DREAMS – Dreams [Bad Reputation 2-CD remastered] (2023) *HQ*

DREAMS was founded by keyboarder Todd Loizzo and some of his like-minded high school friends halfway the ’80s influenced by the AOR / FM rock music style from the era.
Between 1990-91 Dreams recorded many of the songs they had written in the period 1988-1991 and record labels we interested, however with the rock music business already changing things were delayed and these tracks remained unreleased for decades. The sadly now defunct AOR Heaven Records finally released “Dreams” on CD for our delight in 2013 though their AOR Heaven Classix series.
This item was out of print very quickly but now 2023 thanks to Bad Reputation Records “Dreams” not only is available again, but also with a bonus disc of previously unreleased songs, and a fresh, new cover artwork done by the famous Mark Wilkinson (Marillion, Fish, Iron Maiden, Koritni, The Darkness).
And yes, this is pure classy AOR stuff.

Having a father who was first lead vocalist of American Breed and then owner of a recording studio, it was written in the stars that Todd Loizzo would start a band of his own. Within a year, DREAMS not only played in and around Chicago, but at many colleges throughout the state of Illinois.

This way they built a sizeable following, which was enough for local label Broker Records to sign them. Strangely enough though, Broker only released the stuff the guys had written/recorded on cassette, at the time a popular format in the States, because a lot of Americans used to listen to music on the road.
Several thousand cassette tapes were sold and the band went out to play at some of L.A.’s clubs located in the infamous Sunset Strip.

Sadly enough: when they started showcasing for various records labels, Nirvana and the likes began to take over the market and not a single record company was interested in DREAMS anymore.
But because they still had that local following, the band went on until halfway the ’90s before they really knew that there was no future for them. Unbelievable, because what you will listening is of such a huge quality!
If this material have been released hallway the ’80s, DREAMS would have been a mega act.

This reissue / remaster is great, as the original master tapes obviously sound very good. What we have here is a pure late ’80s American Melodic Rock / AOR bliss with catchy choruses and a crisp sound. DREAMS style reminds you instantly of early NIGHT RANGER, LOVERBOY, REO SPEEDWAGON, SIGNAL, etc.

The album has something for everyone: great AOR tunes such as “The Fear Of Being Alone” or “Does It Feel Like If You Want It To”, two soaring ballads in “Always There For You” and “ Lovin’ You Ain’t Enough”, and good time melodic rockers in “Livin’ In Another World” and “Coming Down On Me”. These are too good that deserve to be heard by any fan of the genre.
The bonus disc also features songs written / recorded back in the day, and some more recent – however all retaining that late Eighties AOR / melodic rock sound & style.
In short: brash, big choruses, killer synths and over the top guitar playing in a typical ’80s fashion.
HIGHLY Recommended

CD 1
01 – Drive You Crazy
02 – The Fear Of Being Alone
03 – (Does It Feel) Like You Want It To
04 – Do You Feel For Me
05 – Livin’ In Another World
06 – Feels Like I’m In Love
07 – Run
08 – Always There For You
09 – Coming Down On Me
10 – Something I Need
11 – Lovin’ You Ain’t Enough

CD 2
01 – Pickin’ Up The Pieces
02 – Back With You
03 – Tell Me
04 – Feels Like I’m In Love
05 – Doin’ It My Way
06 – Summer Nights
07 – Should ‘ve Known From The Start
08 – Don’t Want To Fall In Love
09 – When I’m With You
10 – Livin’ In Another World

Linas Kastys – lead vocals
Paul Smith – guitars
Todd Loizzo – keyboards
John Oskorep – bass, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Dave Batastini – drums, backing vocals

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