VAN ZANT – Van Zant (digitally remastered digisleeve)
As requested, here’s one of the greatest AOR albums of all time; VAN ZANT self-titled album in its not easy to find remastered release. Originally appeared in 1985, “Van Zant” packs everything you love about the Eighties.
With its Southern Rock roots but with a commercial melodic approach, The Johnny Van Zant Band recorded three really good albums in the first half of the ’80s. Similar in style to 38 Special with its radio oriented direction, in the mid-Eighties and according to times, Johnny was looking for a more accessible sound, and recorded this album simply released as “Van Zant”.
With “Van Zant”, Johnny and the guys move into the pure ranks of AOR, plenty of melodic catchiness and a pristine, crisp production.
For this matter, Johnny Van Zant looked for outside songwriters specialized in radio-friendly penned songs.
We have the terrific, awesome ‘2+2’, a song from melodic rockers RPM but in the hands of Van Zant transformed into true AOR heaven, the superb ‘I’m A Fighter’ written by Jimi Jamison during his pre Survivor / Cobra years (but never recorded!) and the sweet ‘A Fool Never Learns’, which is an Eddie Schwartz song also covered by Helix.
‘Heart To The Flame’ is another killer tune, later recorded by Jeff Paris in his ‘Wired Up’ album, while ‘You’ve Got To Believe In Love’ is a midtempo AOR wonder co-penned by West Coast AOR genius Bill LaBounty.
But Johnny also delivers some self-written tracks, such as the wonderful, melodic gem of opener ‘Midnight Sensation’, a bluesy melodic rocker with great guitar riffs, superb keyboard lines, smooth verses and a monster catchy chorus.
“Van Zant” is a glorious 10-track gem, a hit after hit, all killer no filler AOR album of the highest order, easily among our Top 50 AOR best of all time.
This is a re-release in a digisleeve package (something similar to a LP sleeve reproduction) available again at AOR Heaven Records store. It features a ’90s remaster, that kind of sound quite similar to vinyl with excellent dynamic range.
A MUST HAVE
01 – Midnight Sensation
02 – She’s Out With a Gun
03 – I’m a Fighter
04 – You’ve Got to Believe In Love
05 – Two Strangers
06 – 2+2
07 – Heart to the Flame
08 – Does a Fool Ever Learn
09 – Right On Time
10 – Lonely Girls
Johnny Van Zant – lead and backing vocals
Robbie Gay – guitar, backing vocals
Erik Lundgren – guitar, backing vocals
Robbie Morris – drums
Danny Clausman – bass
additional musicians:
Rich Head – synclavier
Brian Heatherington – keyboards, synthesizers
Steve McCray – keyboards, synthesizers
Terry Brock – bacing vocals
Try here:
amazon.com/Van-Zant/dp/B0000281E7
