Pablo Cruise are featured here at Glory Daze extensively, but ‘Part Of The Game’ is an album I feel deserves a little bit of space on the website also.
Written by: Dangerzone
ARTIST: Pablo Cruise
ALBUM: Part Of The Game
LABEL: A&M
SERIAL: SP-3712
YEAR: 1979
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: David Jenkins – vocals, guitars * Bruce Day – bass * Cory Lerios – keyboards * Steve Price – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Part Of The Game * 02 I Want You Tonight * 03 When Love Is At Your Door * 04 Givin’ It Away * 05 Tell Me That You Love Me * 06 Lonely Nights * 07 How Many Tears * 08 For Another Town
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
Pablo Cruise are featured here at Glory Daze extensively, but ‘Part Of The Game’ is an album I feel deserves a little bit of space on the website also. The band had acheived significant success with 1978’s ‘World’s Away’, with their smooth and relaxed form of AOR but a year later they seemed to be moving into a more serious direction, with less lyrics about lazing around in tropical environments and concentrating on usual AOR themes like love gone wrong et al.
This may have had an effect on record buyers as this was far less successful than its two predecessors. This is one of the most consistent albums many are likely to hear, and an above average foray into late 70’s AOR, containing ‘I Want You Tonight’ a marginal hit.
The Songs
Huge riffs and keyboard fills dominate the superb title track, an AOR classic, probably as melodic as one could find from 1979. The harmonies are in full swing vocally, and this is polished beyond compare. Funky bass forms the basis for the catchy ‘I Want You Tonight’, a premier slab of disco-AOR with a simple but unforgettable hook. The keyboards in this one are impeccable.
‘When Love is At Your Door’ would have been a natural fit on ‘World’s Away’, with the funked up bass again pre-dominant and a typically upbeat chorus. Things get moody and serious on another AOR feast, ‘Givin’ it Away’, with a ton of great chord changes and guitar work. The pleasant ‘Tell Me That You Love Me’ veers from soft to bombastic and those stabbing keyboards are glorious.
Jenkins flexes his vocal muscle on the heavy handed ‘Lonely Nights’, a sobering tale of lost love on the run, but scoring massively with backing vocals that shame just about anybody in 1979. Things just get better with the dramatic ‘How Many Tears’, brooding with melody and tension, this is what AOR is all about, believe me. ‘For Another Town’ is a positive ender, soft yet passionate and again a melodic treat.
In Summary
Sublime to any AOR fan, this is one to own. The band soldiered on until 1983 before splitting, but left behind an impressive legacy, one the band is still touring on today. This is timeless music and an engaging listen all these years and many repeat playings later.
Pablo Cruise on Video
Click to go to YTM album page.
