As requested, here’s one of the most beloved Melodic Rock / AOR bands from the 70s / 80s: CHARLIE. The London, England band released a string of wonderful albums during the second half of the Seventies, and at the dawn of the next decade they embraced a more mainstream ‘Americanized sound’.
CHARLIE 1983’s self-titled album “Charlie” featured the hit single ”It’s Inevitable”, however, the LP failed to replicate this success – Polydor / Mirage didn’t properly promoted the album – leading to the band’s dissolution.
But CHARLIE still had a contractual obligation with the record label, and as songwriter / guitarist Terry Thomas was working on a solo album, both parts decided to put out the recordings under the CHARLIE banner.
Released in 1986, entitled “In Pursuit Of Romance“, this was the last CHARLIE record to come out from their decade long run in the ’70s and ’80s. This is in fact a Terry Thomas solo album, helped by some competent session musicians.
According to the era, “In Pursuit Of Romance” is utterly ‘1986’, with easy melodies, radio friendly choruses and an overall ‘soundtrack feeling’. Any of these songs coud have ended into any movie from the era, from lyrics to sound.
As requested, here’s the very good Canadian remastered CD reissue done by Unidisc Music in a gatefold card-sleeve wallet. There’s other reissue by Renaissance Records but the sound quality is pretty poor. This Unidisc remaster is the real deal.
Pure Eighties stuff!
01 – The Kings of the World
02 – Swimming in a Secret Sea
03 – One More Day
04 – Missing a Hearbeat
05 – Take It or Leave It
06 – In Pursuit of Romance
07 – Don’t Stand in My Way
08 – Everything’s Safer Than Love
09 – Hang on to Your Dreams
Terry Thomas – vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming
Felix Krish – bass, bass synth, keyboards, backing vocals
Richard Trix Cottie – keyboards, sax
Graham Broad – drums
Linda Thomas – backing vocals
CHARLIE – In Pursuit Of Romance ’86 [Canadian CD reissue remastered] (2021), MP3+FLAC
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