AOR-helmi!!!

1994 Empire,

Personnel

Cliff Magness all vocals, drum programming, lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards
Glen Ballard additional keyboards
Jay Graydon lead guitar
Aina Olsen backing vocals
Martin Paige backing vocals
Mark Mueller background vocals

Tracks

1. Footprints in the Rain

2. It's Only Love

3. Hold Me Lee Anne

4. One Way Out

5. Khalela

6. Jenny's Still in Love

7. Only You

8. If We Can't Do It

9. Flower Girl

10. What's a Heart To Do

11. Solo

12. Dreams Fade Away

13. Ready or Not

Clifton “Clif” Magness (born April 24, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for co-writing and producing several tracks on Avril Lavigne’s 2002 debut album, Let Go including the song "Losing Grip".

At the 33rd Grammy Awards, Magness won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for the song "The Places You Find Love" from Quincy Jones' album, Back On The Block. He received nominations for an Academy Award,[3] Golden Globe Award, and Grammy for the theme song "The Day I Fall In Love" from the film Beethoven's 2nd.

Former Planet 3 vocalist Clif Magness released this fantastic, appropriately titled solo effort back in 1994. Whereas "Music from the planet" had focused on the softer, soulful side of westcoast pop/rock (mainly due to the influence of co-member Jay Graydon), "Solo" showcased a superb blend of contemporary westcoast music in the vein of vintage Chicago and finest Adult Oriented Rock, leaning toward the latter. Insiders may imagine a cross between L.A. Cowboys and O'Ryan's "Initiate". Multi-instrumentalist Clif Magness was assisted on keyboards by Glen Ballard, also of Planet 3 fame, while on backing vocals Martin Page can be heard, an excellent recording artist in his own right (check out "In the house of stone and light" !). The proceedings are set in motion with "Footprints in the rain", arguably the outstanding track on this CD. One might best describe this prime example of high-energy rock as the greatest song Bryan Adams never wrote. Anyone who has ever heard this AOR jewel will understand why. But it's by no means downhill from there. Among the remaining 12 tracks there are a generous handful who qualify for the AOR Hall of Fame, including the slick "It's only love" (nice female backing vox), "If we can't do it" (great guitar intro/theme) and "Jenny's still in love" with its infectious chorus. Clif Magness is certainly one of the most exceptional singers in the melodic/AOR genre, his voice being both powerful and smooth, but with a definite edge, like rough silk. This he proves most convincingly performing the album's terrific ballads "What's a heart to do" and "Hold me Lee Anne": it's vocal grandstanding of the highest order ! This guy can carry a tune like nobody's business ! More variety is provided by the unusual, exotic rhythm of "Khalela" (cool track !) and the cheerful, upbeat song "Flower girl". At the time this gifted artist should have scored a succession of hit singles with this magnificent album, which ranks among the ten best i've ever heard. (And believe me, i've heard quite a few). The CD's production values are as flawless as its songs, which were accessible and classy enough to warrant extensive airplay on FM rock stations or indeed nationwide mainstream radio. But such is the fate of those who operate within this underrated genre. One will be hard pressed to find a finer collection of songs on one album though.