DIVING FOR PEARLS self-titled debut is one of those albums that you enjoy from start to finish, never drops in quality and where every cut should have been a hit. This Melodic Rock / AOR gem was remastered by Rock Candy with 5 bonus tracks, and it’s a must have in your collection.
The late ’80s produced a plethora of Melodic Rock acts from North America – none more special than Diving For Pearls.
Led by supremely talented frontman Danny Malone and terrific guitarist Yul Vazquez (previously part of the excellent Urgent US), this NY-based five piece forged one of the finest records of the era, at a time when the likes of Bon Jovi, Winger, White Lion & Whitesnake were receiving platinum trophies as a matter of course.
Acclaimed by the critics and embraced by American radio programmers, the “Diving For Pearls” album made an immediate impact and looked set to take the band to the top of the AOR mountain.
With ‘sixth member’ David Prater producing, mixing, dropping some backing vocals / keyboards and providing an awesome polished sound, the band enjoyed a high rotation on MTV for first single “Gimme Your Good Lovin”, and spawned another radio favorite, “I Don’t Want To Cry”.
But all tracks are pure gold.
The record went on to sell over 250.000 copies in the US alone and was named as one of Kerrang! magazine’s Top 20 for 1989.
“I Close My Eyes” is nothing short of magnificent, its melodic rock leanings putting it close in spirit to those bastions of this type of Melodic Rock like Bad English or Night Ranger. Yul Vasquez run through a classic three chord progression topped by Malone’s impassioned vocals.
On “The Girl Can’t Help It” we have prime time melodic AOR at it’s best. Then the amazingly heartfelt ballad “New Moon” is a diamond, and the luxuriant guitar thrust of “Never On Monday” force you to move your feet.
Diving For Pearls toured successfully with the best, and from one of these gigs come the live bonus tracks present on the rock Candy reissue, recorded at the Toy Tiger club in Louisville, KY in 1990, including a cover of The Cult’s “She Sells Sanctuary”.
However, despite healthy international interest and great album sales, a series of promotional hiccups and marketing blunders left Diving For Pearls floundering, forcing the band to abandon any dreams of melodic rock supremacy. When their second album was in the works the band was dropped by the label due the changing musical climate.
Failed potential aside, the ensuing years have been increasingly kind to Diving For Pearls, with many revaluating their debut as quite possibly one of the most overlooked works of a time when great hooks, savage guitars, enthralling song structures and expressive vocals ruled the world with a rod of (velvet-coated) iron.
A Must Have for every Melodic Rock / AOR fan.
01. Gimme Your Good Lovin’
02. Have You Forgotten?
03. I Close My Eyes
04. New Moon
05. Never on Monday
06. You’re All I Know
07. Mystery Me
08. I Don’t Want to Cry
09. Keep Our Love Alive
10. The Girl Can’t Stop It
BONUS
11. Dear Prudence (demo)
12. I Close My Eyes (live)
13. Gimme Your Good Lovin’ (live)
14. The Girl Can’t Stop It (live)
15. She Sells Sanctuary (live)