The Lost UK Jewels Vol.25 ; STRATEGY – Secrets (2022) *Exclusive*
After several months of discussions with the band and researches of the original material, finally another volume from the stupendous ‘Lost UK Jewels‘ series is here in exclusive: Scottish melodic rock / AOR combo STRATEGY, and all the material the group recorded between 1987-1990.
The album is titled “Lost UK Jewels Vol.25: Secrets” and contains 10 tracks that the band recorded in the 1987-1991 time frame. This is quite special, as early songs feature male vocals, while latter stuff is female-fronted
“Secrets” features three different singers, Ray Wilson (1987), Richard Malcomson (1988-1989) and Yvonne Morrison (1990).
References to their music go from FM, Heartland and Strangeways (1987-1989) to Saraya, Heart and Robin Beck (1990). All the tracks have been remastered from the band’s master tapes and sound great.
This is a must listen for fans of primo ’80 British AOR – quality songs and quality recording / production.
Hailing from Edinburgh in Scotland, STRATEGY would have to rate as one of the UK’s most prolific studio bands that you’ve never heard of. A slew of demos, at least five, yielded the kind of AOR that will remind the listener of bands like Strangeways, 2AM and fellow Scottish band Frontier.
Theirs was a heady brew of hi-tech AOR that was infused with a distinct American influence, the kind that was expertly displayed on that was ‘Carrie Anne’, which is probably the greatest song that Strangeways never recorded.
But that’s just one song nestling amidst a myriad fantastic material, all of which the band delivers with aplomb.
In the pages of “Kerrang!” Derek Oliver purred that STRATEGY could be a neat alternative to the likes of FM and Journey, and he was right! In the hands of a major label this band could have challenged Dare, FM, Tobruk and the likes with ease. Whilst several labels sniffed around the band they ultimately fell foul of the musical climate of the late Eighties, early Nineties.
Whether it was with the rough-hewn vocal delivery of the marvelous Rich Malcolmson, or the high end register of Yvonne Morrison, STRATEGY delivered some of the greatest British AOR of the late Eighties. And when you consider that Ray Wilson (Stiltskin, Genesis) isn’t the best singer on this collection, I think that says volumes about Malcolmson and Morrison.
Quite how they never got signed will be eternally one of life’s great mysteries.
You’ve seen it first at 0dayrox
01 – Heart Body And Soul (1987)
02 – Moth To The Flame (1988)
03 – Homeward Bound (1988)
04 – Carrie Anne (1989)
05 – Cry Wolf (1989)
06 – One More Lie (1989)
07 – Secrets (1990)
08 – Floodtide (1990)
09 – As Sure As Fate (1990)
10 – It Must Be Love (1990)
Ray Wilson – vocals
Richard Malcomson – vocals, drums
Yvonne Morrison – vocals
Paul Rogers – guitar, backing vocals
Glen Ketchen – bass, backing vocals
Adam Kopystinski – keyboards
BUY
www.noremorse.gr/products/strategy-secrets-lost-uk-jewels-vol25-ltd-500-remastered-cd
