UNDER FIRE‘s sole release is something like a lost AOR / Melodic Rock cult classic, and the making of what might have been a super-group for the genre. Finally, their self-titled album gets a proper remastered release thanks to Hear No Evil / Cherry Red Records, including a second CD with eight unreleased tracks as bonus, featuring Rough Cutt’s Paul Shortino on lead vocals on some songs.
The band was originally put together when New England / Alcatrazz keyboard player Jimmy Waldo met Billy Squier guitarist Cary Sharaf, and quickly formed a strong writing partnership, way back in 1988. They were joined by strong vocalist Moki Demarco, settling on Steve Schwartz and Greg Wise for drums and bass.
All songs were written by Sharaf between 1984-88, where Waldo provided arrangements and his classy ’80s keyboard / synth flurry. With a modest budget Under Fire recorded this eponymous album and played only one show, at The Roxy in Los Angeles.
At the time, Jimmy Waldo had also been writing and recording with Quiet Riot for their “QR” album, and as the latter retained a major label deal, Waldo decided to throw his lot in with Quiet Riot, and the “Under Fire” recording sadly languished on the shelf.
In 1997 the “Under Fire” album finally found an official release on Point Music / AOR Heaven in Germany, GB Music in the States and Avalon in Japan, though it failed to make much impact at the time.
The songs all have that second half of the ’80s American AOR / MR bombast; soaring vocals by the very capable Demarco, with booming spacious sounding drums and glorious keyboard fills, while Sharaf’s rhythm guitar parts drive the tunes with sustained pulse.
On the rocking side we find the terrific ‘No More Heartaches’, ‘Always On The Run’ or ‘Rolling Down That Road’, while there’s more AOR numbers on keyboard-loaded ‘Heart in Pain’ (a winner), ‘Love You One More Time’ and the catchy ‘When You Feel Lonely’.
30+ years after its recording, “Under Fire” finally arrives with a proper sonic shape, and featuring previously unreleased material including sessions with the mighty Paul Shortino on lead vocals.
Highly Recommended
01 No More Heartaches
02 Crazy For Love
03 Heart In Pain
04 Rolling Down That Road
05 Love You One More Time
06 Hold Out
07 Burning Desire
08 Crossfire
09 Always On The Run
10 When You Feel Lonely
01 I Want Our Love To Be Strong
02 Miracle
03 Long & Lonely Nights
04 Love For The Moment
05 Strangers (paul Shortino Vocals)
06 Where Were You (paul Shortino Vocals)
07 Get It Right
08 I Can’t Tell You Why