MICHAEL SEMBELLO had fulminate success in 1983 with his song ‘Maniac’, included in the 1983 movie Flashdance. After that Sembello spent much of his career writing & performing music for movies and TV shows, but releasing own albums from time to time.
After the very good ‘Without Walls’ presented here yesterday, many of you asked for Sembello’s second release as solo artist. It took three years for him to give shape the CD: “Caravan Of Dreams“, only released in Asia in 1992.
This is the Japanese edition, however seems Sembello was very popular in Malaysia, and recorded 3 exclusive tracks for the local pressing not present in the regular edition, added as extra here by plotn08.
Still retaining Sembello’s commercial, rock&pop characteristic ’80s sound, this new venture was much more mature, Adult Contemporary oriented, with lots of WestCoast AOR smooth arrangements and midtempo tunes mostly co-written with talented keyboard player Brian O’Doherty.
A consummate (and obsessive) producer, Michael Sembello always guarantee a first class studio work, and everything sounds pristine here.
The overall performances from all the talented session musicians are impeccable, but we must to mention the great guitar work on “Caravan Of Dreams”. Especially the rhythm guitars – handled by two specialists in this matter, the perfect-pitch Jennifer Batten (Jim Peterik, Michael Jackson) and the versatile Tim Drury (WhiteSnake, Brett Walker).
A rare, hard to find / out of print CD, and a very nice listen / addition to your collection.
01 – Heavy Weather
02 – Where We Gonna Dance
03 – Thing Called Love
04 – Movers & Shakers
05 – Passion
06 – Black Rain (Miles To Go)
07 – Winter Of Our Love
08 – Shangri-La
09 – State Of My Heart
10 – The Cure For Love
11 – The Harder Love Falls
12 – Where Are We Now
extras:
13 – Sahara (Malaysian release only)
14 – Impian Kafila (Malaysian release only)
15 – Obat Cinta (Malaysian release only)
Michael Sembello: vocals, keyboards, programming
Jennifer Batten, Tim Drury: guitars
Danny Sembello: keyboards, backing vocals
Brian O’Doherty: keyboards, backing vocals, arrangements
Chris Papastephanou, Joe Milner: keyboards
Richard Elliot: Saxophone solo on 6, 9
Wilkins, Cruz Sembello, Kali Milner: backing vocals