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Blanc Faces


T-BONE

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I was just surfing around MelodicRock.com and downloading a shitload of Preview MP3's. I was impressed with a few, turned off by some, but when I started listening to this new band, it went on my Must Have list when it's released July 4th.

 

Check out the previews of Blanc Faces HERE

 

blancfaces.jpg

 

Blanc Faces, headed by the brothers duo, Robbie and Brian La Blanc, are a new and dynamic melodic rock group based in the U.S., (New York and Connecticut area). Their harmonies are unsurpassed and focal to their sound and style. Robbie is lead vocalist and plays rhythm guitar. Brian sings background and plays the bass.

They write, produce and engineer their own music, with the help of a talented team of musicians and artists, including, on this project, Kyle Woodring (Dennis DeYoung/Styx; Survivor; John Mellencamp) on drums, with additional drum tracks by Tony Archer, Jeff Batter on keyboards, and Butch Taylor on lead guitar. The CD is mixed by Dennis Ward (PC 69).

 

Robbie and Brian started their career working with Rupert Holmes, a famous writer, composer, lyricist and arranger. Then went on to record an album in the early 80's, produced by renowned lead singer and organist, Felix Cavaliere from the famous group "Young Rascals". Their video aired on MTV. They have also worked with, and received tremendous praise from legendary producer and arranger, Arif Mardin (Bee Gees; Aretha Franklin; Phil Collins; Hall & Oates; Norah Jones).

 

Throughout their career, they have been involved with various projects including providing background vocals on music involving “Toto” lead singer Bobby Kimball and legendary singer Ronnie Spector.

Robbie also performed live with Toto at a recent concert in 2003. They have recorded original material at Michael Bolton studios and also played guitar and sang background vocals on some of his demo music. They have performed at many well-known venues in NYC and have been on Television, most notably, the original Star Search, back in the 80's. Coincidentally, Joseph Williams, a one-time lead singer for Toto and also a Frontiers' artist was on the very same show. Most recently they opened up for Grammy winners, The Blind Boys of Alabama.

 

If you are a fan of Journey, Foreigner and Survivor, you will love this recording!

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Hey T-Bone.Blanc Faces has been heavily touted over here.Me and a few others have had it on pre-order for what seems ages.It is out in the U.K. on July 4th.Looking forward to it !!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey T-Bone (Sorry, it feels like hours have passed since I first opened your post, delerious with joy as I peered at the left hand side of my screen) but I must agree!

 

I got a package from AOR Heaven the other day and it contained a sample disc of this Blanc Faces stuff. On other sites I'd seen it compared to Mecca and Pride of Lions etc. and to each their own but I'm not a big fan of these two, and I thought to myself 'Oh yeah, another toss-bag album for AOR fans to blindly rave about'. I had no intention of buying the thing, but I put the CD in the player as I cooked up some dinner for my lady and Whooooooooshka! My balls were pressed against the window, my eyeballs rolling around the sink, my ears raised to the roof in a blissful air of grace... what can I say? I'm not a huge pure AOR fan, but this just sounds awesome. I can't wait to get the disc now!

 

Interesting story, hey?

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got my copy of Blanc Faces today from NEH Records, and I must say, it's a very very good AOR CD in the vein of Survivor, Journey and Foreigner. The mixing was done by Dennis Ward of Pink Cream 69 and he did a killer job. NEH had the cd to me in no time flat. They are a great source for the best new releases!

 

Get this CD!!!!

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I think it's an excellent album. Loses it's way in the middle a bit, and the songs are a little samey, but the first 2 tracks particularly are killer. The vocals and songwriting are particularly good.

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Holy shit! As I've already noted in several posts this afternoon, I just got this CD last night and listened to it at lunch… and what can I say?! What a piece of melodic rock!

 

Sorry Tim (2), mate don't agree with you about it losing it's way in the middle a bit. I have not enjoyed a CD as much as I did thise one since I first heard Blind Date. As each song played I thought, 'Surely the next will have to falter and this level of quality cannot keep up', but it remains throughout, until the last song, that is. Not a fan of that, but the other 11 are awesome. 'It's a little too late' and 'Where do I go from here' being instant faves due to their heartfelt sentiment. (Sorry Tim (2), both around the middle :) )

 

Anyway, I'll post my much anticipated review shortly, but for now I'll just enjoy what may be the best release of the year thus far. Love it! Sensational vocals too.

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

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The "to buy" list just keeps getting longer (while the money supply doesn't grow at nearly the same rate.)

 

Haha I know that feeling :)

BUT given Wotty's, Geoff's and T-Bone's (nice overview of the band TB) I have had to put stuff on the back burner to check this out.....like food and beer....:angry:

(priorites priorities!!!) Just ordered it this minute....oooooh I'm excited...now I gotta wait a little for the Wig Wam CD :angry:

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The "to buy" list just keeps getting longer (while the money supply doesn't grow at nearly the same rate.)

 

Haha I know that feeling :)

BUT given Wotty's, Geoff's and T-Bone's (nice overview of the band TB) I have had to put stuff on the back burner to check this out.....like food and beer....:angry:

(priorites priorities!!!) Just ordered it this minute....oooooh I'm excited...now I gotta wait a little for the Wig Wam CD :angry:

 

 

Nick

You should have gone for the Wig Wam first mate - A much better album. The Blanc Faces is good, but so far lacks the one killer track I was expecting from it. Have to agree that it does dip in the middle and gets a little samey in places. Worth you hard earned cash though, but I know which of these 2 albums will get more play time!!!

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The "to buy" list just keeps getting longer (while the money supply doesn't grow at nearly the same rate.)

 

Haha I know that feeling :)

BUT given Wotty's, Geoff's and T-Bone's (nice overview of the band TB) I have had to put stuff on the back burner to check this out.....like food and beer....:angry:

(priorites priorities!!!) Just ordered it this minute....oooooh I'm excited...now I gotta wait a little for the Wig Wam CD :angry:

 

 

Nick

You should have gone for the Wig Wam first mate - A much better album. The Blanc Faces is good, but so far lacks the one killer track I was expecting from it. Have to agree that it does dip in the middle and gets a little samey in places. Worth you hard earned cash though, but I know which of these 2 albums will get more play time!!!

 

Hiya Jez,

 

With any luck Wig Wam won't be too long...what with Saga and Journey due plus still haven't got the Kim Mitchell + dvd yet!!!!!

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Hey Tim (2) and Jez,

 

Just a quick one for you two fellas… I've listened to the disc a few times now and just love it and I'd love to know which tracks in the middle you think bring the disc down?

 

This is not a spiteful post or anything, just curious. I can see that 'Staying power' is probably not a fave track, and I'd usually dislike this, but despite it's poor lyrics it's actually a pretty damn cool melodic rocker.

 

But yeah, got to admit I'm a little surprised. I believe Tim (2), our tatses differ, even though we do agree on quite a few discs, and I've seen many posts where you highlight the best songs of the disc and I often agree with a lot of them, uncannily sometimes. Therefore, I'd be very interested to see where we differ here.

 

I can understand our difference, Jez, as I think we have the most opposite musical tastes that any two members on this or any board could have, but I'd be interested anyway to see which the weaker tracks are on this disc as I still enjoy your posts and thoughts.

 

I still love every track except that last one.

 

Thanks for the assistance in ending my curiosity guys.

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

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These same two guys used to be in a band called "FURY". The Blanc Faces stuff sounds fairly similiar to the FURY stuff. I know FURY was from Conn. and their debut recording was produced by Felix Cavaliere also. The FURY songs were catchy with decent vocals and a little bit of a rock edge.

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Not 'I don't take no for an answer' / 'Shouldn't I be lying in your arms' Fury, is it? I might just check this one... but I doubt it. Thanks for the info, will have to try and check this out.

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

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Not 'I don't take no for an answer' / 'Shouldn't I be lying in your arms' Fury, is it? I might just check this one... but I doubt it. Thanks for the info, will have to try and check this out.

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

 

 

No... not the Canadian band FURY listed on the Heavy Harmonies site. The only song I remember from the LeBlanc FURY was called "Keep On Dreaming". Been awhile since I've listed to it. I think it came out in about 1985.

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Hey Tim (2) and Jez,

 

Just a quick one for you two fellas… I've listened to the disc a few times now and just love it and I'd love to know which tracks in the middle you think bring the disc down?

 

This is not a spiteful post or anything, just curious. I can see that 'Staying power' is probably not a fave track, and I'd usually dislike this, but despite it's poor lyrics it's actually a pretty damn cool melodic rocker.

 

But yeah, got to admit I'm a little surprised. I believe Tim (2), our tatses differ, even though we do agree on quite a few discs, and I've seen many posts where you highlight the best songs of the disc and I often agree with a lot of them, uncannily sometimes. Therefore, I'd be very interested to see where we differ here.

 

I can understand our difference, Jez, as I think we have the most opposite musical tastes that any two members on this or any board could have, but I'd be interested anyway to see which the weaker tracks are on this disc as I still enjoy your posts and thoughts.

 

I still love every track except that last one.

 

Thanks for the assistance in ending my curiosity guys.

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

 

 

Hi Geoff

Wouldn't say we have completely opposite tastes, I like stuff from most genres, although AOR/Pomp/ Prog & Suvvvern stuff is my main thing with a particular liking of things from the 70's -80's era especially from the Pompy side (New England, Trillion, Zon, Angel etc). and alot of the Canadian stuff from the 80's - Orphan, Wrabit, Toronto etc

My fave on the Blanc Faces disc is 'We Will Rise' strangely enough, and also I love the first 3 tracks on the Latest Gotthard album, all the ones you don't really like!!. As you know I also love the Hartmann cd (which I know you don't like) and find it ten times more exciting than the BF disc. - exactly the opposite of your good self. Odd how tastes differ.

Of the Blanc Faces disc, I just feel that after about 4-5 tracks my mind starts to wander somewhat and I loose interest until about track 9 kicks in. I find it very formulaic and quite samey (the problem with quite a few albums over the last few years). I just feel generally that it lacks that one real killer song. Don't get me wrong it is a good album and I enjoy the songs on it, It's just another one that sounds exactly like I was expecting it too before I got it and doesn't really throw up any surprises along the way. I like surprises occassionally!!!!

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I agree with Jez 100%. The album is generally one-paced, & it needs maybe a big piano ballad and an acoustic tune or something to break it up. It's very strong up until "It's a Little Too Late" but I switch off for the next few tracks until the last 2. I too love the last track... But it needs a really big ballad, and an absolute killer tune (like "Edge of the World") about track 7 or 8.

 

"Here's To You" is also a strange opener (great song though), should've swapped the first 2 tunes around for the ultimate impact IMO. I tend to program in a few tracks rather than consider it a disc I can listen to from start to finish... But that said, I do think it's a quality CD & am just being ultra picky.

 

Geoff, I think the only times I've ever COMPLETELY disagreed with you is FAIR WARNING - my all-time fave band - but let's not get started on that!! :drink:

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Okay Gentlemen, I guess we'll just have to - as they say in the movies - agree to disagree.

 

It appears that we all agree the first 5 songs are outstanding, and although I agree that 'Staying power' is banal, it's a cool rocker and I must admit I can't agree on the samey aspect. They do the mix of ballad / rocker / ballad / rocker... to the end of the album very well, I feel.

 

As for lacking that one big track, I feel the end of the chorus... 'I won't dream of you...etc' is the most delicious moment on a disc I have heard all year, and I believe that 'Edge of the world', 'It's little too late', 'Beneath this heart' and 'Sorry for the heartache', as well as 'Where do I go from here' are ALL big stand-out tracks... for me anyway :)

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

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Okay Gentlemen, I guess we'll just have to - as they say in the movies - agree to disagree.

 

It appears that we all agree the first 5 songs are outstanding, and although I agree that 'Staying power' is banal, it's a cool rocker and I must admit I can't agree on the samey aspect. They do the mix of ballad / rocker / ballad / rocker... to the end of the album very well, I feel.

 

As for lacking that one big track, I feel the end of the chorus... 'I won't dream of you...etc' is the most delicious moment on a disc I have heard all year, and I believe that 'Edge of the world', 'It's little too late', 'Beneath this heart' and 'Sorry for the heartache', as well as 'Where do I go from here' are ALL big stand-out tracks... for me anyway :)

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

 

Although this thread is dead and buried I feel as though I should mention 'Pray for me' in my list of stand-out tracks. Beautiful song. And I should mention that although 'We will rise' is easily my least favourite track of this disc, I do not hate it. In actual fact it's a lot better than the best tracks by many bands, IMO (eg. I actually prefer this song to anything off the Hartmann disc).

 

In all honesty, there are 4 tracks that have given me chills from this disc - 'It's a little too late', 'Where do I go from here', 'Pray for me' and, I hate to admit it, but the second verse in 'We will rise'. For me, that is amazing. Usually, on a sensational disc there will be one, at the most 2 songs that chill me, but this is some special disc. And that's how I rate my best songs - the level of sincerity. There are obviously three 911 songs on this disc here and 'Where do I go from here' and 'Pray for me' are so beautifully (and equally sadly) written that one cannot help but note with chills… but even in a song I do not really like, they manage to do it with 'We will rise' as well.

 

… and then you have 'It's a little too late', which is just the highest level of songwriting beauty I've seen for a long time.

 

Beautiful stuff. Okay, hopefully that's the last I speak of them for a long time now.

 

Cheers,

 

Geoff

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  • 4 years later...
well after the intial excitement for a new release i thought everyone forgot about it... as the band forgot about it... but no:

http://nehrecords.com/SHOP/BlancFalling.htm

I'm so excited I just ate one of my testicles.

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Well the new song on the Melodicrock compilation disc is good. But it's not as good as I'd hoped, in fact is a little like an outtake from the last album session....

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The new album stuff sounds great (as was their debut under this name). For anyone who likes these guys they should also check out Fury (http://heavyharmonies.com/cgi-bin/glamcd.cgi?BandNum=4530&CDName=Fury) as this was their previous band back in the 80's. They only did the one album under this name (there are loads of other bands called Fury, so don't get confused) and it is a real great slice of Pomp-laden AOR from THE decade.

 

Graham

http://www.freewebs.com/aor4sale/index.htm

 

 

well after the intial excitement for a new release i thought everyone forgot about it... as the band forgot about it... but no:

http://nehrecords.com/SHOP/BlancFalling.htm

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