‘Daily Battle’ would prove to be a much underrated and under-appreciated album for 1st Avenue during 1994.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: 1st Avenue
ALBUM: Daily Battle
LABEL: CNR
SERIAL: 2001092
YEAR: 1994
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Netherlands
LINEUP: Peter Strykes – vocals * Gil Lopez – guitars * Chris Allister – keyboards * Arko Bommer – bass * Nop Ton – drums
Additional Musician: Okkie Huysdens – backing vocals, production
TRACK LISTING: 01 Feel Love * 02 I Still Believe In You * 03 Ready For You * 04 Over And Done * 05 Maybe Tomorrow Never Comes * 06 Time After Time * 07 Don’t Disappear On Me * 08 Can’t Take My Heart Away * 09 Call Me * 10 A Party
Background
1st Avenue were a Dutch phenomenon back in the late 80’s. With keyboard god Robby Valentine part of the band during their early days, they nearly keeled over when he departed the band for fellow Dutchies Zinatra and then onward to a solo career.
1st Avenue for their part didn’t roll over, even if some of their material was co-written by Valentine. They bought in a new keyboard player Joby Bosboom, and forged onto a quite sensational debut album ‘Tears And Triumph’. With ex Vandenberg voice Peter Strykes leading the way, that album got a lot of airplay from me during 1992, even though it didn’t set the media on fire.
Hardened AOR fans embraced the album wholeheartedly, but 1st Avenue disappeared off the map for two years, reappearing again in 1994 with ‘Daily Battle’. Gone from the lineup was Bosboom, replaced by Chris Allister, who had spent time with melodic rockers Allied Forces (the Dutch version) during the mid 80’s.
There’s no slackening off with the bombastic approach from that first album, some terrific songs on offer, though I will admit that pompness has made way for more of a hard rock edge on some songs, but not all. Okkie Huysdens (The President, Limousine, Rainbow Train etc) adds backing vocals to his overall production duties.
The Songs
Picking up from ‘Tears And Triumph’ as if it were 1992, ‘Feel Love’ is a perfect reminder of the pomp bombast that pervaded that album. It also introduces the ivory skills of Chris Allister who steps in as the pinch hitter for this track.
Strangely, the band resort to a ballad on only the second song. It’s a cover too, ‘I Still Believe In You’ by country music legend Vince Gill, who is no stranger to this website thanks to his tenure with the Pure Prairie League. The ballad is thoroughly melodic but probably should’ve been pushed down the running track order.
Next up is ‘Ready For You’ is dominated by a great chorus but the album’s coup-de-grace is the utterly fantastic ‘Over And Done (Between Us)’ which has been a personal favourite of mine for years. Perhaps one of 1st Avenue’s finest recorded songs? ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ is the second ballad, a forlorn expression of lament for the children of the future and the world they face.
‘Time After Time’ is my next favourite track, a hard charging rocker full of pumping bass lines, fluffy keyboard lines and muscular vocals. ‘Don’t Disappear On Me’ takes on a Treat like stance a la their ‘Organized Crime’ period, before we switch back to the third of the ballads ‘Can’t Take My Heart Away’ which for me is the weakest of the three.
‘Call Me’ fascinates with its intricate and sometime complex arrangement whilst keeping the melodic elements to the forefront, with Allister’s boisterous keyboards and stinging guitars from Gil Lopez keeping things interesting. Despite the song-title, ‘A Party’ is not as throwaway as one would think, 1st Avenue changing tack slightly though, presenting a fun time romp albeit with a cliched chorus, not the worst track I’ve ever heard.
In Summary
‘Daily Battle’ would prove to be a much underrated and under-appreciated album for 1st Avenue during 1994. The Japanese didn’t think so, as Zero Corporation reissued it for the Japan market later that year. Unfortunately, this would be the final 1st Avenue album, but some of the personnel moved onto other projects within the Netherlands. Both of their albums are pretty easy to get hold of in the second hand market.
1st Avenue on Video
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