Reissue label MelodicRock Classics has made a deal with classic ’80s pomp/AOR act MPG to bring fans the first ever official CD release of the band’s 1981 cult debut album “MPG”, originally released by A&M Records.
This special 2-CD Deluxe Edition expands the original LP with 4 early demos, but then on a second disc, jumps forward into work recorded for a never released second studio album, plus other tracks demoed over the years since. The guys have always stayed in touch and this culminates with the addition of a brand-new song – “Stop The World” – recorded last year 2022 and mixed only some months ago.
JK Northrup has mastered the new song as well as remastering the original album and all the 20 bonus tracks.
This is classic early Eighties American AOR with all the magic from a unique era.
MPG was originally a well known group circa late 1970’s in the Atlanta, Georgia area called The Miles Brothers. They were headed by Steve Carey on Lead Vocals and Keyboards. He wrote most all of the original music and was supported by Michael Bolt on Drums, Steve Locklin on Bass and Kim Smith on Guitar.
The Miles Brothers management thought that the group possibly needed a little more rock influence and a lead guitarist that could possibly sing. So soon after David Mikeal was added to the lineup. The band continued to be called The Miles Brothers and kept their strong R&B roots clearly evident in their rhythm section. A lot of new material was written and record labels were showing up regularly to watch the group.
A&M Records ended up being the label that signed The Miles Brothers in 1980. That’s when the record label told the band they would have to change their name. The group looked over a lot of names and decided they would like to keep Miles in the name somehow.
That’s how MPG (Miles Per Gallon) was picked as the new name.
The album contained 9 songs and it was especially the opener “Too Many Questions” that made this a classic Pomp-album for many people. “Too many questions” is a Pompy Heaven with classy piano-keys, a lovely guitar solo and very impressive lead vocals from vocalist Steve Carey and all band members layered harmonies. This song is up there with LE ROUX.
Follower “Working Overtime” is a great one, but is more uptempo AOR/Radio-rock compared to classic bands like STEEL BREEZE, THE SHERBS and the first SILVER CONDOR. “Best thing I Ever Had” is pure midtempo AOR Pomprock that could easily have been into a ROADMASTER album, including similar harmony vocals. A great mixture of AOR and stadium Pomp can be heard in the song “Goodbye Cruel World”.
“Why Me”, is a slowtempo AOR number much in the style of FRANKE & THE KNOCKOUTS, ALLIANCE, THE AUTOMATIX, only less bombastic and with harmony vocals that are in the STYX territory. “Get yours Tonight” is plenty of heavy synths, with cool hooklines here and there.
There are some great keys in the next track “Hurt Me”, the song itself is a bit experimental like TRILLION
Then we get a track that is similar in style to “Working Overtime”, the pumping uptempo AOR / Radio rocker “Can I Come Over Tonight” which includes lovely keyboards floating around, smooth vocals, bright guitars and can easily be compared to THE SHERBS, 707 (third album), STEEL BREEZE and even PREVIEW. The uplifting and hard-driven beat makes this song very catchy and a highlight. During the chorus you can’t resist to sing-a-long.
Final track is “Always Something”, a cool semi-AOR/Pomp ballad that has a great pre-chorus like TOUCH (especially the vocal arrangements).
The second disc contains a lot of the songs that didn’t make the official A&M Records release. Also some of the songs that were demos for the 2nd MPG album that never happened. The recordings range from state of the art to 4 track demos at home studios. The vast majority of these songs were again written by Steve Carey along with 2 new additions from David Mikeal (Front Page News, Number One).
Some of these tunes were the band’s favorites but didn’t make the cut.
”Worn Out Shoes” and ‘Number One” and ”That’s Easy” were recorded at a weekend band reunion in the summer of 1999 at Steve Carey’s home in Atlanta minus Kim Smith. Then extra guitar tracks were added by David Mikeal at his studio in Central Florida soon after.
”Stop The World” was recorded recently in May 2022 with the same 4 members at Daphne Street Studios in Mobile Alabama during another 2 day short reunion.
This is true early ’80s AOR with all that magic intact.
Highly Recommended
You’ve seen it first at PLOTN08
Disc 1: The 1981 Album remastered
01 – Too Many Questions
02 – Workin’ Overtime
03 – Best Thing I Never Had
04 – Goodbye Cruel World
05 – Why Me
06 – Get Yours Tonight
07 – Hurt Me
08 – Can I Come Over Tonight
09 – Always Something
Miles Bros. Early Muscle Shoals Versions:
10 – Too Many Questions (Miles Bros Version)
11 – Goodbye Cruel World (Miles Bros Version)
12 – Hurt Me (Miles Bros Version)
13 – Always Something (Miles Bros Version)
Disc 2: Unreleased Work
01 – Stop The World (New Song 2022)
02 – Worn Out Shoes
03 – That’s Easy
04 – Life In The Arena
05 – Toys For Boys
06 – Front Page News
07 – Can’t Miss Love
08 – Feels So Good
09 – Number One
10 – Nobody There
11 – Somebody Somewhere
12 – Bedtime Story
13 – Worn Out Shoes(8 Track Demo)
14 – High School Confidential (Miles Bros. Early 4 Track Version)
15 – Saved My Life (Miles Bros. Live 1979 Bistro Club)
16 – Some Other Time(Miles Bros. Live 1979 Bistro Club Atlanta)
Steve Carey – lead vocals, keyboards
Kim Smith – guitar, vocals
David Mikeal – guitar, vocals
Michael Bolt – drums, vocals
Steve Locklin – bass, vocals
MPG is:
STEVE CAREY – Keyboards and Lead Vocals
KIM SMITH – Guitar and Vocals
DAVID MIKEAL – Guitar and Vocals
MICHAEL BOLT – Drums and Vocals
STEVE LOCKLIN – Bass and Vocals
Album Produced By Tom Knox And Steve Carey