Year : 1987 (Girder Records Edition 2020)
Style : Christian Melodic Rock , Pomp AOR
Country : United States
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 95 mb
Bio:
If you don't know Twenty 20, you'll want to read this in it's entirety because this band just might be the biggest hidden gem of the 80's rock era. Why? Because Twenty 20 was a surprisingly flashy band, loaded with sure-fire commercial-based sound and a blend of art-rock anthems similar to that of STYX or KANSAS with a dose of straight ahead rock similar to THE CARS, WHITEHEART or even GIANT. The band mixed an interesting blend of pomp AOR with cool new wave melodies, all wrapped by a very Eighties arsenal of keyboards, synthesizers, synclavier and electronic drums. This Synth-AOR stadium rock band from the 80's would have been incredible to see opening up for Steve Taylor or Daniel Amos during their peek years or even as an opening act for MUSE or The Killers, with one exception... they might have stolen the show. They emulated art-rockers such as Kansas and Styx, as mentioned above, yet oddly enough this band escaped notice from Christian Radio and ultimately Christian bookstores because of one simple fact... the had some rather decent attention on mainstream "Secular" radio and the Christians would have no part of mingling those two worlds "Christian" and "Secular" together. Well, the cover of Twenty Twenty’s 1985 self-titled debut makes promises. The hair. The lasers. The futuristic band name and when you played it they make good on their uber-’80s promises. Opener on the self-titled “You Are So True” shows off the band’s hi-tech sound big time. Leading with a new wave keyboard line, the song very easily erupts into a definitively ’80s blend of synthesizer melodies and electronic drums. Guitarist Roscoe Meek even adds heroic chugging guitar lines to the mix. But where this album gets really fun is when keyboardist and Twenty Twenty’s go-to arranger Earnie Chaney let’s loose on synclavier and unleashes rapid-fire synth lines. “Security Code” and “War Games” are paired together at the front end of the album and cloak mentions of Heaven in ’80s concepts of technology. Twenty Twenty's music is hi-tech, and considering it was 1985, there's a lot of electronic percussion a la Simmons and Linn drums, and vocoder blasts throughout. The band was certainly in good company for their debut self-titled Twenty Twenty (1985) on Benson/PowerDisc, recorded in Nashville with marathon engineer Brent King (the so-called “Karate Man” who seems to have worked with everyone from Reba to Keith Urban) and fellow Christian band Whiteheart’s Billy Smiley, making Twenty Twenty seem more and more like a proper synthesizer-led stadium rock band.
Album:
Girder Records Edition from 2020.Twenty Twenty is a rare album as it is, but Altered – released by Christian label Refuge in 1987 – was evidently scarce even at its first pressing. But there is a reason why you need to get this albums, if the only reason is for the song HOLD YOU HEAD UP. Alongside its self-titled debut, the second album from TWENTY TWENTY, “Altered“, has been remastered from the master tapes and released for the first time on CD.Two yeas after their critically acclaimed debut, the band changed their name to 20/Twenty and slightly their sound as well. “Altered”, appeared in 1987, delivered a more straight AOR style and ‘regular’ instrumentation.Again produced by Billy Smiley, almost the complete White Heart line up also play here as guests. The style on this second album are more mature with many tracks bringing to my mind Jay Graydon’s Planet 3, Allies, Geoff Moore, etc, that say a mix of poppy AOR with delicate melodies and a touch of West Coast.The Hi-Tech from the debut is still present in a couple of tracks as well as the synth effects, but mostly this second album is a smooth and classic ’87 AOR affair.Only released on LP and long time deleted, both Twenty Twenty – 20/Twenty albums were really hard to find, the second even few months after its original release back in 1987.Classic 1986-87 AOR with the pristine American production from the era. And these remasters made wonders.The production put into it will amaze even the pickiest of critics. Each song sounding nothing like the previous. All unique and very strong. There are a few slower Whiteheart like ballads such as Find Your Way Back, which give it just the breath it needs, slowing down only enough for a quick gasp of air before taking off again with She drove up in a red corvette, the lyrics of Material Things with some serious guitar hooks and jams and one of the better guitar solos albeit short.
Line-Up:
Ron Collins – vocals
Roscoe Meek – guitars
Gary MacAnally – bass
Greg Herrington – drums
Earnie Chaney – keyboards
+ guests:
Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Mark Gersmehl, John Slick, Billy Smiley
Backing Vocals – Rick Florian
Production:
Manufactured By – The ADS Group – 24376-CD-0047
Executive Producer – Bob MacKenzie
Producer, Synthesizer – Billy Smiley
Tracklist:
01. Fine Line
02. Get Altered
03. Can’t Run From You
04. For Heaven’s Sake
05. Eternity in Every Heart
06. Hold Your Head Up
07. Caught Up in Heaven
08. Find Your Way Back
09. Material Things
10. The Tears You’ve Cried
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
