LITTLE AMERICA – Anthology [MelodicRock Classics Deluxe 2-CD remastered edition] (2022) *HQ*

320_1 /// 320_2 /// HQ

MelodicRock Classics released a 2-disc LITTLE AMERICA career spanning release titled ‘Anthology’. Featuring all the songs from their two acclaimed studio albums, the set also includes a whole range of previously unreleased tracks – several live tracks from the band’s first tour; 3 alt-versions of tracks from the debut, and a handful of unreleased tracks from the band’s second album recording sessions.
The complete Little America recording sessions in one place for the first time.
This four-piece group from Los Angeles cranked out two of the best AOR albums of the Eighties: The self-titled “Little America”, which had the top-ten hit “Walk On Fire”, and their second album, “Fairgrounds”, which also yielded a top-ten track in “Where Were You”.

Signed to Geffen in late 1985, the band began recording in the spring of 1986, and released “Little America” in February of 1987. The immediate success of “Walk on Fire” surprised the label, and Geffen stepped up the promotion on it.
An extensive U.S. tour followed, though sales suffered in some regions of the country because despite many packed houses, there weren’t sufficient (or in some cases, any) product in the stores.

Nevertheless, “Little America” sold nearly 100,000 units. The band was particularly big in the Midwest, and caused quite a stir in Dallas, thanks to Little America’s biggest fan, KTXQ’s Redbeard.
The second album was not to fare as well. Though the material was as strong (the band felt) as the tracks on the first album, things were starting to unravel.

Due to some internal strife at Geffen, the band was dealt a new A&R person, who immediately removed several of the band’s favorite songs from the album (“Caught in the Rain”, “She Moves like Lightning” and “Now and Forever”) and teamed Andy and Mike up with Diane Warren, who penned most of “Where Were You” while Mike and Andy watched. (The guys wrote the bridge).
Morale didn’t exactly hit an all-time high, songwriting being a bit of a vanity point.

“Fairgrounds”, released in Winter 1989, did yield a top-ten hit “Where Were You”, but didn’t sell well, and the band was dropped. RCA quickly showed interest, but Mike decided to leave, wanting to pursue his own musical direction, and the band dissolved.
When Geffen was sold to MCA in the early 90’s, much of the Geffen catalog never got re-released.

As of this writing, neither of Little America’s albums has been in print until this collection, which includes not only the first two albums in their entirety, but bonus material as well.
Highly Recommended

Disc 1
01 – You Were Right
02 – That’s The Way It Stays
03 – Walk On Fire
04 – Perfect World
05 – Lost Along The Way (Original Version)
06 – Lies
07 – Walk The Land
08 – Heroes
09 – Underground
10 – Out Of Bounds
11 – Conversations
12 – Standin’ On Top (Original Version)
13 – You Were Right (Live)
14 – Heroes (Live)
15 – Perfect World (Live)
16 – That’s The Way It Stays (Live)
17 – Walk On Fire (Live)

Disc 2
01 – Do You Feel
02 – Where Were You
03 – The Cast Shadows
04 – Save Me
05 – MaryJane
06 – Never Be Alone
07 – Fairgrounds
08 – I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better
09 – Changing Tune
10 – I See Your Face
11 – It’s Not Me
12 – Walk On Fire (Alternative Version)
13 – Standin’ On Top (Album Version)
14 – Lost Along The Way (Album Version)
15 – We Can Overcome (Previously Unreleased)
16 – Visions Never Ending (Previously Unreleased)
17 – Can’t You See (Previously Unreleased)
18 – Returning (Previously Unreleased)
19 – Caught In The Rain (Previously Unreleased)
20 – Now And Forever (Previously Unreleased)
21 – She Moves Like Lightning (Previously Unreleased)

Mike Magrisi – Lead Vocals, Bass
Andy Logan – Lead And Rhythm Guitars, Lead Vocals
John Hussey – Rhythm And Lead Guitars, Vocals
Kurt Custer – Drums, Percussion, Vocals

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