MOVING PICTURES – Picture This (2015)
Aussie ’80s favorites MOVING PICTURES are back with a new album entitled “Picture This“, and soon will go back on the road for some 12 months of endless touring – just like the good old days.
The Australian musical landscape in the Eighties was very heavily shaped and influenced by Moving Pictures. Formed in 1978 by Alex Smith, Garry Frost, Charlie Cole, Paul Freeland, Ian Lees, and Andrew Thompson, together, they jumped out of the blocks with 1981’s #1 smash album Days Of Innocence and would go on to release three original records from 1981 through to 1988.
Days Of Innocence, produced by Charles Fisher; delivered the energetic ‘Bustin’ Loose’ and the empassioned, – and often covered – chart topping smash hit ‘What About Me?’. This song would go on to be awarded Best Single at the 1982 Countdown Music Awards and was the second highest selling single in Australia that year.
What About Me? also entered the Billboard Top 40 and remained in the US singles charts for a massive 26 weeks. The song also made it into the illustrious Billboard Hot 100 singles list for 1983 – a rare feat indeed for an Australian band.
Perhaps many of you remember Moving Pictures for their awesome AOR tune ‘Never’. The band were offered the chance to record the song for the film ‘Footloose’ and went to the USA to record it. Due the success, Moving Pictures toured America alongside Scandal, the great melodic rock band fronted by Patty Smyth.
Moving Pictures recorded another very good album and continued to tour successfully but eventually decided to call it a day and their final album The Last Picture Show – a live record – was released in 1988 and based upon their final tour by the same name in 1987.
In 2011, in order to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the release of Days Of Innocence , the circa ‘84 Moving Pictures line up of Cole, Frost, Lees, Meyer, Smith and Thompson reformed and performed a sell-out national tour, including a very special night at Sydney’s iconic State Theatre.
This tour created a spark and energy that galvanised the band and although its members are scattered across the globe, the band are really keen to tour once more.
So in mid-2015, the band approached their Australian based touring agent who in turn contacted Liberation Music about the possibility of Moving Pictures recording a new album and performing live across the country to promote it.
“Picture This” is a re-recording of Moving Pictures’ best songs plus a new track and a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born To Run’. The treatment is partially acoustic with some electric instruments on some tracks.
The result is really enjoyable as these are great songs plenty of melody and catchy pop hooks. However do not expect the band’s ’80s AORish sound & production, this is a more mature, earthy Moving Pictures 2015.
I liked this a lot.
01 – Bustin’ Loose
02 – Never
03 – The Angel and the Madman
04 – So Tired
05 – Sisters of Mercy
06 – Sweet Cherie
07 – Winners
08 – Travellers Tales
09 – Back To the Streets
10 – What About Me?
11 – Wings
12 – Streetheart
13 – Round Again
14 – Born To Run
Alex Smith – Vocals
Garry Frost – Guitar, Backing vocals
Andrew Thompson – Saxophones
Charlie Cole – Keyboards, Backing vocals
Ian Lees – Bass
Mark Meyer – Drums
BUY IT !
www.jbhifi.com.au/music/browse/rock-pop/picture-this/833569/
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