Album review: ORLEANS – New Star Shining
Share the post "Album review: ORLEANS – New Star Shining"
Sunset Blvd Records [Release date 22.10.21]
The 2021 Christmas offering from Orleans is something of a welcome surprise. The band have existed in some shape or form since their glory days in the late 1970s on the Asylum label, although only founder member John Hall and bassist Lance Hoppen remain from the early line-up. And now Hoppen has co-opted his sibling Lane on keyboards.
During their halcyon years they had radio-friendly U.S. hits with ‘Dance With Me’ and ‘Still The One’, the latter included on their best selling album ‘Waking And Dreaming’. During this time their drummer was Jerry Marotta who later worked with Peter Gabriel. Guitarist John Hall forged a career in U.S. politics from 2006 until 2012.
The band’s characteristic vocal harmonies remind at times of The Eagles. Their quality from that earlier era is reflected in the title track, originally written for James Taylor and Ricky Scaggs in 1994. It follows that very fine singer songwriter trajectory that existed in the 1970s with Reprise artists to the fore such as Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne who was a label mate on Asylum.
Amonst those guesting on the album are Little Feat’s Bill Payne and John Jorgenson (The Hellecasters).
Overall Orleans are AOR, well represented by ‘Mary’s Christmas’ originally performed by Little River Band with whom Orleans played a fund-raising show and were suitably impressed with the song. But this album is varied, and the band have largely plucked out a range of forgotten songs by lesser known artists, and rearranged in their own style. To their credit there is only one “old chestnut” (‘Winter Wonderland’ – an arrangement by the band’s co-founder the late Larry Hoppen) and if you want a sprinkling of fairy dust in your own seasonal mix, you’ve found it. ***1/2
Review by David Randall
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Latest session: Sunday 14 April
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 7 April 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 2 April 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: ORLEANS – New Star Shining"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections