Stan Bush’s 1996 effort ‘The Child Within’ is less of a heavy rock album, and is more in keeping with the likes of Brett Walker, Tim Feehan and Alias.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Stan Bush
ALBUM: The Child Within
LABEL: Vivian/BMG
SERIAL: 74321 40544 2
YEAR: 1996
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Stan Bush – vocals, guitars * Don Kirkpatrick – guitars * Curt Cuomo – keyboards * Don Schiff – bass * Gregg Bissonette – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Never Wanted To Fall * 02 Higher Than Angels * 03 The Price Of Love * 04 Say A Little Prayer * 05 Till I Was Loved By You * 06 The Child Within * 07 If We Ever * 08 Always * 09 You Never Know * 10 Capture The Dream * 11 Everybody Needs A Hero
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
As always we are guaranteed a top notch release from AOR demi-god Stan Bush. Released amid a flurry of albums during this timeframe, and following a period of being out in the wilderness without a contract after the awesome Stan Bush And Barrage album from 1987.
During the early 90’s, there were many Stan Bush demo’s in circulation, some of which surfaced later. He also put out a couple of albums on UK labels, including ‘Every Beat Of My Heart’ and ‘Dial 818-888-8638’. It surely highlighted the busy nature of this man’s output regardless of status.
‘The Child Within’ is less of a heavy rock album, and is more in keeping with the likes of Brett Walker, Tim Feehan and Alias – playing a style of the classiest melodic AOR out there. It definitely has a lighter feel about it, and is commercial and radio playable, though perhaps in 1996, is an album slightly out of phase with what the rest of the world was playing and listening to.
However, you cannot deny class when it hits you in the eye (or ear for that matter). Apart from the guys listed above, Stan assembles a class team of guests, namely Danny Jacob (Signal), Marc Ferrari (Keel, Cold Sweat), Paul Taylor (Winger) and AOR queen Robin Beck. Wow! And the results tell.
The Songs
The jangly guitar a la Brett Walker from his Person To Person demos kick in on ‘Never Wanted To Fall’ followed by ‘Higher Than Angels’, a contender for a latter day Chicago album. ‘The Price Of Love’ has a great chorus similar to Lou Gramm‘s ‘Just Between You And Me’ while the guitar line is Signal‘s ‘You Won’t See Me Cry’ to a tee.
‘Say A Little Prayer’ is smooth radio oriented AOR then all the big guns come out to play on the Emmy Award winning single ‘Til I Was Loved By You’ with Danny Jacobs blazing away on guitar and Robin Beck adding her vocal prowess. The other major highlight is the very John Parr sounding ‘Capture The Dream’, a song featured at the 1996 Olympics. ‘If We Ever’ has a mid-west feel to it, while the tracks ‘Always’ and ‘Everybody Needs A Hero’ move into ballad territory.
In Summary
A different side to Stan Bush’s musical repertoire, and a thoroughly pleasant workout it is.
Stan Bush Video
Entire Album (Select Tracks)
