Keyboardist / vocalist TONY CAREY started a successful solo career after his time with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. ‘Blue Highway’ is one of our favorite Carey solo LP’s, originally released in 1985 so you guess which kind of sound to expect. This “Blue Highway (2018 expanded edition)“ is a welcomed reissue to re-discover this very good album, plus 2 extra tracks.
More AOR oriented than his previous solo works, Carey’s ‘Blue Highway’ sports that 1985 polished sound production handled by Peter Hauke (White Lion) and mastered by Greg Fulginiti (Aerosmith, Whitesnake).
‘We Wanna Live’ is a wonderful opener, a racing AOR number with fine guitars / synths and a catchy chorus. ‘She Moves Like A Dancer’ bring to mind Michael Stanley Band, a very American tune with a home-grown, earthy rock and roll sound, with huge use of melody.
‘Live Wire’ is classic Carey, and classic ’80s; a midtempo full of atmosphere which has a lot in common with the Canadian AOR sound from the era: pristine sound and clean arrangements. Title track ‘Blue Highway’ is an elegant, suit & tie AOR ballad, ‘Love Don’t Bother Me’ goes for radio friendly poppy lite AOR, then ‘Katy Be Mine’ has some of The Synch melodic rock to it.
‘Like A Rock’ brings back uptempo riffs, a mix of strong guitars, synths and Carey’s raspy vocals, overall resulting like a Bryan Adams tune off ‘Reckless’. The extra tracks were recorded in the Nineties, more focused in Tony’s vocals and interesting lyrics than the ‘glossy’ sound design.
A really welcomed reissue to hear again this well-crafted collection of songs with that mid-Eighties magic.
Highly Recommended
1 We Wanna Live
2 She Moves Like a Dancer
3 Live Wire
4 10,000 Times
5 Tear Down the Walls
6 Blue Highway
7 Love Don’t Bother Me
8 Katy Be Mine
9 Like a Rock
10 Out of Town Woman
11 Boystown
12 Matchgirl