LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

The Sky Kings were formed in 1988 by Rusty Young of Poco, Bill Lloyd of Foster & Lloyd and John Cowan of New Grass Revival. During the 1990s they recorded two remarkable albums, a 1992 set for RCA (with The Doobie Brothers’ Pat Simmons as a then-full fledged member) and a 1996 release for Warner Bros (back as a trio). And most remarkable of all, neither of these fine albums was ever commercially issued. As a result, The Sky Kings have become one of those legendary bands known more by rumor and reputation than by its musical output. Until the release of this CD. From Out Of The Blue features 24 Sky Kings recordings, all taken from their Warner Bros years. It begins with that unreleased 1997 Warner Bros album, plus nine additional tracks that had been recorded for possible use on the album but which were not included. There are also three demos for tracks that were under consideration, but not recorded, for that album, as well as the A-side of their third promotional-only single and their cover of a classic Smokey Robinson track included on a 1996 Warner Bros Christmas collection. Compiled with the active assistance of the band, The Sky Kings’ From Out Of The Blue rescues more than an-hour-and-a-quarter's worth of Warner Bros masters and wraps them up with a 20-page booklet filled with recollections from each of the bandmembers, archival photos, and proposed artwork from that lost Warner Bros album. According to Sky King Bill Lloyd: "Warners really gave us a lot of time to get our sound together. We got together, knee to knee, with guitars, bass and dobro and those kinds of instruments and worked things out. The chemistry felt good and it really defined the group's sound, which was a country band with country-rock/pop roots." Or as a 1996 Warner Bros press release put it, "The Sky Kings add a new intensity and sound to country music." From Out Of The Blue is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 5,000 copies.
TRACK LISTING () Picture Perfect (3:11 ) That Just About Says It All (3:35 ) Lonely Only Goes So Far (3:53 ) Doin' What I Shouldn't (3:08 ) Love On Our Side (3:31 ) That's How You Learn About Love (2:16 ) A Shot At Loving You (3:35 ) I Must Be Doin' Something Right (3:27) Who Cares (3:25 ) I Can't Trust My Heart (2:40 ) Fooled Around And Fell In Love (SINGLE VERSION) (3:23) A Great Day To Be Alive (4:10 ) Right From The Git Go (3:42 ) If She Didn't Love Me (2:53 ) I Don't Wanna Live Like That (4:01) Angeline (3:23 ) Real Good Place To Start (2:43 ) Watch The Stars Come Out (DEMO) (2:55 ) That's What Love Can Do (DEMO) (3:35 ) You're Not There (3:48 ) I Just Did What I Didn't Wanna Do (DEMO) (2:45 ) Long Arms Of Love (3:51 ) Christmas Everyday (2:56 ) Just About Interlude (1:04 )