Random: Who Remembers Boulevard?

Here's a blast from the past: Boulevard! Remember them? The Canadian band formed around 1983 and only released a couple of records. Well, last night I was reminded of their record Into the Street.

When I had Into the Street playing, the Glam husband looked up from his computer and said "Is that Danger Danger?" and he looked generally confused. I said no, told him the band and then thought for a minute that he did have a point. Boulevard does sound a bit like Danger Danger mixed in with Richard Marx.

Everyone knows I'm much more into straight Glam or heavier bands, but once in awhile I have an appetite for AOR. Boulevard is good, honest AOR.

"Need You Tonight"

"Far From Over"

Comments

[Chuck]

WOW...havent even thought about them in YEARS!!! They put out a really impressive debut album. I know I have it somewhere in the collection. You are inspiring me to dig it out and take a listen.

Its fun when you go through your old discs and hear songs that you havent heard in years. A few weeks ago I came across my old Thunder CD and listened to "Dirty Love" for the first time in years. Same with Cats In Boots "Shotgun Sally". GREAT tunes!!!!

[Gary]

(Raises hand) I Do! I Do! Thanx for the flashback Ally....

[adboimel]

Boulevard is one of the most talented AOR bands from the 80´s. This is the second album released by this great canadians, presenting us a brilliant cd released two years after their "debut", also a must have. The sound is a mix of other top bands of the style like FM, Diving for Pearls, Giant and Strangeways. Pure AOR heaven, almost a masterpiece. Extremely recommended to every good collector! I give 98,5/100!

[Metalboy!]

This borders on almost being almost too Saccharine. I've got both of their albums as well as all the key FM, Diving For Pearls, Giant and Strangeways albums Adboimel mentions.

I gotta say I actually like those bands much better than Boulevard, however. Though this genre we call AOR is not really my cup of tea, I must admit Boulevard is a definitive example of it. The others are much more guilty pleasures, in my mind.

Actually, there is a much more Rocking Boulevard I personally like better that hails from Sweden, natch. More in the Melodic Rock vein than this Boulevard, the Swedish Boulevard wasn't nearly as successful but they totally Rocked, for sure. Their album, "What's Up" is a total Rocker. Too bad their singer is lame, however. But the music is beyond superb. The whole band fires on all pistons and the guitars really cook. "What's Up" is from 1987.

Honeymoon Suite is another prime example of AOR who also hail from Canada, and they are near the top of the heap of this ilk, in my book. along with Alias, among others.

[Metalboy!]

Drivin'n Cryin' and Refugee are two more I could think of who are at The Top of The AOR Scrapheap.

[Clax]

I have the vinyl :D

[Gator]

Metalboy - bonus points to you for mentioning the vastly underrated Honeymoon Suite. Wonder whatever happened to those guys? I can see them maybe opening up an M3 or other festival next year.

"New Girl Now" is one of my favorites on the ipod even today.

[Metalboy!]

Awesome, Gator!

True, "New Girl Now" ROCKS but my personal fave is "Feel It Again".

When you get right down to it, this whole Genre called AOR really has a high "Cheese" quotient. The trouble is most of them don't even realize it about themselves.

Danger Danger always had a bit of an AOR-ish touch to a lot of their songs but at least with them, you can tell it's all done with a bit of a wink-wink, if you know what I mean, whereas I really think bands like Boulevard don't even realize they are cheesy, not in the least.

Another perfectly cheesy AOR act who have no idea what that word means is Alias. So cheesy, you could cut it with a knife!