Album review: JON BUTCHER AXIS – Stare At The Sun

Escape Music [Release date 25.05.18]

The second Jon Butcher Axis album, originally released in 1984, gets a first time release on CD by Escape Music, following on from the self-titled album released earlier this year.

Joining Jon Butcher on the album were drummer Derek Belvins and bassist Christopher Martin. The album made no. 190 on the US Billboard album charts, not a massive hot but it did lead to support slots back then with the likes of Rush and Def Leppard, the latter were on a massive upwards swing in popularity on the back of their ‘Pyromania’ album.

There are so many classy songs on here, be it the uptempo ‘Stay Low’, with a Big Country approved riff and a chorus bigger than a skyscraper, or the wistful ballad ‘Dreams Fade Away’.

‘Don’t Say Goodnight’ would have given Foreigner a run for their money back in the day. In fact it is a real mystery why the Jon Butcher Axis didn’t make bigger inroads into the US market given they had the songs to fit the growing rise in all things melodic and hard rock in the mid-80′s.

No bonus songs, however it is the album’s first proper release on CD and that is a good enough reason to own it.

An album that should be in any self-respecting melodic rock fans’ collection, Jon Butcher Axis mixed melodic rock with the pop sensibilities of the early/mid 80′s. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

Album review (Jon Butcher Axis)

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)