The Pennsylvania hard rock band Fuel had a strong debut in the late 90s with their breakout hit, "Shimmer," which shined at #42 in 1998. After gaining this traction, their follow-up record, "Something Like Human," was even bigger, scoring a handful of successful singles and a peak at #17 on the Top 200. The record also gave Fuel their only top 40 hit with "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" getting to #30 in 2000. I was surprised that the beautiful "Bad Day" didn't do better. It topped out at only #64 yet remains one of my favorite tunes by the band. Fuel's last chart appearance would be in 2004 with "Falls On Me," which hit #52.
Frozen Ghost is a pop rock duo from Canada who were put on ice during their time in the late 80s and early 90s. After doing time in the one-hit wonder band called Sheriff, Arnold Lanni and Wolf Hassel pumped out a trio of very underrated records. Their sound, which reminded me of The Fixx, was perhaps a little late for the times. "Should I See" was a modest hit and their only chart appearance, peaking at #69 in 1987. The lyrics of this tune are still relevant today.
From The Inside is a little-known AOR band that released two albums in the 2000s. If you are a fan of the under the radar "hairbands" Waysted from the 80s or Tyketto from the early 90s, you'll recognize the distinctive voice of Danny Vaughn. Vaughn is a talented singer/songwriter who should have gotten a lot more attention; not only was Tyketto underrated, but so was his solo career and other side projects like From The Inside. "Stop" is a great slice of melodic rock that is simply well written, well sung, well played. What's not to like?
After the demise of the legendary pop group ABBA, Anni-Frid Lyngstad (aka Frida) embarked on a short-lived solo career that yielded a lone top 40 hit with "I Know There's Something Going On." The tune landed at #13 in 1982. You may recognize some of the drums and backing vocals on her record, as Phil Collins had a heavy hand in it. Still, outside from the title track and a handful of others, the songs just aren't there and failed to make a lasting impression, even among die-hard ABBA fans. The rocking lead off track, "Tell Me It's Over," is an exception, and I wonder what kind of solo career Frida might have had if she rocked out like this more often.
Australian singer/songwriter James Freud was a member of the 80s band, The Models. Before and after, Freud strived to get a solo career off the ground. In 1989 he released "Step Into The Heat," in which the single "One Fine Day" generated some buzz. Freud released his final solo effort in 2008 called "See You In Hell," which contained a bevy of catchy rock tunes that should have been a breakthrough for this talented artist. "Junk" is just one of many highlights imbued with a fun sense of 80s attitude, not to mention reference to Deborah Harry. Freud struggled with alcoholism much of his life, even writing two books about it. Sadly, he committed suicide in 2010.
The quirky band from Australia, Frente!, arrived on the scene at the start of the folk pop revival in the 90s. They had only a single chart appearance, a chill-inducing unplugged version of New Order's classic song, "Bizarre Love Triangle." Frente!'s version went to #49 in 1994. Their breakthrough album, "Marvin The Album," should have spawned more hits, like this perky little ditty called "Dangerous." Alas, Frente! was not able to rise to the likes of Jewel or Jill Sobule stateside.
Freiheit is a quintessential synth pop band from the 80s courtesy of Germany. The band's name is German for liberty and political freedom. They were very successful in Europe, but never charted in the US. Our loss. In fact, I would probably never have heard of them if they didn't have "Keeping The Dream Alive" featured on the soundtrack to the movie Say Anything. The remarkable harmony vocals sucked me in right at the first listen and I still can't get enough of this beautiful song.
