YA YA – Scarred (1984) [CD reissue CDSCT 26082] *HQ*

Guitarist Ray Calcutt is back with new band WHITE SKIES which 2022 debut album was featured here some weeks ago, one of the best AOR albums of the year. He was part as well of British AORsters YA YA (or YaYa) releasing a couple of great albums back the ’80s.
YA YA’s second album got a remastering treatment, but the band’s debut 1984’s “Scarred” never has been released on CD. Many of you asked for good vinyl LP rip of “Scarred”… but there’s a CD version of the album, unofficial but very well done, silver pressed and with the best sound quality you can find of this criminally forgotten AOR platter.
This first YA YA incarnation included vocalist Lea Hart, who later would join Fast Eddie Clarke’s Fastway for their late ’80s record ‘On Target’.
“Scarred” delivered a synth-laden Melodic Rock/AOR sound from the mid-Eighties, with two tracks taken for the “Revenge Of The Nerds” movie soundtrack, giving a pretty good idea of the general style on the album: commercial ’80s stuff with cool melodies.

The album opens with the ridiculously catchy ‘Don’t Talk’, which has an infectious backbeat and a mindlessly spirited chorus. It’s pure ’80s.
If you enjoy this kind of fluffy AOR and sweet melodic rock, it’s hard to isolate highlight songs when the entire album is such a delicious piece of melodic fun stuff, but the second track – ‘She Don’t Wanna Know’ – stands out as a genuinely funky little poppy catchy tune.

‘Talk To Me’ synth vibes mesh fabulously with that weepy, mainstream rock guitar in the chorus, and the solo’s a riot. ‘Cut Me Up’ deliver more poppy AORish sounds that wouldn’t have been out of place into Miami Vice soundtrack. Then, if you’re fan of the era, ‘Dead Lovers’ is just plain good, come on.
The pumping ‘Are You Ready’ has everything AOR fans wants from the genre, while ‘We’ve Only Tonight’ even adds a little Hi-Tech to the proceedings.

“Scarred” is a different album than YA YA’s second ‘II’, which featured a different singer and a more ‘elegant’ classy AOR sound. “Scarred” is all about mid-Eighties fun, popcorn, movie soundtrack / radio friendly AOR style, with pop-rock, Hi Tech elements and at places, light hard rock guitar work.
Cheesy? Give me some more cheese please.
Highly Recommended

01. Don’t Talk
02. She Don’t Wanna Know
03. We’ve Only Tonight
04. Those Eyes
05. Dead Lovers
06. Stop… Breaking Me Up
07. Just Go
08. Talk To Me
09. Cut Me Up
10. Are You Ready

Lea Hart – Lead Vocals, Guitars
Ray Callcut – Guitars
Terry Stevens – Bass
Graham Garrett – Drums
Guests:
Nick Coler – Keyboards
Andy Flashman – Keyboards
Rob Adams – Drums
Jeff Peters – Bass

Try here:
azintex-music.com/rock-metal/ya-ya-scarred-1984/