URGENT – Thinking Out Loud [AOR Heaven Classix remaster] HQ

Many of you asked for the recent Japanese reissue of URGENT‘s album ‘Thinking Out Loud’ as part of the HR/HM series. But the source isn’t remastered, and none beats this AOR Heaven Classix release.
Not to be confused with the Canadian band of the same name, USA melodic rockers URGENT released two very good albums halfway the ’80s: ‘Cast The First Stone’ in 1984 and “Thinking Out Loud” in 1987.
“Thinking Out Loud” got its first re-release / remaster via the AOR Heaven Classix series, a limited edition quite hard to find now.
URGENT was built around the three brothers Michael, Don and Steve Kehr, but also featured guitarist Yul Vasquez who later joined cult melodic rockers DIVING FOR PEARLS.
After the excellent debut, theg guys wanted a gutsier sound according to times (1987) and it was Vasquez who came up with the name of Tom Allom, known from his work for bands like Judas Priest, Krokus, Loverboy, Rough Cutt and Y&T.

“Thinking Out Loud” exactly resulted as the band members had in mind: retaining the melodic hooks, catchy choruses and swirling keyboards of the debut, plus an edgy, more punchy output.

The album features 11 killer-no-filler tracks like the strong rockers “Shot In The Dark”, the guitar driven “I Can’t Take It No More” and a re-recorded version of the monster single “Running Back”, that had peaked at # 79 in the Billboard Hot 100.
There’s supreme AOR in the terrific “Always Be There” and the keyboard oriented “If This Is Love” while the ballad “All Over the World” is simply gorgeous.

Although the album was surely a worthy follow-up for the debut and sold pretty well, Urgent lost its deal with EMI Manhattan soon after. The cause? A restructuring! That same year (1987) the band folded, but Yul Vasquez and Klyph Black would carry on in the music business.
If you want to find out what they did after Urgent’s demise, you can read the detailed liner notes from Dave Reynolds in the booklet with this re-issue.

“Thinking Out Loud” is a classic record into any Melodic Rock / AOR book.
All the songs are huge with layers of harmonies all over, sharp guitar work and classy keyboards / synths, kicked by a fuller, ‘big’ glossy production. The remaster by Chris Lyne (Soul Doctor) is very dynamic, crystal clear.
Fans of classic ’80s Melodic Rock / AOR in the vein of Aviator, Loverboy, Honeymoon Suite, Aldo Nova, etc. need to add this one into your collection ASAP.
A Must Have

01. Pain (Love Is A Victim)
02. Shot In The Dark
03. I Can’t Take It No More
04. If This Is Love
05. Always Be There
06. Running Back
07. Extra Extra
08. Turning The Knife
09. Give ‘Em Enough Rope
10. Inch By Inch
11. All Over The World

Michael Kehr – vocals, guitar
Don Kehr – vocals, keyboards
Steve Kehr – drums, vocals
Yul Vasquez – guitar, vocals
Klyph Black – bass

Try here
www.rockavenuerecords.com/SHOP/RAR-05946.html