The Streets combination must have tweaked the interest of someone at Atlantic (maybe John Kalodner). It was enough to sign them, and thus the debut album came out during 1983.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Streets
ALBUM: 1st
LABEL: Atlantic
SERIAL: 80117-1
YEAR: 1983
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA
LINEUP: Steve Walsh – vocals, keyboards * Mike Slamer – guitars * Billy Greer – bass, backing vocals * Tim Gehrt – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 If Love Should Go * 02 Move On * 03 One Way Street * 04 Lonely Woman’s Cry * 05 Everything Is Changing * 06 Cold Hearted Woman * 07 So Far Away * 08 Blue Town * 09 Fire
WEBLINKS: Wikipedia Page
Streets Background
The departure of Steve Walsh from the band Kansas during 1981 resulted in two significant events. First there was the change of direction in sound and personnel for his old mob. Secondly there was a change in fortune for Steve with his new band Streets.
By going it alone and creating a band that would allow him some license to express himself musically, Steve Walsh went on a recruitment drive. He gathered up Tim Gehrt and Billy Greer along the way. Steve also landed a recent arrival from the UK in Mike Slamer, previously with City Boy.
The Streets combination must have tweaked the interest of someone at Atlantic (maybe John Kalodner). It was enough to sign them, and thus the debut album came out during 1983. Based out of Atlanta, the band toured up and down the East Coast of the USA on the back of this album.
The Songs
The combination of Walsh’s symphonic background, mixed with Slamer’s melodic pop sensibilities makes for an engaging combination. And so it proved on ‘1st’. Combined with Neil Kernon’s production and engineering talent, the album is a rich and full event. The opening pair of tracks are awesome. ‘If Love Should Go’ and the punchy ‘Move On’.
‘One Way Street’ is a stop-start affair with a punctuated keyboard line. ‘Everything Is Changing’ is another great song, and the bands first attempt for a video too I understand.
‘Cold Hearted Woman’ crunches on the guitar while ‘So Far Away’ continues in the same vein, but picks up the speed somewhat. The verses are very similar to The Tubes‘ ‘Talk To Ya Later’, but thats where the comparison ends.
The album closer ‘Fire’ is a rollicking track, where the guitar chugs away big time, mixed with some very clever near progressive keyboard parts from Walsh.
In Summary
I really dig the combination of Slamer’s slick guitar lines with Walsh’s excellent keyboard arrangements on this album.
It gave Streets a great foundation to work from, and all in all, was a very good album for its time. This and the next one ‘Crimes In Mind’, really do deserve a place in your collection.
Streets on Video
If Love Should Go
Everything Is Chani8ng
Click to go to YTM album page.
