DAVID A. SAYLOR – Kiss Of Judas 2 (2019) *EXCLUSIVE*
Released in 2013, ‘Kiss Of Judas’ was a mini album by DAVID A. SAYLOR, known for being the vocalist for underground, cult 80s British AORsters Push. Sadly, Saylor died in 2017, but he left many songs recorded. One of David’s wishes was to re-release ‘Kiss Of Judas” which sold out and demanded high prices on the internet.
Fast Forward to 2019, Aor Blvd Records decided that the time was right for the re-release with the new title “Kiss Of Judas 2“, new artwork and a fresh remastering by Dave Draper (Wildhearts, Dallas) complete with 4 unreleased tracks from the Saylor Archive as a fitting tribute.
Simply put, as pure a traditional AOR record as you could hope to hear in years to come.
Helping Mr. Saylor (who also plays keyboards and drums) in delivering the songs are Huwey Lucas (Phenomena) and David Mark Pearce (AOR, Chasing Violets) providing some very fluid guitar work, fellow Push UK band mate Paul Pryor on bass, and Georgina & Romany Saylor among others who handled the album’s excellent backing vocals.
Title track “Kiss Of Judas” – written by Tom & David Farmer from UK AORsters Outside Edge – is a killer rocking melodic tune with all the Eighties footprint all over it, followed by the mid-tempo AOR scorcher “If Only” filled with wonderful keyboards and vocal harmonies.
“Ana” is a top class Toto / Steve Lukather-like velvety ballad with a to-die-for chorus, pianos and great solos by David Mark Pearce. The main melody is fantastic.
With “Tonight” the time machine take us back again to the glorious ’80s AOR sounds, a song with a skeleton in the vein of masters Strangeways where Saylor’s pipes shine, the keys/synths are a diamond and the backing vocals wrap a song that worth the disc alone.
“True Reflection” is a marvelous melodic rock reworking of an old David A. Saylor, again with soaring harmonies, dreamy keyboards and elegant guitar work.
“Now I’m Free” follows the same path but more uptempo, driven by a chugging riff but highly ivory injected and with David turning more ‘mature’ on the leads. The guitar solo is top notch.
The previous unreleased tracks are pure gold too. If you’re a true ’80s AOR fan, you can’t resist the midtempo melodic waves of “So Innocent”, like a mix between Strangeways second album and Chris Ousey’s Virginia Wolf. That atmospheric mid-section is full of magic.
Then ‘Another Time’ change the focus and we go to the USA circa 1983. This poppy AOR / radio friendly tune could have been a ht back in the day. Soaring vocals and that keys…
We’re are back again to 1988 / 89 with “It’s Too Late” and “City Streets”… OMG these are two tunes which clearly exemplifies why we love classic AOR… heavenly vocals, sparkling keys / synths, top choruses. Terrific.
“Kiss Of Judas 2” is the perfect example of pure 80s AOR. Harking back to a time when songwriting was king, David A. Saylor has recorded here a 10-gem of an AOR album, a genre that sadly used to have more finesse and style than it does today, and for that he should be applauded.
Unfortunately Saylor leave us too soon, but his music will be remembered forever.
A MUST HAVE
01 – Kiss Of Judas
02 – If Only
03 – Ana
04 – True Reflection
05 – Tonight
06 – Now I’m Free
Previously Unreleased:
07 – So Innocent
08 – Another Time
09 – It’s Too Late
10 – City Streets
David A. Saylor – vocals, keyboards, drums
Huwey Lucas – guitar
David Mark Pearce – guitar solos
Paul Pryor – bass
Lars Wickett – drums
Sarah Leaman, Jacquie Williams, Georgina & Romany Saylor – backing vocals
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