released the week after 9/11 had something to do with it. Whatever the reasons, it isn't too late to discover Athenaeum's wonderful brand of powerful pop rock.

Mark Kano has recently teamed up with Gavin MacKillop (who produced "Radiance") once again, and the result was a stunning solo EP called "Walking on Broadway". Check out our review of it here. Don't allow Mark Kano to be robbed again!

Fans of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Gin Blossoms, and Crash Test Dummies - if you've overlooked Athenaeum, you are missing out on a new favorite.

Mark Kano on MySpace. Official site.

Athenaeum

Check out this brilliant acoustic version of their one and only hit, "What I Didn't Know":

You Were Robbed - Amanda Marshall

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!


While quite famous in her native Canada, Amanda Marshall has not come close to reaching similar heights here in the US. Marshall was 'discovered' by another famous Canadian musician, the late great Jeff Healey. Her self-titled debut album appeared in 1995, pleasing the ears of many of our friends up North. Marshall has an astonishing voice that could stop traffic - it is soulful, but with a raspy rock edge. She delivers every song with sincere conviction and gravitates to those with memorable melodies. Her debut has a great mix of acoustic guitar and piano, perked up with some electric guitar for an extra punch every now and then. Just listen to tracks like "Let It Rain", "Birmingham", and "Sitting On Top Of The World".

Her 1999 sophomore effort, "Tuesday's Child" was almost as good, featuring more powerful pop rock gems like "Believe In You", "Love Lift Me", and my favorite, "If I Didn't Have You". Overall, this record is more ballad-rich, with lots of strings and glossy production. Some of that "organic" feel of the debut was compromised, but most of the songs are still strong and her voice is brilliant as always. She also had Desmond Child, Eric Bazilian (Hooters), and Carole King helping out with the songwriting, and Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) playing guitar on "Why Don't You Love Me".

Marshall's third release, "Everybody's Got a Story" (2001), however, was a dramatic course change deep into R&B territory. I was not a fan of it. While there is a greatest hits compilation out there called "Intermission", I recommend you just pick up her first two albums - each is a masterpiece and available for pennies in used CD stores.

Amanda Marshall is reportedly in the studio cooking up a new release. Here's hoping that 2010 will be her year.

Marshall

Amanda Marshall: Official site.

Check out the video for "Let It Rain":