Morningstar (USA)

[Horex]

Morningstar - Morningstar (1978) (Rock Candy Remastered 2018)













Year : 1978 (Rock Candy Remastered 2018)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , AOR
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 94 mb

Bio:

Morningstar first formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 1969.Their line-went through many changes over the years.Their recording contract with Columbia/CBS in 1978 produced two albums. The band seemed willing to play for anyone, anywhere. They opened for other bands and headlined some venues. In the late 70s disco was going strong and punk rock had just started to change the musical landscape.Record companies were dropping acts, so after two albums Morningstar and Columbia/CBS parted ways. Without funds to go any further, Morningstar disbanded.

Album:

MORNINGSTAR is one of those Pomp AOR bands that acquired cult status over the years, and it was time for their two celebrated albums to be reissued / remastered. Specialists Rock Candy Records just did it, this self-titled debut “Morningstar” including 2 bonus tracks.There was a time during the late ’70s when the American music business was releasing an incredible volume of classy rock bands; a seemingly never-ending succession of groups that drank from the same golden goblet as Boston, Styx and Journey. And that style wasn’t the only touchstone, as British progressive rock also played a major part in many a US band’s sound.Morningstar were no exception to that rule.Formed in Kansas during the early 70s, the band became a formidable live draw and soon attracted the attention of Columbia records who happily signed them.Recorded in Nashville, their debut album is a fitting period piece, illiciting comparisons to similar sounding mid-west champions such as Roadmaster, Trillion and Starcastle; all groups with a penchant for melody who displayed respect for classy arrangements and impressive musicianship. “Morningstar” also imbibed heavily from the progressive rock world coming from England.Issued in 1978, “Morningstar surprised with its blend of pomp AOR and meaty hard progressive rock, and while made little commercial headway, the band became regarded as a band to watch.With their hard driving edge and progressive flourishes several tracks standout, such as the pounding ‘Turn Out All The Lights’, or the epic six minute ‘Through The Night’ which is a veritable stylistic cornucopia of heavy but melodious rock, a proto ’80s AOR tune full of magic.Also ‘Sad Lady’ is a classy pomp rock prima donna blessed with layers of soaring vocals and impressive keyboards; all qualities that continue to impress.Morningstar’s sound on this debut can be compared with another iconic band from the same area; Shooting Star, but also Roadmaster, some Styx, Journey, Angel and alike, yet much more rocking. Indeed, although the songs feature really melodic vocals and lots of pompy keyboards / analog synths, the guitars are pretty prominent.This Rock Candy remaster is warm, quite LP sounding to preserve the analog harmonics, and we like it.

Line-Up:

Rick Bacus – vocals, guitars, keyboards
Jerry Chambers – guitars, vocals
Michael Edmunds – guitars, vocals
Greg Leech – bass
Greg Harris – drums, percussion

Production:

Producer [Produced By] – Marty Lewis, Morningstar
Remastered By – Andy Pearce

Tracklist:

01. Shotgun Romance
02. Premeditated Rendezvous
03. Sunshine (Changin’ of the Season)
04. Through the Night
05. Sweet Georgia Peach
06. Sad Lady
07. Another Rock n’ Roll Show
08. Turn out All the Lights
09. Too Much to Lose
10. Gentlemen of Fortune (Bonus Track)
11. Remember When (Bonus Track)




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/

[Horex]

Morningstar - Venus (1979) (Rock Candy Remastered 2018)













Year : 1979 (Rock Candy Remastered 2018)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock , AOR
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 77 mb

Bio:

Morningstar first formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 1969.Their line-went through many changes over the years.Their recording contract with Columbia/CBS in 1978 produced two albums. The band seemed willing to play for anyone, anywhere. They opened for other bands and headlined some venues. In the late 70s disco was going strong and punk rock had just started to change the musical landscape.Record companies were dropping acts, so after two albums Morningstar and Columbia/CBS parted ways. Without funds to go any further, Morningstar disbanded.

Album:

MORNINGSTAR is one of those Pomp AOR bands that acquired cult status over the years, and it was time for their two celebrated albums to be reissued / remastered. Specialists Rock Candy Records just did it, and “Venus” is the second Morningstar album.As far as major label obscurities go, Kansas City five piece Morningstar must surely rank as one of the most underground of them all. Having issued two albums of period pomp rock, the band barely registered a blip on the radar, but in the UK and Europe some fans of this type of music started to take notice of their records, because a number of import shops were stocking them.It was also helpful to their discovery that the album sleeves seemed to indicate that this was a band that followed in the footsteps of other late Seventies musical champions such as Styx, Kansas and REO Speedwagon.“Venus” was the band’s second album, issued in 1979, on the Columbia label and like their debut, it failed to bother the charts despite the quality of their music.However, to a select few, the band’s penchant for playing in a style later labelled as pomp rock (think Trillion, Roadmaster, Starcastle) gave them an undeniable edge, creating the small but dedicated following; one that would grow in later years with the Internet helping to tap into a scene ripe for reappraisal.Recorded in Louisiana, the album built on their debut but it has a slightly more mainstream approach, best exemplified by the epic, Foreigner-esque vibe of ‘Never Meant To Be’, the poptastic vibe of ‘Rosie’ and the classical pomp rock of ‘Let Me Dream’, with its majestic finale.If it’s a rock power ballad you seek, look no further than ‘Angel’, one of the earliest examples of that style.“Venus” is a much more glossy-produced record than Morningstar’s debut, with that bright sound which was arriving in the early ’80s. Hence, the Rock Candy remaster here is focused in ‘punchy dynamics’.This is a really welcomed remaster / reissue, an album that deserve a proper listening from all AORsters out there.

Line-Up:

Rick Bacus – vocals, guitars, keyboards
Jerry Chambers – guitars, vocals
Michael Edmunds – guitars, vocals
Greg Leech – bass
Greg Harris – drums, percussion

Production:

Producer [Produced By] – Marty Lewis, Morningstar
Remastered By – Andy Pearce

Tracklist:

01. Angel
02. Everybody I Love You
03. Lady Love
04. Rock & Roll Rodeo
05. Never Meant to Be
06. Rosie
07. Gimme Some Lovin’
08. Hard Bargain Driver
09. Let Me Dream




Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/