New England – New England [CD]

Rock Candy Records

£15.12

Format: CD
Catalogue No.: CANDY459
Barcode: 602435764481
Release Date: 03 Feb 2023
Genre: Rock / Metal

Special Deluxe Collector’s Edition / Fully Remastered Audio shaped from 24 BIT digital technology / 6 Bonus Tracks / Includes ‘Hello Hello Hello’, ‘Don’t ever Wanna Lose ya’, ’ Shall I Run Away’ / 12-page full colour booklet – 3,000-word essay, enhanced artwork and new interview with John Fannon. WE AT ROCK CANDY HQ, often hail albums we reissue as forgotten jewels that didn’t achieve the commercial success they deserved. New England’s 1979 self-titled debut album, which critically set the melodic rock world on fire back in the day, is a prime example of this. The album is so impressive, packed with well-defined AOR, that everyone, not just their record label, expected them to take charge of the scene. They had it all; beautiful, fully formed songs and a sound and style that meant business, with a production to die for (from the fingers of veteran producer Mike Stone and KISS man Paul Stanley). And, for a while, it appeared to be working according to plan when the first single from the album ‘Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya’ gained serious traction at US radio. Sadly, it was not to last, despite the band’s unrivalled musical assurance, with a sound that seemed to merge the past with the present. It was as if the Beatles had joined forces with The Cars unleashing a melodic tidal wave, but with enough of their own identity to set them apart from the pack. As the name suggests, the band were formed in Boston, New England, during the late ’70s and were quickly snapped up for management by Bill Aucoin of KISS fame. Signed to the newly formed Infinity label (MCA) the album is packed with explosive tracks such as the aforementioned debut single, ‘P.U.N.K. (Puny Undernourished Kid)’ , ‘Shall I Run Away’ and clarion call ‘Hello, Hello, Hello’, which was the second single. These were songs that allowed frontman John Fannon’s melodic voice to soar - he’s without doubt one of the greatest singers in the AOR sphere.

Track Listing: Hello, Hello, Hello; Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya; P.U.N.K. (Puny Undernourished Kid); Shall I Run Away; Alone Tonight; Nothing To Fear; Shoot; Turn Out The Light; The Last Show; Encore - Bonus Tracks: Hello, Hello, Hello (Live); Shoot (Live); P.U.N.K. (Puny Undernourished Kid) (Live); Shall I Run Away (Live); Nothing To Fear (Live); Don’t Ever Wanna Lose Ya (Live)