A popular band here at GDM among the writing staff is L.A outfit Ambrosia. Starting out from Progressive beginnings, the band gradually found their niche playing a blend of soft rock and AOR.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Ambrosia
ALBUM: One Eighty
LABEL: Warner Bros
SERIAL: BSK 3368
YEAR: 1980
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: David Pack – vocals, guitars * Joe Puerta – bass, vocals * Burleigh Drummond – drums, percussion, vocals * Christopher North – organ, chamberlin, clavinet, mini-Moog * David Cutler Lewis – rhodes, piano, prophet * Royce Jones – vocals, percussion
TRACK LISTING: 01 Ready * 02 Shape I’m In * 03 Kamikaze * 04 You’re The Only Woman * 05 Rock ‘n’ A Hard Place * 06 Livin’ On My Own * 07 Cryin In The Rain * 08 No Big Deal * 09 Biggest Part Of Me
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
A popular band here at GDM among the writing staff is L.A outfit Ambrosia. Starting out from Progressive beginnings, the band gradually found their niche playing a blend of soft rock and AOR similar to the likes of the Doobie Brothers, Firefall, and Pablo Cruise, to name but a few.
The band were blessed to have a singer such as David Pack, one of my all time favourites, and a hugely talented bassist in Joe Puerta (who went on to join Bruce Hornsby and the Range). Many of their songs are staples on classic rock radio today. ‘How Much I Feel’ is the obvious one, plus a few from this excellent 1980 effort ‘One Eighty’.
Having two keyboardists always helps, and with David Cutler Lewis and Christopher North onboard, they both fill out the sound. However the bands major asset is that all the members can sing well. Therefore lead and harmony vocals are superb.
The Songs
The album takes on a harder edge with the fiery opener ‘Ready’. What hasn’t been lost are the superb harmony vocals, evident all the way throughout. ‘Royce Jones take the lead vocal on ‘Shape I’m In’, another fantastic tune. Listen out for the brief keyboard solo through the middle. Very cool.
Joe handles the lead on the exotic ‘Kamikaze’, a progressive sounding outing which over-extends the rest of the material. One of the bands biggest hits is the memorable ‘You’re The Only Woman’. Perhaps an example of perfect radio rock. It still sounds beautiful today.
Hard-edged AOR appears on ‘Rock ‘N A Hard Place’ though the next track is the album highlight for me. And that track is ‘Living On My Own’, which contains smooth bass lines and silky smooth vocals from David Pack. The keyboards round this song out brilliantly, while the mid-section sends shivers down my spine everytime I hear it.
The melodrama of ‘Crying In The Rain’ is executed with musical precision, and the fact that they put one of their best tunes till last on the album ‘Biggest Part Of Me’ still remains a mystery. The quality of this album, thankfully doesn’t. Excellent all the way to the end.
In Summary
Among all of Ambrosia’s efforts,’One Eighty’ is the pick of the bunch for me, with ‘Life Beyond L.A’ a close second. The others are all good too, but it captures the band at different moments of their career. I feel that during the 1975-1980 period, Ambrosia were at their peak. An easy album to pick up, go to it, you will not be disappointed.
Ambrosia on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
