QWEST – Tampico Gold ’81 [Deluxe Edition reissue +7] (2021)

After decades being collectibles, finally last year finally were reissued both albums from Canadian, Calgary based outfit QWEST, including bonus tracks.
The band formed in the late Seventies by the Gellner brothers – Shelly on guitars and Barry on bass, both who also shared lead vocal duties. With guitarist Greg Gunhold and drummer Jim Symchych, they honed their chops around the Alberta circuit as a cover band over the next couple of years while writing their own material.
After they signed a deal with manager Greg Thomas and some studio time was booked, Dan Lowe (49th Parallel, Painter, Hammersmith, 451 Degrees) was brought in to oversee the recording sessions, but they ended up going with former Stampeders manager Mel Shaw.
The result was the band’s debut album, “Tampico Gold“, released in 1981 on Shaw’s Music World Creations label. With songs like “Stick ‘Em Up” and “Heartbreaker,” the band found an audience through FM’s Album Rock format.
QWEST were in the same league of contemporaries LOVERBOY, TROOPER, PRISM, etc but their sound on this album is definitely more poppy light AOR than their counterparts.

While released via a small label the LP had a proper distribution and sold pretty well, with copies being sold in the USA and overseas. The songs started to get radio airplay and with that push Qwest carried on playing the prairies and made a couple of trips to the West Coast over the next few years.

Qwest aren’t among the best known acts from the excellent ’80s Canadian rock scene, but they were very good, with consiste songwriting and wonderfully crafted melodies.
“Tampico Gold” sounds very 1981, a sound that for some may result outdated nowadays, but for us, lovers of that classic FM rock style, is lovely and very enjoyable. At places QWEST brings to mind bands like BALANCE, KEANE (Tom Keane 1981 band), FRANKE and THE KNOCKOUTS and many other similar acts.
It’s very cool to have “Tampico Gold” available again and with a bunch of bonus tracks.
Highly Recommended

01 – Knock Me Out
02 – Harder All The Time
03 – Stick ‘Em Up
04 – Heartbreaker
05 – It’s A New Day
06 – Carry On
07 – Time Is Running Out
08 – Hold Out
09 – (Who Said) Money Can’t Buy You Love
10 – Going Down
BONUS TRACKS:
11 – All We Need Is Time
12 – Inside Outside Upside Down
13 – Tobacco Road
14 – When You’re A Child
15 – Harder All The Time (Alternate)
16 – Knock Me Out (Alternate)
17 – Stick Em Up (Alternate)

Shelly Gellner – vocals, guitars
Barry Gellner – vocals, bass
Greg Gunhold – guitars, backing vocals
Jim Symchych – drums

BUY
www.amazon.co.uk/music/player/albums/B0916QTQH8