SAM ALEX – Pieces [Japan Edition +1] Rare / Out Of Print
With German singer / songwriter SAM ALEX finishing his second full length album – the advance EP ‘Fly Like An Angel’ being featured at this blog too – it’s the right moment to post here “Pieces”, Alex’s first album in its rare Japanese Edition including a bonus track. And I said ‘rare’ because despite of being handled by major label Avalon / Marquee, there were some legal troubles and all discs were retired / release cancelled.
But at 0dayrox we have one of these scarce, collector’s copies.
After many years retired from the scene, Munich-based melodic rocker SAM ALEX is working on a new full length album to be released later this year. As advance, Alex has put out an EP titled “Fly Like An Angel” with some of the songs as advance.
The EP includes a cover of ’80s iconic pop song ‘Sunglasses at Night’ (Corey Hart) which won’t be available on the album, and we added as extras the remix / new versions of Alex’s old songs that he put on sale digitally-only some time ago.
Sam Alex’s career started in the ’80s, as member of several hard / melodic rock bands From 1985 till 1987 he joined the German group AVALON as singer and songwriter. A year later he founded his own band SHEELA, whose live shows were famous throughout the country. In these times Sam turned down many offers from other renowned groups to follow his own path and ideals.
It was 1991 when he got together with a young group of musicians under the name of “Tokyo Rose”.
From 1992 till 1994 the group Tokyo Rose recorded two LPs: “Dream Dancer” and “Fear The Winter”, both taped at Sky Studios with mainman guitarist & producer Bobby Altvater at charge. Both titles were self released, but unfortunately not available in many countries.
In the following years Alex & Altvater keep in touch with the idea of recording an album together.
After recording with / for many bands, Alex recorded a couple of songs which were heard by Altvater, who recently left German melodic hard rockers Affair – and called Alex to finally start to work in a new album.
The result was this “Pieces”, including songs which original ideas born in the ’80s / 90s, and where polished and arranged for the occasion.
Musically this is timeless Melodic Rock with AOR touches, plenty of sweet melodies, elegant guitar riffs, lovely synths and smooth vocals by Alex.
“Chance to Win” and especially “Hold On” are very Eighties, if none tell you these were taped during the last decade, you’ll take it. There’s a lot of harmony vocals on rockers ‘Back In Love’ and the festive ‘Saturday Night’, while ‘Tears Are Falling’ has a lot of depth and atmospherics to it.
Sam Alex love the ’80s, that’s clear, and he does 3 covers from the era; one is ‘Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’ from electronic group Ultravox, re-arranged melodic rock, and I like it. Then there’s Robby Valentine ‘Magic Breeze’ (90s yet 80s in spirit) nicely done by Alex & Altvater (the musical director all over the album).
And the most curious of all is the Alphaville song ‘Sounds Like A Melody’, which turns more elaborated with a heap of intricate keyboard lines.
Japanese bonus track ‘Lonely’ is very interesting too, as it’s the heavier track on the album, a hard rocker in fact driven by a wet guitar riff and with some muscle on it.
Despite of being released 2004, Sam Alex’s “Pieces” sounds ‘timeless’, easily linked to the ’80s / early Nineties. There’s a lot of good melodies & choruses on this album, well arranged and correctly produced.
Highly Recommended
Only at 0dayrox
Marquee / Avalon ~ 【MICP-10424】
01 – Back In Love
02 – Do It Your Way
03 – Chance To Win
04 – Saturday Night
05 – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (Ultravox cover)
06 – Feel The Fire
07 – Magic Breeze (Robby Valentine cover)
08 – Tears Falling
09 – Sounds Like A Melody
10 – Get It All
11 – Lonely [Japan Bonus Track]
12 – Hold On
Sam Alex – lead and backing vocals
Bobby Altvater – guitars, bass, backing vocals
Michael Schwager – drums
Armin Woods – keyboards
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