“The Lost UK Jewels Vol.3” ; GENEVA – Temptation
As part of the excellent “The Lost UK Jewels” series, this Vol.3 features Canterbury AORsters GENEVA and their great 12” EP “Temptation” released in 1988, plus their ’87 demos for label shopping, and some exclusive material they recorded when reunite for this CD release – the first ever of their music.
If classy ’80s Brit AOR is your thing, you’ll love “Temptation”. All songs are prime-time, classic AOR built around the likeable smooth vocals and skilful guitar prowess of Steve Moody.
A Limited Edition of 500 copies, complete with a booklet featuring magazine reviews / interview of the era and rare photos.
A labour of love by two respected journalists, Steelheart Records has been formed by Italian Primo Bonali and UK AOR expert Rob Evans to showcase all those unknown or half-remembered US-influenced UK acts of the Eighties who followed in the footsteps of FM, Strangeways and Shy, but never really made it beyond Derek Oliver’s Wimpwire legendary column.
Mostly these releases are collections of singles and demos and are limited to five hundred copies, with few of these bands making it to the full album stage.
Canterbury-based quintet Geneva (Vol.3) were formed in the mid-80s, releasing a three-track cassette in 1987 and three other tracks on the ‘Temptation’ twelve-inch single a year later.
All six songs are prime-time, classic AOR built around the likeable smooth vocals and skilful guitar prowess of Steve Moody, and the appropriately named Tom Organ’s sterling keyboard work.
From the EP there’s the soaring, guitar-driven opener ‘Temptation’, the punchy AOR tune ‘She’s Got Everything’ and the emotional, keyboard-led ballad ‘Everytime’, and then there’s the catchy demo trio of ‘All Over Town’, the dramatic ‘Liar’ and the cleverly-written ‘Broken Heart’, the latter complete with a superb intro, glorious keys and a false ending.
The sound quality of the EP is very good indeed and the demos are certainly no let-down, if a little on the sterile side and with a flat drum sound.
Unlike the other bands here, Geneva have already decided to give it another go and two older songs have been given a 2013 re-record, with ‘Standing In The Rain’ given a more contemporary feel but with an old-school attention to detail applied to the arrangement and instrumentation, whilst the acoustic-based ‘Can’t Let You Go’ is a good ballad with a similar vibe to Dan Reed’s recent work.
Geneva got the strengths to make it bigger, and still has it judging the newly recorded songs. Let’s hope they decide to release a full album soon.
HIGHLY Recommended
01 – Temptation (”Temptation” 12” EP – 1988)
02 – She’s Got Everything (”Temptation” 12” EP – 1988)
03 – Everytime (”Temptation” 12” EP – 1988)
04 – All Over Town (Three-track cassette EP – 1987)
05 – Liar (Three-track cassette EP – 1987)
06 – Broken Heart (Three-track cassette EP – 1987)
07 – Standing In The Rain (unreleased demo – 2013 recordings)
08 – Can’t Let You Go (unreleased demo – 2013 recordings)
Steve Moody – lead guitar, vocals
Paul East – drums
Tom Organ – keyboards
Nick Bray – guitars
Lee Polden – bass, vocals
Out Of Print
