Thursday, May 05, 2011

LISA PRICE - Priceless (1983)

LISA PRICE - Priceless 1983
Requested in "Request & Fill Corner" section...

Lisa Price
is (despite the rumors of her death on many sites) a Toronto, Canada, singer / songwriter.
"Priceless", her one and only(?) recording, is a wonderful miniLP from 1983.
The back-up band is a Canadian true dream team: members of Wrabit, Zappacosta's band, Dalbello, Surrender and more (check personnel).

First track "Can't Hold On Forever" is a pure AOR gem. Penned by Bernie LaBarge (who also play fantastic guitars), this tune has all you may expect from a classy, first half of the eighties song: melody, killer vocal harmonies, superb guitars and ethereal keyboards. Perfect.
"Heartache" has an irresistible (mid) tempo flavor ala earlier Honeymoon Suite, maybe because it's written by future Suite's guitarist Derry Grehan. His guitar work shines as well, and Lisa's performance is deep and emotional.
The highly radiable "Everywhere I Go" reminds me Patty Smyth & Scandal. A commercial and catchy track with guitars and songwriting, again, by LaBarge.

"No One's Business" is a fast paced melodic rocker featuring thrilling hot guitars and a contagious chorus. Great hammond-like keyboards too.
Nils Lofgren's cover "Empty Heart" has a terrific typically '80s arrangements, just listen that monster pulsating bass and compressed drums. Lisa's vocal style here is 'on-the-go'.
"Runaway" features a great riff and an intense vocalization in the vein of Lee Aaron / Pat Benatar. This track has 'that' magic '80s atmosphere impossible to reproduce nowadays.

"Priceless" is an apt title to this miniLP; its value cannot be determined. Defines the eighties female fronted AOR / Melodic Rock like no other.
All tracks are high quality examples of what this genre is all about, perfectly produced by Paul Gross (Triumph, Rush, Saga).
Never released on CD, this file is a great rip from vinyl at maximum quality. It took me some time clean the scratches and noises, now sounds great in my opinion.
If you already got a copy of this beauty, check it, 'cos there's a bad speeded-up rip (above the correct vinyl 33-1/3 rpm) floating the net.
A Must Have.


1 - Can't Hold On Forever
2 - Heartache
3 - Everywhere I Go
4 - No One's Business
5 - Empty Heart
6 - Runaway


Lisa Price: Vocals
Bernie LaBarge (Zwol, Kim Mitchell, Solo): Guitars
Derry Grehan (Honeymoon Suite): Guitars
John Albani (Wrabit, Lee Aaron): Guitars
Ron Garant (Dalbello): Bass
Gerald O'Brien (Wrabit, Surrender): Keyboards
Grant Slater (Zappacosta): Keyboards
Gary McCracken (Wrabit, Lee Aaron, Triumph): Drums
Produced by Paul Gross



LISA PRICE - Priceless

7 Comments:

troynew said...

Sounds absolutely fantastic. Your powers of restoration are so miraculous that you may actually be able to restore my faith in the future of mankind. :oP If you'd been a Magellan member back in '91, their 'Hour Of Restoration' would have lasted 20 minutes tops and they would have had at least 40 minutes to spare for a bountiful picnic in the park (or did I use that joke already?). Muchas gracias once again for the req fill, my learned friend and esteemed colleague. :o)

troynew said...

PS: I still find it most puzzling that a scholar of your impressive vocabulary would have such trouble distinguishing between two of the shortest words in the English language: 'she' and 'he'. A linguistic manifestation of some deep-seated childhood trauma perhaps?
(See your 'priceless' review.)

Camelblue said...

It's a pleasure work on one of your request fills, 'cos there's always a juicy (and funny) reply with your usual poetic imagination ;-P
On the other hand, thanks for your corrections, really. There's no trouble or childhood trauma at all -at least I think so, haha- , just "write 'n' publish", not checking the post later (bad thing).
Do I owe any vinyl restoration to you?
Please let me know or suggest some titles.

SOFIA said...

@Camelblue & Troy
Thanks for your amazing work and suggestion. You guys are both my pride and joy! Honestly.
Troy, pls do suggest more jewels for restoration. I'm sure whatever you'll suggest will be worth Camelblue's efforts of restoring them.

Anonymous said...

Like the sound of this gonna check it out, thanks

troynew said...

@Camelblue:

"Do I owe any vinyl restoration to you?
Please let me know or suggest some titles."

No, I hadn't requested anything else yet. You of course don't owe me a damn thing whereas I owe you a bucketload plus a few extras thrown in just for kicks.
But to answer your question: It's getting increasingly difficult to think of other prime candidates for vinyl to mp3 restoration, cause many have been done already or have gotten/are about to receive a first-time CD release courtesy of reissue labels.
What comes to mind off the top of my head right now are some of those pseudo-cult classic EPs like Avalon (Everyman A King), Meghan, Xeron, Alpha, Frontiers, Peroux, Battlecry, Myron Kline, Luba (1982), Winters Reign, Moritz, ZZYZX and so forth. (Somewhat heavier stuff like Sabu, Ruffians and Impellitteri also falls into that category.) They are certainly deserving of an extreme makeover and should keep you busy for quite a while. :o) PS: I'd also love a cleaned up mp3 copy of Steve Walsh & Vince DiCola's 1989 'Suffer The Children' demo without the annoying tape hiss. Or some of AORHeart's vintage (demo) material for that matter, Rascal and Joy Holden first and foremost.

@Sofia:

"You guys are both my pride and joy! Honestly."

Wow, we just got upgraded to being the human equivalent of a washing up liquid! I couldn't be any prouder if I'd just earned myself a merit badge for needlepoint and other fine embroidery from an obscure overseas chapter of the Boy Scouts of America. :oP

"Troy, pls do suggest more jewels for restoration."

err, I think I just did. Not enough to tide you over?

Vince Garcia said...

Nice work. I read the comments and now I am downloading this play, thanks for uploading it.

Good idea to put the ex-bands of the musicians, I enjoy Triumph.

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