LUBA – Secrets And Sins (1984) [rare CD version / U.S. mix], MP3+FLAC

After the post of the first album by Canadian outfit LUBA, one of you asked for the band’s front-woman Luba (born Lubomyra Kowalchyk) first solo record, 1984’s ”Secrets And Sins”. This is the very rare limited CD edition released by EMI Music Canada Special Markets. The album never has been reissued since.

After the first album as LUBA (the band), in 1982 Capitol-EMI signed the group but the label asked for the singer as the solo artist ‘LUBA‘, and the remaining members serving as her backup band. All agreed and Luba recorded a mini-LP the same year. The EP included future producer Pierre Marchand on keyboards and containing a Montreal area hit with the song “Every Time I See Your Picture I Cry”.
With touring and radio play, Capitol were encouraged enough to have LUBA follow-up with a full-length album called ”Secrets And Sins” produced by Daniel Lanois (U2, Peter Gabriel) in October 1983. But Capitol Records U.S. office was a little nervous about a world release with a mere Canadian at the controls so they ordered the album be remixed by Jim Boyer (Billy Joel, Dragon / Hunter) in New York.

”Secrets And Sins” was finally released in Spring of 1984 spawning a re-release / inclusion of “Every Time I See Your Picture I Cry” and legitimate single / video hits with “Let It Go” and “Storm Before The Calm”. The album would help Luba win a Juno in 1985 for ‘Best Female Vocalist’.
”Secrets And Sins” is pure mid-80s pop-rock with a couple of standout tracks in the title track, and “Every Time I See Your Picture I Cry”, a powerful ballad in the vein of Fiona Flanagan, Wendy James (Transsion Vamp) and even Vixen.
“Young Guns” has a good new wave punch and that cutting guitars – not much to say about the others tracks, some are too much poppy. However Luba’s vocals are so good that the entire album is easily listenable.
Rare

01 – Secrets And Sins
02 – Every Time I See Your Picture I Cry
03 – Let It Go (European Single Version)
04 – Sacrificial Heart
05 – Still The Voices
06 – Young Guns
07 – One With You
08 – Private Wars
09 – Storm Before The Calm (Video Mix)
10 – Resurrect The Love

Luba – lead and backing vocals
Peter Marunzak – drums, percussion
Michael Bell – bass, backing vocals
Mark Lyman – guitars, backing vocals
Pierre Marchand – keyboards, backing vocals
Dick Smith, Daniel Lanois – additional percussion
Shawne Jackson, Sharon Lee Williams – additional backing vocals

MP3 FLAC