Year : 1991 (FnA Records Edition 2025)
Style : Melodic Hard Rock
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + scans
Size : 179 mb
Bio:
This band came from US Utica, NY. Background A few months back we reviewed an album by an upstate New York band called Big Krush. The mastermind of that outfit was guitarist and producer and Utica based Bob Acquaviva. In another life many years before, Bob was a member of an eighties outfit called Mere Mortals, and another outfit from the same region called Touris, the band taking its name from lead guitarist and singer Tony Touris. The band appears to have only released this one effort (thirteen tracks too), and if you are a fan of Bon Jovi or Valentine (albeit a working mans version thereof), then you'll be right at home here. Touris have obviously been influenced by other acts from that 1989-1991 era, and this comes out in their music too, with Touris having listened to Jon Bon Jovi and Hugo (a la Valentine) by the sounds of things. Bob Aquaviva is a legend. Before in Mere Mortals, He was in Luftwaffe and they ruled the local hard rock scene here in the early '80s, which was the heyday of music in the Utica area.Bob Aquaviva is a legend on the local music scene.Owns his own studio and produced many albums and singles for many local bands. If you ever see any CDs, cassettes or albums by a band named Mere Mortals, get 'em! That was Bob's band before. Look for an album with a song called 'Laura Said'. That is a great song.
Album:
Founded in the second half of the ’80s by singer / songwriter Tony Touris, his band TOURIS released in 1991 their indie debut CD “Big Plans’. Their brand of melodic rock with AORish ballads were the sound & style of the moment, unfortunately the band never secured a major label contract.Perhaps for being located in the US East Coast where they toured the NY / New Jersey area with reported hot and packed venues – and with all members refusing to move to California – Touris struggled to get a record deal. But they didn’ give up and having into the line-up guitarist Bob Aquaviva, also producer and owner of a recording studio (he was later the track engineer on Boston’s album ‘Corporate America’, among other works), the band recorded this debut “Big Plans” in 1990, released by themselves the following year.Throughout their active years, Touris played extensively, supporting legendary bands such as Trixter, Danger Danger, Tuff, and Benny Mardones.After decades out of print, now FnA Records is reissuing the album properly re-titled “Big(ger) Plans” as 7 bonus tracks have been added to the tracklist plus a remastered sound.Musically, Touris is classic late ’80s U.S. melodic hard rock avoiding linear arrangements, with most songs featuring ‘inside breaks’ and different arrangements, layers of harmony vocals, nice guitar riffs and keyboards flourishes.Among my favorites there’s the smooth AOR of ‘Tonight’ and the fine ballad ‘We’ll Meet Again Someday’ both with a bit of ’85 Bon Jovi on it, ‘Sweet Home’ which adds acoustics to the mix in a Tyketto mode, and midtempo ‘I’m Sorry’ recalling a little of Alias with its atmospheric keys.‘Dreams’ is a joyful melodic rocker, the melody of title track reminds me of a Two Fires song, while ‘Our Hearts’ has a sound similar to what Johnny Lima would do later.Touris’ “Big(ger) Plans” has that classy melodic rock sound and style we all love, and it’s great to see it available again.
Line Up:
Tony Touris - lead guitar, vocals
Bob Acquaviva - guitar
Joel Ciotti - bass
Kelly Yacco - drums
Joe Fanelli - keyboards
Tracklist:
01. It’s Alright Now
02. Touch N Love
03. Couldn’t Love You More
04. We’ll Meet Again Someday
05. Sweet Home
06. Tonight
07. Don’t Grow up to Fast
08. Dreams
09. Big Plans
10. When We We’re Kids
11. Daddy Loves You
12. I’m Sorry
13. Our Hearts
14. All For One
15. Even Me
16. Searching For The Answer
17. Only Love
18. I Like Love
19. I’ll Wait For You
Big Plans (1990-91): 2-9, 11-13
Demos: 1,10, 14-19
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