THE JON BUTCHER AXIS – Stare At The Sun [first time on CD] (2018)

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“Stare At The Sun“, the second THE JON BUTCHER AXIS album originally released in 1984, gets a first time release on CD by Escape Music, following on from the self-titled album released earlier this year. It’s a Limited Edition though, only available on physical disc.

In the early ’80s it looked like as if Jon Butcher’s career would know no bounds. As anyone who picked up a copy of the self-titled Jon Butcher Axis album upon its original release in 1983 would concur, here was a star on the rise.
Such an upwards trajectory was well deserved given his undeniable talent, the quality of that debut and the ensuing sophomore affair “Stare At The Sun”.

Indeed both albums should have resulted in greater rewards than they ultimately did at the time. Although Jon would enjoy a good deal of recognition for later recorded work, such as Wishes (released under his own name rather than the band handle), perhaps the answer to any questions that are asked over Butcher’s lack of bigger and more sustained success may be allied to the one that asks ‘why has it taken well over thirty years for his first two records to be officially released on CD?
Sure, several of the best tracks from both albums have surfaced on compilations of Jon’s work but never before has either album been issued on its entirety on a silver shiny disc.

Many people believe that “Stare At The Sun” was Jon’s finest work and claim it to be the best album he ever released under any moniker. Songs like the catchy rocker “Wind It Up” and “Don’t Say Goodnight” are certainly numbers that deserve your attention.
The album made no. 190 on the US Billboard album charts, not a massive hot but it did lead to support slots back then with the likes of Rush (‘Signals’ tour ’83), Def Leppard (‘Pyromania’ tour ’83) and Scorpions (‘Hurricane’ tour ’84), amongst others.

There are so many classy first half of the Eighties songs on here, be it the uptempo “Stay Low” with its contagious riff and a chorus bigger than a skyscraper, or the wistful ballad “Dreams Fade Away”.
The aforementioned “Don’t Say Goodnight” would have given Foreigner a run for their money back in the day, a polished melodic tune.
In fact it is a real mystery why The Jon Butcher Axis didn’t make bigger inroads into the US market given they had the songs to fit the growing rise in all things melodic and hard rock in the mid-80s.

“Stare At The Sun” is an enjoyable mid-Eighties US melodic rock album mixed with the radio friendly, pop sensibilities of the era, well produced by Pat Moran (Rush, Lou Gramm) and executed.
Butcher is a very good guitarist, his vocal color is quite unique, and here the typical synths / keyboards used circa 1985 provide that unrepeatable atmospheres. This CD release is not remastered, and while I doubt about the source (I guess the master tapes are lost) this is the album’s first official release on CD and that is a good enough reason to own it.
Highly Recommended

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

01 – Wind It Up
02 – Victims
03 – Dreams Fade Away
04 – Stay Low
05 – Can’t Tell the Dancer From The Dance
06 – Don’t Say Goodnight
07 – Walk On The Moon
08 – Call To Arms
09 – Eros Arriving
10 – Breakout

Jon Butcher – vocals, guitars
Derek Belvins – drums
Christopher Martin – bass, backing vocals

BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/Stare-Sun-Jon-Butcher-Axis/dp/B07C5HMXRX
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