{"id":1071,"date":"2011-09-08T15:16:46","date_gmt":"2011-09-08T05:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=1071"},"modified":"2011-09-09T15:38:38","modified_gmt":"2011-09-09T05:38:38","slug":"pseudo-echo-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2011\/09\/pseudo-echo-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Pseudo Echo – Race"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Formed in 1982 in Melbourne Australia, over a career spanning just 3 albums Pseudo Echo certainly left their mark in so many ways. \u00a0Following the release of debut album Autumnal Park<\/em> in 1984, they were regarded as one of Australia\u2019s hottest bands alongside INXS. \u00a0Their new wave synth pop sound channelled the likes of Duran Duran and Ultravox and the singles Listening, Beat For You, Stranger In Me<\/em>\u00a0and Dancing Till Midnight<\/em>\u00a0gave the band a string of hit singles. The song His Eyes<\/em>\u00a0which was featured in the horror movie \u201cFriday The 13th – A New Beginning\u201d gave them some initial international exposure. With several lineup changes leading into release of 2nd album Love An Adventure<\/em>, the bands sound turned into a more poppy, upbeat vibe with the introduction of a slight rock edge. Their remake of the 70\u2019s dance hit Funky Town<\/em> reached Top 10 in the USA, UK, Canada and Top 20 in Germany and the likes of the title track, Don\u2019t Go<\/em> and Living In A Dream<\/em> dominated the Australia scene.<\/p>\n

With the late 80\u2019s resulting in a changing musical landscape to one dominated by big hair, equally big guitars and hard rock, 1988 saw the band release Race<\/em> which mirrored the music landscape at the time. While the album no doubt alienated the majority of the bands fanbase, it equally attracted a new breed of rock loving fans. For lovers of keyboard dominated melodic rock, this album is one of those highly regarded underground classics, not just in Australia, but worldwide.<\/p>\n

The opening tracks, being both singles, Fooled Again<\/em> and Over Tomorrow<\/em> are bona fide rock anthems laden with keys. About the only thing constant in comparison to the bands previous releases are lot\u2019s of keyboards and some killer songwriting! Speaking of keyboards…check the video for Over Tomorrow<\/em>\u00a0below for some awesome KEYTAR action courtesy of James Leigh! Caught<\/em> and Don\u2019t You Forget<\/em>, are killer pop oriented songs and highlight the band\u2019s irrepressible knack for crafting an infectious melody and keyboard hookline\/riff. \u00a0Whilst Imagination<\/em> is pure unadulterated AOR that will have you cranking out some air keytar without question….not to understate the awesome guitar solo from Brian Canham on this track.<\/p>\n

For the new wave loving Echo fans, hearing songs like Runaways<\/em> and Eye Of The Storm<\/em> with their thundering guitar riffs must have been like listening to Slayer to their ears! But for those of us who were living on a diet of Van Halen, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi et.al at the time, this was heavenly to our ears. With the album did not surprisingly receive an abundance of critical or commercial acclaim, the band did however win the \u201cYamaha World Popular Song Contest\u201d with the track Take On The World<\/em>, whatever that award means exactly I am not sure, but it sounds impressive.<\/p>\n

The band disbanded not long after the release of Race<\/em>, however none of the members have been lost in the wilderness never to be seen or heard of again. The \u2018Leigh\u2019 brothers resurface some years later with firstly Vertigo with the song Forever Lately<\/em> and then along with a change in singer they became Invertigo achieving some decent chart success in Australia with the pop rock explosion of Desentized<\/em> and Chances Are<\/em>. Brian Canham on the other hand has been more than busy in the capacity of songwriter and producer with much of his work being heard all over Australian radio and TV.<\/p>\n

For any Australian fan of Pseudo Echo, maybe you have been fortunate enough to catch them performing live (with the lineup of Canham, Leigh, Leigh & Pierre Pierre) over the last 18 months or so? If you are lucky you may hear a short interlude in their set which features Over Tomorrow<\/em>, but largely the set is made up of the classics and greatest hits. \u00a0Which incidentally have stood the test of time I might add in their slightly more rocked up live versions circa 2011. \u00a0But even more glorious….their set features KEYTAR action and lot\u2019s of it! \u00a0The music world can never have enough keytar or cowbell in my book!<\/p>\n

So there you have it, Pseudo Echo’s Race <\/em>certainly an underground classic and for me personally, one of my favourite ever Australian releases.<\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/span><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong> Melbourne, Australia<\/p>\n

Release date: <\/strong>1989, now available on iTunes<\/p>\n

Record label: <\/strong>Interpol Records<\/p>\n

Website:\u00a0<\/strong>http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pseudoecho<\/a><\/p>\n

Track listing:<\/strong>
\n1. Fooled Again
\n2. Over Tomorrow
\n3. Caught
\n4. Imagination
\n5. Don’t You Forget
\n6. Runaways
\n7. Searching for a Glory
\n8.Take On The World
\n9. Metropolis
\n10. Eye Of The Storm<\/p>\n\n

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