MASTEDON (Elefante Bros) – It’s A Jungle Out There +3 [Gold Disc Remastered reissue] (2020)
After featuring here the new John Elefante album, many of you asked for his awesome albums with MASTEDON in its remastered versions.
John & Dino Elefante were, without a doubt, the best team producer of 80s American AOR bands with a CCM origin. The bros. formed their own band as well, MASTEDON, and their 1989 debut album ‘It’s A Jungle Out There‘ is a classic from the genre.
This Girder Records remastered reissue on gold disc encapsulates all the magic of the original release now with the ultimate remaster done by John Elefante himself. The CD includes 3 Bonus Tracks, one of these an exclusive track for now collectible ‘California Metal’ LP.
Featuring the likes of David Pack (Ambrosia) on lead vocals, talented guitarist Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon, Danger Danger) who also provide vocals, or virtuoso bass player John Patitucci, this remastered reissue is A MUST for fans of pure, unadulterated late ’80s AOR perfection.
The 1940’s animated Disney character, Dumbo became a hit sensation as a cruelly named elephant who was ridiculed for his large ears. But, Dumbo wasn’t your average elephant and used those massive ears for wings and he could fly!
Fast-forward to 1989, when John and Dino Elefante formed the melodic rock / AOR band Mastedon and showed the world that Dumbo wasn’t the only elephant who could fly.
With larger-than-life melodic hooks and a steady stream of melodic hard rock heroics the band’s debut album,’ It’s a Jungle Out There!’ took flight and AOR fans could not get enough.
Owning Pakaderm Records, running a recording/producing studio, and working with bands like Bride, Petra, The Brave, Barren Cross, Guardian and more, the ex-Kansas duo had a revolving door of rock music stars around at any given time.
Not a band as such since it’s very much musicians who were around the studio laying down a vocal, guitar lick, drum solo, etc. The band’s second album literally says, “Thanks to all the mystery guests whose names we are unable to list due to the usual legal entanglement.”
The brothers approached Mastedon as a project. With a total of five lead vocalists participating on this debut in addition to three drummers, four bassists and three guitarists, it remained a project in the truest sense of the word.
The most easily recognized names include vocalists Dave Robbins (X-Sinner), Dave Amato (Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon), David Pack (Ambrosia) and Perry Lee (Tracer Fox), guitarists Steff Burns (Y&T) and Amato, and bassists John Pierce (Richard Marx) and John Patitucci.
John (lead vocals & keyboards) and Dino (rhythm guitar & bass) lend their abilities to the album as well. The album flexes its muscles in places (such as on “It’s A Jungle Out There” and “Love Inhalation”) but otherwise it delivers a commercial based sound perfectly suited for FM radio (“Glory Bound,” “This Is The Day” and “Love That Will Survive”).
You will also find a couple of elite ballads, along with a progressive piece, “Right Hand.”
The crown jewel of the album might be the big-budget-like sonics, compliments of John and Dino. And this remaster takes the best of it.
HIGHLY Recommended
You’ve seen it first at 0dayrox
01 – It’s A Jungle Out There
02 – Glory Bound
03 – This Is The Day
04 – Love Inhalation
05 – Islands In The Sky
06 – Get Up
07 – Love That Will Survive
08 – Innocent Girl
09 – Shine On
10 – Right Hand
BONUS TRACKS:
11 – Wasn’t It Love [from California Metal Compilation]
12 – Islands In The Sky (Live At Cornerstone ’91)
13 – Right Hand (Live At Cornerstone ’91)
Dino Elefante – bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals
John Elefante – vocals keyboards, guitars, drums
Dave Amato – guitars
Coni Gayle vocals (9)
Dave Amato – vocals (2,7,10)
David Pack – vocals (9)
Dave Robbins – vocals (1)
Perry Lee – vocals (4,8)
John Pierce, Jimmy ‘Flim’ Johnson – bass
John Patitucci – fretless bass (9)
David Raven, Phil Rowland – drums
Steff Burnbaum – lead guitar (6)
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