Originally released almost a decade ago and sold out, Purple Pyramid Records reissued last year “Mysterious Sessions“, a compilation featuring the amazing voice of BOBBY KIMBALL.

Genre: AOR
Country of release: Canada
Year of release: 2025
Publisher (label): MelodicRock Classics – MRC511
Country of artist (band): Canada

Limited to 500 units worldwide, MelodicRock Classics is releasing the previously unreleased album from VISIONARY MAN, the band featuring members of Eighties cult classic act Dare Force: New Orleans born Dean Vallecillo (Lead and backing vocals, Bass guitars) and guitarist / keyboardist Brian Bart. Brian previously worked with MRC for the release of his rocking solo album ‘Future Vision’.
The band Visionary Man featured 3 members of Dare Force and this album was recorded after their 1989’s ‘Firepower’ LP. Safe to say, this self-titled CD “Visionary Man” is another quality slice of ’80s American melodic hard rock with some light progressive in mix, all very well produced, and for this release remastered to modern standards.

Visionary Man came to life with the impending dissolution of Dare Force after the release of ‘Firepower’. Dean had already written four songs for the follow-up. Although these songs were still in their infancy stage at the time, he had a head start on what would eventually become a solo album. With his years of songwriting and studio experience, along with the production prowess and iconic guitar work of Brian Bart, Visionary Man was painstakingly assembled.
However, the completion in the early ’90s of the Visionary Man project coincided with another significant musical shift, rendering these songs somewhat outdated-for a time.
Nevertheless, Dean and Brian kept the spirit alive, believing that someday the project would find it’s moment. Now, that time has come.
Highly Recommended

01 – Small Change
02 – Visionary Man
03 – Fantasy Satisfier
04 – Heart And Soul
05 – Eyes On You
06 – Hold On
07 – All Come Home Again
08 – Defiant
09 – Never Cry Again
10 – What Love Should Be
11 – The Line In My Hand
12 – One Big Change

Dean Vallecillo (Lead and backing vocals, Bass guitars)
Brian Bart (Guitars, Keyboards)
Paul Peterson (Drums)

With Special Guests:
Donnie LaMarca: Piano/Keyboards on 3, 4, 5, 6 (Piano Intro)
Steve Hayes: Keyboards on tracks 2, 6, 7, 10
JP Smith: Backing Vocals on track 5
Mark Westlund: Backing Vocals on tracks 6, 7
Greg Herzenach: Acoustic Guitar on track 11 “The Line in my hand”

MP3 FLAC

As part of the Warner Music Japan ‘AOR Best Selection 1300’ reissue series, we have here JOHN O’BANION‘s self-titled gem “John O’Banion“. This ‘AOR Best Selection 1300’ campaign features the best titles from the label’s catalogue being sold at the affordable price of 1300 Yen (around $11), all remastered and pressed on high quality SHM-CD.

Genre: AOR
Country of release: Europe
Year of release: 2025
Publisher (label): Scarlet – SC 467-0
Country of artist (band): Italy

For many, BOBBY KIMBALL ‘is’ the vocalist of TOTO. While his solo career after that great band has been abit erratic, Bobby has released some stupendous music by his own. After his pretty rocking solo debut ‘Rise Up’, Kimball started to work on a new album inspired by the early sound that made him famous, in part as requested by his fans.