Le Roux - Addicted

BATON ROUGE ISN'T exactly the first port of call when talking AOR. The area is primarily known for cajun and zydeco music, so it may surprise you to know that early 80s melodic rockers Le Roux and Toto both had their roots in Louisiana. Toto's lead vocalist Bobby Kimball was born and raised there and, coincidently, had sung in an early formation of Le Roux before departing for the west coast. Originally going under the rather cumbersome handle of Louisiana's Le Roux, the band cut two exploratory albums, very much in the style that you might expect any band to have sounded like coming from that region. However, by their classic 'Up' album their style had changed radically. Taking its cue from the great melodic rock bands of the day, such as Journey, Foreigner and Styx, the album showcased a keen love of melodic hard rock. Originally issued in 1982, 'Last Safe Place', produced in-house by bassist Leon Medica, took the template and moved it one stage closer towards AOR nirvana. Recorded for their new label RCA, the album satisfied on a number of levels, and is packed out with sophisticated, memorable songs, and killer hooks. Indeed, the track 'Nobody Said It Was Easy' became something of a hit, reaching #18 on the Billboard charts and establishing the band as supreme contenders for the AOR crown. 24-bit remastering from original source tapes, 3,500 word essay about the making of the album, new interview and enhanced artwork as all spread out over a 12 page full colour booklet. TRACK LISTING: 1. ADDICTED 2. IT DOESN'T MATTER 3. NOBODY SAID IT WAS EASY 4. THE LAST SAFE PLACE ON EARTH 5. INSPIRATION 6. YOU KNOW HOW THOSE BOYS ARE 7. MIDNIGHT SUMMER DREAM 8. ROCK 'N' ROLL WOMAN 9. LONG DISTANCE LOVER 10. MAKE BELIEVE Purchase here: http://www.rockcandyrecords.com